Massive fires in Oregon that destroyed an area half the size of Rhode Island even threatened neighboring California. While cooler weather has helped calm the fires, the risk of a flare-up remains, and the loss of property is staggering. Numerous fires further south in California have destroyed buildings, forced evacuations, damaged watersheds, destroyed important animal habitats, and degraded the air quality for thousands of miles. Again, the risk for even more damage remains high if high temperatures and low humidity remains.

The damage caused by the lightning-sparked Bootleg Fire is traumatic but not a new phenomenon. The National Interagency Fire Center, which tracks current active large wildfires, estimates that 1.6 million acres have already burned this year, a number that is expected to increase over the next few months. Last year, more than 10 million acres burned, a record in modern history.

While we can’t prevent lightning strikes, we can certainly proactively manage our forests so they don’t become tinderboxes waiting to go up in flames. Untended forest ecosystems are a disaster waiting to happen and this incident is a stark reminder that we need to be doing more to protect our natural assets.

According to the U.S. Forest Service, there is a backlog of 80 million acres of land in need of restoration and more than 60 million acres are at risk or very high risk of wildfire. 

The California Gold Rush of the last century is perhaps the most famous example of mining capturing the public’s attention and providing economic benefit to the nation. Often overlooked is the legacy of environmental damage left behind by 19th century mining practices and mining companies that have long since gone out of business or gone bankrupt.

All wealth originates from the earth and mining is an important part of our economy. Nearly every aspect of our modern lives relies on minerals or mineral products as building blocks, from our smartphones to the batteries in electric vehicles. But it’s also incumbent on us to look after our natural inheritance and produce the natural resources we need in the most responsible way.

Members of Congress are increasingly embracing the realities of climate change and the need to implement policies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Putting a price on carbon is considered by many to be the most efficient and transparent policy approach to encourage emission cuts. Many in the businesses community are supporting a carbon pricing mechanism as preferable to other approaches.

Given the buzz, ConservAmerica hosted a webinar on Wednesday, July 21st that unpacked carbon pricing. Panelists discussed the rationale for carbon pricing as well as the various issues associated with it. The webinar explored different ways carbon pricing can be implemented, its potential impact on various industries, potential alternatives, its effectiveness in reducing emissions, international implications, and the political dynamics in Congress.

Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) introduced the Expediting Forest Restoration and Recovery Act in July. The bill would speed up desperately needed forest management. If enacted, 70 million acres of National Forest System lands would receive accelerated treatment.

“Maintaining healthy forests is essential to reducing catastrophic wildfires and outbreaks of disease and insect infestation,” said Jeff Kupfer, president of ConservAmerica. “Unfortunately, our national forests have experienced an increase in forest mortality due to poor management. They are a tinderbox waiting to go up in flames. ConservAmerica supports Senator Thune’s Expediting Forest Restoration and Recovery Act, which will give the Forest Service more tools to proactively manage forests, reducing wildfires and improving forest health.”

In a recent The Hill article, ConservAmerica Chair Nan Hayworth advocates for bipartisan infrastructure legislation that is durable and representative of a growing economy and healthy environment. Hayworth eloquently points out the benefits of smart investments in infrastructure —from jobs to increasing efficiencies and updating our power system— and appropriately warns of the fiscal consequences of overspending.

The United States is heavily dependent on foreign sources for its supply of critical minerals, including rare earths used in batteries, solar panels, and other clean energy technology. Unfortunately, many of these resources are controlled by nations hostile to U.S. interests, making our reliance a strategic vulnerability to our military, national security infrastructure, and efforts to transition to a clean energy economy. The Biden administration released a report on supply chain vulnerabilities, building on work Republicans have done in Congress in recent years, highlighting the need to develop domestic sources of critical minerals and other strategic raw materials. Please enjoy this timely discussion on the critical minerals supply chain and how it affects America's clean energy goals.