5 minute read

What Went Down This Fall?

Amelia Howe, AAC Advocacy Manager

As we pack up our sport climbing gear and enter into the winter season, it is hard to believe that we are already one year into a new administration. It feels like just yesterday we were activating our community to vote, and outlining our vision for the newly elected Biden-Harris administration. Now, new priorities have been outlined by the White House, and steps have been taken to act on these priorities. All of these factors impact how we strategize our advocacy efforts, and how you and your fellow climbers can assist us in our work.

The American Alpine Club’s (AAC) vision for the current administration was outlined in the last Summit Register. It covered everything from creating a nationwide 30x30 implementation plan, restoring the National Environmental Policy Act, and utilizing public lands management and protections as a tool for fighting the climate crisis and prioritizing equitable access to landscapes and greenspaces. While there is endless work to be done, and much to hold the administration accountable to, there are things worth celebrating as we hit the one-year mark.

Infrastructure

A monumental milestone worth celebrating is the successful passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law on November 15th. While this bill may not sound like anything relevant to climbers, it contains strong legislative support for fighting the climate crisis and supporting public lands.

The public lands system is full of aging infrastructure that has long been neglected. In order to ensure an increase in equitable access to these resources for generations to come, our lawmakers need to prioritize funding for the necessary stewardship and maintenance work. From parking lots to restrooms to individual trails, these critical resources deserve continued attention and support, and luckily, the Infrastructure package works to directly address that need.

The Impact of Infrastructure on Recreation, Climate Action, and Public Lands

While this bill touches on everything from job creation, traditional infrastructure priorities such as bridge and roadway repair, and social infrastructure needs like nationwide broadband access, it also included priorities specifically related to what we advocate for in the recreation space. What exactly did the passage of this bill get us from a recreation, public lands, and climate perspective?

This is what we’re most excited about.

• $100 million for Restoring, Preparing, or Adapting Recreation Sites on Federal Lands

• Investments in Natural Infrastructure

• $250 million to fund the Forest Service’s Legacy Road and Trail Program

• $47 billion in climate resilience measures

• $65 billion in clean energy and power grid-related investments

• $21 billion to clean up decommissioned, or orphaned, oil and gas wells on public and Tribal lands

• $50 million for endangered-species recovery and conservation programs

• $500 million to address forest fire planning, defense, and response

A Note on the Build Back Better Act

The Budget Reconciliation package, or the Build Back Better Act (BBB), was a crucial element to the current presidential administration’s efforts to fight climate change and build national climate resilience. However, negotiating this bill and our national spending priorities have been the major political crux of the year. While the BBB passed in the House on November 19th, recent developments in the Senate indicate that the BBB as it stands faces a significant roadblock, and will have to be reconsidered and renegotiated as a new bill. While this is discouraging for those who were excited to see climate and public lands priorities within the bill, this setback won’t stop us. There is still great reason to get involved, and advocate for the policies that matter most to climbers. One thing is clear, the fight for public lands and climate action is not over.

Though the BBB will no longer exist by the same name moving forward, we need to fight to continue to have our priorities heard as these topics are renegotiated. Here is what we find most imperative and hope resurfaces in a future package:

Key Elements of the BBB for Climbers That We Should Carry Forward

• Funding for the creation and implementation of the Civilian Climate Corps

• Investments in the effectiveness of the National Environmental Policy Act

• Protections for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

• Investment in public land agency climate resiliency

• Mineral leasing act reform

• Bonding reform and decommissioned, or orphaned, wells clean up

While it often feels like decisions made in D.C. are out of our hands, it is critical that we remember we elect these individuals to represent us. We have the power to call or write to them regarding how a decision they made makes us feel. We have the power to re-elect them or to vote them out of office. We have the power to hold them accountable to the needs of our communities. And so many of you already have. You have sent thousands of emails in support of the critical amendments that will ensure public lands remain protected, resilient to climate impacts, and accessible to all. Thank you for supporting these initiatives. We must keep pushing. Keep on the lookout for new ways to advocate for our priorities in the New Year, and ensure your voice is heard.