| With the summer season and the mid-term elections approaching, the window for passing legislation during the 117th Congress is rapidly closing. In the environment and energy policy space, all eyes are on Joe Manchin and a bipartisan group of senators working to develop climate and clean energy legislation in the wake of Democrats' failed attempts to move the Build Back Better Act through the reconciliation process. But after weeks of talks that have been heavily influenced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the group appears no closer to introducing a compromise bill. But even as this effort appears stalled, ConservAmerica has been working in support of several bills poised to pass that could have a meaningful impact on the environment, conservation efforts, and the resiliency of our natural and built environment infrastructure. For example, the Growing Climate Solutions Act, legislation designed to help reduce barriers to carbon markets for farmers, ranchers, and other landowners, passed the Senate last June with strong bipartisan support, and companion legislation is currently being negotiated in the House. Similarly, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, which directs resources to states to help keep plant and wildlife species off the endangered species list, is poised for floor action in both chambers. In addition, both chambers are actively working to pass biannual legislation authorizing critical construction and maintenance programs for our nation’s ports, inland waterways, and other infrastructure essential to our economic competitiveness, flood and coastal storm risk management, and ecosystem restoration. Known as the Water Resources Development Act, this year’s bill contains new and modified environmental infrastructure projects that enhance the resilience and sustainability of communities by helping mitigate coastal and inland flooding, restoring shorelines, and addressing the risks of extreme weather and the impact of drought. The House version of the bill also incorporates substantial provisions from the Northern Estuaries Restoration Plan Act, which would help restore the water quality of Florida’s Lake Okeechobee – an area that for years has been plagued by poor water quality and environmental degradation. Finally, the Senate is set to ratify the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol in another potential breakthrough for the environment. The Amendment would add the United States to a list of over 130 countries that have agreed to phase down the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), chemicals found in air conditioning and refrigeration and that are potent greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. While the measure’s provisions are being implemented through legislation passed in 2020, the support needed for passage – two-thirds of the Senate (or 67 votes) – represents significant progress and overwhelming bipartisan support for action to reduce emissions. |
