** Infrastructure deal will make critical down payment on climate
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Thursday, July 29, 2021
President Joe Biden delivers remarks virtually during the Leaders Summit on Climate Session 1: “Raising Our Climate Ambition” on April 22, 2021, in the East Room of the White House. Official White House photo by Adam Schultz ([link removed])
Senators reached agreement ([link removed]) yesterday to begin consideration of a once-in-a-generation bipartisan infrastructure spending package ([link removed]) that includes historic investments to help tackle the climate crisis.
Following the announcement, the White House shared a fact sheet ([link removed]) on the framework of the legislation, which will include the largest investment in clean energy transmission and electric vehicle infrastructure in history, and the creation of a new Grid Deployment Authority to modernize the electric grid for 21st century standards. The bill also calls for the largest investment in clean drinking water and waste water infrastructure in American history to deliver clean water to millions of families, and delivers billions in funds to clean up superfund and brownfield sites, reclaim abandoned mine land, and cap orphaned gas wells.
While some critics argue ([link removed]) the agreement falls short of expectations on climate, they acknowledge it represents a significant down payment to make progress and sets the stage for President Biden and lawmakers to use all the tools available to them to pursue additional measures. Senator Tom Carper, Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is among those who says the agreement doesn't go far enough on climate, although he also said ([link removed]) , “Do we need to do more? Yes. Can we and will we? Yes.”
** Podcast: Legendary public lands photographer Bob Wick
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The latest episode of the Center for Western Priorities' podcast, The Landscape ([link removed]) , is a special video episode ([link removed]) with public lands photographer Bob Wick, who is retiring after more than 30 years with the Bureau of Land Management. Bob has taken some of the most iconic outdoor photos of America's national monuments and wilderness areas, and he shares some of his favorite stories in the first part of a two-episode conversation.
Quick hits
** Increasing duration of fire season is 95% driven by climate change
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NPR ([link removed])
** Colorado gravel mine expansion latest clash between industry, outdoor recreation
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Colorado Sun ([link removed])
** Infrastructure deal will make critical down payment on climate, sets the stage for further investments
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New York Times ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed]) | Vox ([link removed])
** Extreme heat triggering mass die-offs of wildlife, trees in the West
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National Geographic ([link removed]) [wildlife] | Greeley Tribune ([link removed]) [trees]
** Lawmakers propose billions in long overdue funding to bring clean drinking water to Indian Country
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Arizona Republic ([link removed])
** Epic drought is threatening the Ute Mountain Ute's water supply
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Colorado Sun ([link removed])
** Senators' impatience grows for a National Park Service director nominee
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E&E News ([link removed])
** Will drought and climate change feed extremism in the West?
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Los Angeles Times ([link removed])
Quote of the day
The hard lesson we’re learning about climate change is that it’s not a gradual, slow descent to a new state of affairs."
—Brad Udall ([link removed]) , climate scientist at Colorado State University
Picture this
** @Interior ([link removed])
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@OSMRE ([link removed]) provides funding for watershed restoration projects. That's outstanding, but what's a watershed? @USGS ([link removed]) always comes through with the answer AND the science ([link removed]) ! A watershed is an area of land that drains all the streams & rainfall to a common outlet.
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