The annual Congressional August recess is once again upon us…almost. The U.S. House has adjourned for the month, but the U.S. Senate is still in town, working through a few outstanding items, including annual appropriations and the September 30 funding deadline. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
The big news from the beginning of July is the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Consistent with our all-of-the-above approach for unleashing American energy and our focus on durable policy and business certainty, ConservAmerica actively worked to preserve many clean energy provisions.
The final version of the bill allowed some continued usage of the clean electricity credits, essential at a time of rising electricity demand, and (compared to the House-passed bill) lengthened the phase-out of the clean hydrogen credit and increased the carbon capture and storage tax credit – key tools for a long-term energy strategy. On the heels of its final passage, ConservAmerica President Jeff Kupfer sat down with the Conservative Energy Network to explore the future of hydrogen – you can listen in here.
One of the big wins in the Big Beautiful Bill was for America’s sportsmen and women. Millions of Americans around the country use private land to hunt and fish. Since most of the country’s acreage is privately held, many hunters and anglers are all too familiar with locked gates, high fences, and no trespassing signs. In recent years, this has contributed to a decline in the overall percentage of Americans who hunt, which has in turn reduced funding for wildlife conservation. RCC member Sen. Steve Daines’ (R-MT) Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act offered a solution to this problem by incentivizing landowners to grant sportsmen access to their land.
Another piece of legislation we’re keeping our eye on is Rep. Hageman’s (R-WY) Expedited Appeals Review Act (EARA) which targets the chronic delays and lack of transparency in the Department of the Interior’s appeals process. Currently, landowners, energy developers, and even conservation groups face years of gridlock before the Interior Board of Land Appeals. EARA would streamline the process by enforcing review timelines and allowing unresolved cases to move to federal court, reducing uncertainty and costs for all involved. It’s a smart reform rooted in conservative principles.
And finally, if you’re going to be in Montana and are interested in lands issues, ConservAmerica will be hosting a full day, public event on August 28, 2025 to discuss how private landowners can promote connectivity across different landscapes. We invite you to join us!
We hope everyone is having an enjoyable summer. As a precaution before heading outside, be sure to check out these heat safety tips from the National Weather Service. And don’t forget to tag us on Facebook (@ConservAmerica) with your great outdoor fun photos!
