Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities


** That's a nice climate bill you've got there. But can it pass?
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Friday, July 29, 2022
The climate bill includes major funding for wind energy incentives; Z22, Wikimedia Commons ([link removed])

After an initial wave of surprise and positive reactions ([link removed]) to the unexpected climate bill debuted Wednesday night by Senators Joe Manchin and Chuck Schumer, the country's attention has turned to whether or not Schumer can get the bill to President Biden's desk before the Senate breaks ([link removed]) for an August recess.

First of all, the bill has to get through the referee of the Senate, known as the parliamentarian. That's because Schumer is hoping to pass the bill through a process known as reconciliation ([link removed]) , which allows Democrats to bypass a Republican filibuster and pass legislation on a 50-50 vote (with Vice President Kamala Harris breaking the tie). But reconciliation also requires that everything in the bill be budget-related ([link removed]) , and Republican senators are apparently already preparing parliamentary challenges ([link removed]) to individual parts of the act. The nonpartisan parliamentarian will go through and decide what can stay in before it heads to the full Senate for a vote.

Next, Schumer has to get every Democrat in the Senate on board—and physically onto the Senate floor—which could be challenging, given that a few members are out with COVID-19 ([link removed]) and Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema has been almost entirely silent ([link removed]) on the bill. Her office told reporters she's waiting to see ([link removed]) what comes out of the parliamentarian process before she decides whether she'll support it. Since all Republican senators are expected to vote against the package, Sinema must vote yes for it to pass.

And of course, after passing the Senate, the bill has to go through the House, where progressive Democrats could find fault with the bill ([link removed]) on grounds that it locks in fossil fuel development ([link removed]) or doesn't go far enough to address climate change. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, perhaps the most well-known progressive Democrat in the House, has indicated she will likely support the package.

“I think it is an overwhelmingly positive development,” she said ([link removed]) , adding the “progress on climate far outweighs some of the negatives.”

Finally, Manchin's support for the bill could also falter if anything happens to derail a "side deal" on permitting reform ([link removed]) . The deal would apparently speed permitting for infrastructure on federal lands, including renewable and fossil fuel projects as well as transmission lines. While no details of that plan have been released, Manchin's vote on the climate bill is contingent on Congress passing it ([link removed]) . So far, Democrats seem to be willing to pass ([link removed]) some kind of reform to secure Manchin's vote on climate, but members like Rep. Raúl Grijalva, who chairs the House Natural Resources Committee, say they want details
([link removed]) on the permitting bill before they commit to supporting it.


** So what happens if the climate bill doesn't pass?
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Evergreen Action chief of staff Lena Moffitt answers that question in a new episode ([link removed]) of CWP's podcast, The Landscape.
Moffitt discusses what President Biden can do through executive action to fight climate change, including a major overhaul of the public lands oil and gas leasing system ([link removed]) . And even if the legislation does pass, Biden will still need to use his power to take more steps if he wants to reach his own goal ([link removed]) of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50 to 52 percent by 2030.
Quick hits


** At Yosemite, saving some trees means cutting others down
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New York Times ([link removed])


** World's second-largest mining company pares down dividends as mining boom slows
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Bloomberg ([link removed])


** White House rejects NEPA review of Biden's 30x30 conservation plan
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E&E News ([link removed]) | White House ([link removed]) [letter]


** Opinion: This mining law is 150 years old. We really need to modernize it
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New York Times ([link removed])


** Rec.gov leaves users feeling lost in the woods
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New York Times ([link removed])


** BLM approves final American Prairie bison grazing plans
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Billings Gazette ([link removed])


** Bipartisan plan to improve long-distance biking trails moving through Congress
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Wyoming Public Radio ([link removed])


** Conservation groups sue over coal mines in Colorado, Montana
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Associated Press ([link removed].)
Quote of the day
” Methane is responsible for 25% of today’s global warming, and we can’t limit future warming to two degrees Celsius if we don’t drastically cut those emissions... We have the tools to cut methane in half and the faster we do that, the better off our climate and communities will be.”
—Ilissa Ocko, a senior climate scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund, Associated Press ([link removed])
Picture this


** @Interior ([link removed])
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Under the midnight sun, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge offers diverse outdoor recreation options. Alaska's most-visited refuge is nearly two million acres in size, with world-class fishing, camping and hiking opportunities at lakes and rivers fed by meltwater from Skilak Glacier.

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