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As states across the country continue to tally votes to determine the outcome of Tuesday's midterm elections, the implementation of the recently passed climate and infrastructure laws hangs in the balance. Whichever party ultimately controls Congress will influence how money from the historic clean energy investments included as part of the Inflation Reduction Act flows to key energy and climate programs.
Additionally, congressional Republicans have promised aggressive oversight of the Biden administration, which will likely include numerous invitations for Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and other members of the cabinet to testify before congressional committees. Investigations into infrastructure and climate spending, infrastructure permitting and environmental reviews, and energy policies are also promised. A Republican majority in the Senate could impact the confirmation process for President Biden’s judicial nominees and political appointments in agencies, perhaps significantly delaying progress toward confirmation.
President Biden appears to have embraced the fact that conservation is a winning issue in the West—he wore a Camp Hale-Continental Divide ball cap while calling candidates to congratulate them on their victories. President Biden designated Camp Hale-Continental Divide as his first national monument last month at a proclamation signing ceremony in Colorado.
Data from the Center for Western Priorities and the Center for American Progress show that conservation actions get favorable coverage in the press and are largely supported by voters on both sides of the aisle. Regardless of the ultimate outcome of the midterms, the president has the authority and the imperative to designate more national monuments in order to reach the administration's America the Beautiful goal of protecting 30 percent of America's lands and waters by 2030.
Outdoor recreation industry spending rebounds in 2021
Not only did record numbers of visitors flock to public lands last year, spending on outdoor recreation gear surpassed pre-pandemic records according to the latest federal data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. This is welcome news for the industry after spending on outdoor recreation goods and services dropped in 2020, even though visitation to public lands skyrocketed during the pandemic. The Bureau of Economic Analysis data show that the industry's economic output in 2021 spiked to a record $862 billion,and accounted for about 1.9 percent of the nation's economy.
Jessica Turner, president of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, says, "The BEA data underscores how important it is to invest in public lands, waters and recreation infrastructure from coast to coast and for recreation activities of all types. From the creation of jobs and increased profit for small businesses in local economies to larger boons to our national economy, this sector is a consistent driver, even in times of economic uncertainty."
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The checkerboard pattern of alternating private and public lands makes the Crazy Mountains a vulnerable landscape to development in our growing corner of southwest Montana, so consolidating checkerboard public land is imperative to achieving long term conservation.”
