American Alpine Club and Winter Wildlands Alliance Celebrate Restoration of Key Components to NEPA

Photo by @ofallnationsmedia

The American Alpine Club (AAC) and Winter Wildlands Alliance (WWA) are pleased to announce that the Biden Administration took an important step towards restoring critical parts of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a bedrock environmental law.

Over the past two years, our #ProtectNEPA campaign has fought to protect wild winter landscapes and climbing areas across the country. Together, we sued the Trump administration for gutting NEPA in 2020 and then petitioned the Biden administration in 2021 to take action to repair the law by restoring critical regulatory requirements that were removed in 2020.

The White House Council on Environmental Quality heard our requests, and began a two phase process to reverse the damaging 2020 changes to the regulations that implement NEPA. This week, the CEQ published a final “Phase 1” rule effectively overturning three parts of the 2020 Rule, restoring key pieces of NEPA and requiring that federal agencies:

• Consider the direct, indirect, and cumulative effects of a proposed project, including an analysis of how greenhouse gas emissions from an action may impact climate change;

• No longer prioritize the goals of an applicant over the public interest when developing the Purpose and Need or alternatives of a proposed action;

• Give the public a greater voice in the environmental review process for projects on federal lands;

• Consider the regulations as a “floor” and not a “ceiling” when considering the value of more protective regulations.

The final rule announced on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, will take effect on May 20, 2022, but it only restores some of the provisions from the original 1978 regulations. The AAC and WWA encourage the CEQ to act quickly in tackling Phase 2 of restoring NEPA, where they must consider how to correct the broader procedural changes to the regulations. We urge the CEQ to ensure that the voices of communities most impacted by environmental harm, as well as the commitments of the administration to address the climate crisis, are accurately reflected in their final rule.

Photo by Jeff Deikis

“This Phase 1 Rule is an important first step in restoring NEPA”, said Hilary Eisen, Policy Director with Winter Wildlands Alliance. “We look forward to continuing to work with the CEQ as they move forward into Phase 2, to ensure that NEPA continues to give the public a voice in federal decisions and provide environmental safeguards for generations to come.”   

“Efforts from the previous administration to dismantle NEPA left our public lands, communities and climate vulnerable to ill-informed and biased decision-making processes,” said Taylor Luneau, Policy Manager for the American Alpine Club. “This is a significant win for the outdoor recreation community and an important step towards restoring the strength and potential of NEPA to address our nation's most pressing environmental needs.”

We are grateful to the many thousands of outdoor advocates who took action to #ProtectNEPA and look forward to continuing to partner with the Biden Administration to ensure that the interests of the climbing and backcountry skiing communities remain front of mind in federal decision making.

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Contact for more information:

Taylor Luneau, Policy Manager, American Alpine Club, [email protected]

Hilary Eisen, Policy Director, Winter Wildlands Alliance, [email protected]

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Updates from your Policy Team

Boulderers weaving their way through the Buttermilks. Land of the Northern Paiute, Eastern Mono/Monache, Newe peoples. AAC member Dawn Kish

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.

Rachel Goldman climbing the steep featured roofs of Hueco
Tanks. Lands of the Tampachoa (Mansos), Ndé Kónitsąąíí Gokíyaa (Lipan Apache), & Mescalero Apache peoples. AAC member Dawn Kish

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

Sara Roudebush and Michelle “Meesh” Van Riper get ready to start the day with a comically appropriate amount of pads for a day of climbing
at the Buttermilks. Lands of the Northern Paiute, Eastern Mono/Monache, Newe peoples. AAC member Dawn Kish

• 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.

Outdoor Alliance Fly-In: AAC Trip Report

During the week of June 11th, the Outdoor Alliance gathered the leaders of its member groups to virtually connect with lawmakers, agency officials, and policymakers in D.C. For over ten years, Outdoor Alliance has regularly convened its coalition members to meet with decision-makers in D.C. and advocate for human-powered outdoor recreation and conservation issues on behalf of recreationists.

When OA’s member groups come together and are unified on the issues that matter most to recreationists, lawmakers listen, and we can better protect the places we love. 

Here’s a conversation between AAC CEO  Mitsu Iwasaki, and AAC Policy Associate Amelia Howe. 

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Interview with Mitsu Iwasaki

Amelia: What was the OA Fly-In all about? 

Mitsu: Our goal was to build connections with legislators as well as administrative and agency officials, and to ensure public lands and waters are protected for the climbing and human-powered outdoor recreation community.

Amelia: What were the priorities you and your colleagues focused on during your conversations that will benefit the climbing community?

Mitsu: There are several key priorities that we focused on.

1. We want to strengthen recreation and conservation policies to protect more places and increase equitable and sustainable access to outdoor recreation. In particular, we wanted to repair some of the damage to core conservation tools over the last few years.

   • An example of a damaged conservation tool is the shortened required public comment period for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). As you already might know, we have a lawsuit with the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to reestablish the public comment component of NEPA. During the week, we also championed the Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation Act (SOAR), Colorado Outdoor Recreation Economy Act (CORE), and Protecting America’s Wilderness and Public Lands Act (PAW+). These together will help to expand the protection of public lands and water protection while simplifying the permitting process, which would lead to more equitable access.

2. Many of us have some understanding of 30x30, which works towards protecting 30% of public lands and waters by 2030. We clarified our support for 30x30 and ensured lawmakers recognize that the outdoor recreation community has a role to play in reaching those goals while also helping rural communities navigate economic changes.

3. We pushed for the notion that management agencies are severely underfunded and need better funding to fulfill their stewardship responsibilities. During these conversations, we communicated to Park and Forest Services that a few of our member organizations, like Access Fund and IMBA, have the experience and capacity to support infrastructure projects. 

Amelia: Are the agencies and government officials familiar with the climbing and outdoor recreation communities? 

Mitsu: Yes! Many have deep, personal relationships with outdoor recreation. The agencies and government officials we met with can sympathize with the interests and needs of the outdoor recreation communities.

Amelia: That’s great to hear. 

Mitsu: When we look closely at legislation like the CORE act or the Mt Hood NRA, we can see that conservation and outdoor recreation are very much part of the thinking. In my experience, the recreation community’s presence has grown and continues to grow in DC. 

Amelia: What are some of the more pressing challenges the climbing community is facing that were discussed during these sessions?  

Mitsu: Funding and capacity building, access, and climate are among the most pressing challenges we discussed. For instance, while we knew the Forest Services’ budget has transformed from less than 20% in fire suppression to more than 50% towards fire suppression over the last decade, at least in part due to climate change, we learned that the Forest Service has lost over half of their planning staff over the last handful of years. While they’ve been appropriated more funds, they’ll be prioritizing rebuilding capacity this coming year. 

Amelia: Can you speak to the importance of bringing OA partners together for these meetings?

Mitsu: Together, we’re able to unite and coordinate strategies and actions with policy experts from across the human-powered recreation spaces from across the country. This helps us create a larger and more informed presence through our joint policy shop. We’re able to track important issues locally, regionally, and nationally and how they may overlap across our sectors in a way that we simply couldn’t as independent organizations.

Amelia: Stronger in numbers? 

Mitsu: Definitely. Through combining our resources, we’re able to maintain a strong presence in DC through incredibly effective individuals like Adam Cramer, OA’s CEO, and his team. I believe together we represent 300,000 members from across the country.

Amelia: What should climbers keep their eyes on during this administration? 

Mitsu: I think as climbers, we should be continuously asking ourselves what kind of action we can take to better support the National Park Service, Forest Service, and local governments and land managers. 

Amelia: Any specifics on why and which policies? 

Mitsu: We know agencies have limited funding, are pulled in many directions by varied interests and there is a continued growing impact and demand. Keeping an eye on SOAR, CORE/PAW+, and 30x30, as well as communicating support to your congresswomen/men and senators is critically important. In addition, becoming or staying active and up to date with policies that help to protect and provide access is critically important for our future as climbers. 

Amelia: What was your favorite meeting or personal fly-in highlight?

Mitsu: Meeting Malcolm McGeary from Senator Wyden’s office and learning about what’s been happening in Oregon was my highlight. I just moved to Colorado from Oregon last year, so those issues are close to home for me. 

In addition, hearing from Vice President Harris’ office that activating towards 30x30 is among their highest priorities, which was crystallized throughout the week as the Department of the Interior and Department of Agriculture communicated their intent toward 30x30 goals. This gave me a huge amount of optimism towards meeting those very ambitious goals.

Amelia: That’s wonderful! 

Mitsu: Right? In my experience, it’s quite rare to hear or experience such unified multi-agency enthusiasm and direction toward a common goal. 

Amelia: Last question for you, Mitsu. If you had one tip for climbers who want to contribute to policy and advocacy work what would it be? 

Mitsu: There are many ways for climbers to contribute to policy and advocacy work, but one place to start would be to volunteer or support the policy work of both the AAC and your local climbing organization! 

Photo: AAC Member Grey Satterfield

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The American Alpine Club is thrilled to be a contributing member of the Outdoor Alliance. The Outdoor Alliance consists of Access Fund, American Canoe Association, American Whitewater, IMBA, Winter Wildlands Alliance, The Mountaineers, the American Alpine Club, the Mazamas, Colorado Mountain Club, and Surfrider Foundation–while the groups range from climbers to backcountry skiers to mountain bikers, the members share many common priorities and values. 

What Biden's Appointees mean for Climbers

The Biden Administration has been busy appointing cabinet positions over the past month, and outdoor advocates, climbers, and recreationists anxiously awaited the announcement of the key players who will be leading the environmental agenda during Biden’s presidency. With only under two weeks left in 2020, cabinet appointees were announced and answers provided. Before appointees can formally assume their leadership roles, the Senate must pass a majority vote during the appointment process starting as early as today, Inauguration Day. While we wait for this to happen, we wanted to share a profile of the appointees, and outline what they bring to the public lands and climate conversation. 

Before diving into profiles, it’s important to acknowledge some critical facts about these individuals. Each appointee on this list has years of proven experience working in government and advancing momentum around the issues that their role will cover. They all have shown a commitment to allowing science and data to inform the policies that they write and represent. Each appointee has committed their careers to standing up for the rights, health, and access of the American people and stand for a clear shift from the energy dominance agenda of the Trump era Administration. Last but not least, we applaud the Biden-Harris administration for selecting a cabinet that represents the American people and celebrates the diversity of our nation. At the American Alpine Club, we believe these are the critical features that make an effective leader when it comes to managing the agencies that are so deeply connected to the health and well-being of public lands, the American people, and the climate. 

Secretary of the Interior–Rep. Deb Haaland

The appointment of Rep. Haaland to Secretary of the Interior is making history. If confirmed, Haaland, a member of Pueblo of Laguna, will be the first Native American to serve as Secretary of the Interior. This is important for many reasons, but one in particular is the critical role in stewarding the federal government's relationship with America’s 574 federally recognized Tribal Nations. The agency’s history of aiding in the disenfranchisement of  Native American peoples cannot be ignored. With Haaland at the helm, the department will be better positioned to address this unjust history, and will work to both repair relationships and better fight for justice for Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities. 

For years, Haaland has been an outspoken advocate for Native Americans, their rights as sovereign nations, and their ownership of the land. In this role, she will be empowered to re-envision a new path for the Interior’s role in working with Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities around the country. We believe this offers an opportunity for the Interior to reimagine conservation through a tribal sovereignty lens, and right the countless wrongs the department has made throughout history and continues to perpetuate today. 

Additionally, Haaland will utilize her background as a fierce climate advocate to manage over 480 million acres of America's public lands. We expect to see a stark transition from the Trump Administration's “energy dominance” agenda to focus on managing public lands as a means for climate mitigation. This could mean more opportunities for renewable energy development and conservation of large swaths of land, especially in the west. 

As a testament to this, earlier this year Haaland along with her co-sponsors, introduced a resolution to the House that aims to protect 30% of America’s public lands and waters by 2030. Among other goals, the 30 x 30 vision aims to address climate change through broad conservation goals. We expect Haaland to bring this agenda to her role as DOI Secretary, and hope that her conservation mindset will in turn elevate the experience of climbing and outdoor recreation.

White House Council on Environmental Quality, Chairwoman–Brenda Mallory 

The AAC celebrates the selection of Brenda Mallory to lead the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). Mallory is highly qualified for this position, having served as CEQ general counsel under President Obama, and brings to the CEQ more than three decades of work on environmental law and advocacy issues. In her current role as the Director of Regulatory Policy at the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), she works at the state and federal level to coordinate the development and implementation of SELC’s regulatory policy agenda. Mallory has a proven 35 year history of putting people and communities first and is deeply concerned with issues of environmental justice, climate change, and public health. She will be a key player in bringing environmental justice to the forefront of the conversation at the CEQ. 

The AAC is a fierce advocate for the National Environmental Policy act (NEPA), a bedrock environmental law that is implemented through regulations crafted by the CEQ. Currently, the AAC is in litigation to restore NEPA back to its original state, following regulatory rollbacks made by the Trump Administration which erode the spirit of the law. These rollbacks result in the fast-tracking of development projects, the subduing of the public’s voice, and the omission of cumulative impacts, such as climate change, in federal agency decision making. In parallel litigation to our own, SELC is also representing a group of stakeholders concerned by these NEPA rollbacks. As a lifelong advocate for NEPA, we believe Mallory is primed and ready to repair and restore NEPA, making her a critical ally in our efforts. 

Environmental Protection Agency, Chief–Michael Regan

You may not have heard of Michael Regan before this critical appointment, but he is an exceptional pick for the job. Currently serving as the head of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Regan would bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A proven advocate for climate, public health, and environmental justice, Regan began his career working on air quality issues at the EPA during the Clinton administration. After working with the EPA under Clinton, Regan spent almost a decade leading the Environmental Defense Fund’s efforts to grow clean energy and bring new and often neglected stakeholders into the conversation.  

He will certainly have his work cut out for him as the Trump administration has significantly downsized the agency over the past four years, and the agency is responsible for reversing dozens of key environmental regulations. Not only will Regan have to consider new environmental hazards and create rules to address them, he will also be in charge of remedying the damage done during Trump’s presidency. 

Regan’s nomination, along with Mallory’s and Haaland’s, are part of building a proposed environmental leadership team that would be the most diverse in our nation’s history. This is a critical change in cabinet make up, and indicates to the American public that their voices are being heard. Issues of environmental justice are high on the Biden-Harris administration’s priority list. It is clear that addressing the systemic racism that exists in the formation and execution of environmental policy and regulations in the past is an important first step to addressing our broken system. We hope the new cabinet feels empowered to create new opportunities to more intentionally consider the environmental justice implications of rules and regulations moving forward. Having cabinet leadership that better represents the American people is a step in the right direction.  

Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Change–John Kerry

John Kerry, well known for his 30+ year commitment in Washington to advancing the pro-climate agenda, has a new position created especially for him. As the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Change sitting on the National Security Council, he will not need to be confirmed by the Senate, and will be largely charged with re-establishing the country’s credibility in the climate space among world leaders. Luckily for the American people, Kerry has been doing this diplomatic and legislative climate work on various levels of government throughout his career. 

Kerry has already announced his intention to rejoin the Paris accord as his first step. However, he is hoping to spend 2021 working toward an international climate summit in November, which will take a lot of relationship rebuilding with the major climate accord players. Unfortunately, the United States broke the trust of its climate accord counterparts, and Kerry will need to have hard conversations with various world leaders regarding why he believes that there will not be a possibility of the US dropping out again in four years. Much of his work globally will be happening in tandem with domestic climate efforts, and the two will rely on one another to convince the nation, and the world, that the United States is committed to combating climate change and righting our Nation’s wrongs of the past four years.  

Climate Czar–Gina McCarthy

As former head of the Environmental Protection Agency and current CEO of the Natural Resources Defense Council, Gina McCarthy is the perfect person to appoint to oversee domestic climate policy in the Biden-Harris administration. Unlike several of the cabinet positions mentioned above, McCarthy will not have to undergo a Senate confirmation process. Beginning on January 21, she will be charged to ensure that Biden is being held accountable in his commitment to climate action, and that there is a whole government approach being taken on matters of climate change. Part of this will be ensuring that Biden is able to follow through on his pledge to help the US reach net-zero emissions by 2050, an impressive and critical goal in maintaining the health and well being of the global populace. 

Having been a key figure in the creation of Obama’s climate policies like the Clean Power Plan, and playing an instrumental role in orchestrating the Paris Climate Accord, we believe that McCarthy will be a steadfast advocate for clean energy, just transitions, and taking a more aggressive stance on climate action in various levels of government. We look forward to seeing McCarthy and Kerry hit the ground running on January 21st. 

Secretary of Agriculture–Tom Vilsack  

Though there are a lot of exciting nominations, there are also some picks that feel a bit more status quo than many expected. Tom Vilsack has been nominated to serve as the Secretary of Agriculture. The Department of Agriculture is responsible for managing wildly different things. From supporting farmers and ranchers to influencing food assistance programs, but in terms of public lands, this department manages almost 200 million acres of America’s national forests and grasslands. Managing national forests and grasslands is no easy task, and only continues to become more challenging as climate change continues to negatively impact public lands across the country. Vilsack served in this same capacity during both terms of Obama’s presidency, and it is relatively unheard of for cabinet members to be asked to serve in the same role by subsequent administrations. One positive aspect of this, is he understands how government works and the importance of putting the right people in the right roles. He will be responsible for naming the next Chief of the Forest Service, and we hope to see him nominate someone who trusts in science and data, represents the needs of all Americans, and sees the benefit of conservation efforts.   

Currently, Vilsack serves as the chief executive of the US Dairy Export Council, an organization that is backed by the dairy industry, and may appear to some, an issue of conflict of interest for his acceptance of this role. There have also been claims, especially from groups who are critical of corporate agriculture and advocate for increased biodiversity, that Vilsack is not the best pick for the moment. Groups like Center for Biological Diversity indicate that working with Vilsack in order to move away from unsustainable logging practices and pesticide use was “an uphill climb”. 

In his previous term, Vilsack did address climate change as a factor that must be addressed, and worked to legitimize the Forest Service’s work on wildfire management. Both of these conversations would be an improvement from the current management approach through Sonny Perdue’s leadership during the Trump administration. 

When reading about the history and experience of Tom Vilsack one thing is abundantly clear, the requirements necessary to lead this department well are vast. It is hard to imagine one person who encompasses meaningful experience in agriculture, nutrition programs, food safety, international trade, forestry, fire management, and conservation. We will be interested to see who Vilsack selects to lead the US Forest Service, and whether or not he will encourage putting conservation first. We hope to see the USFS immediately work to protect and place value upon critical ecosystems such as the Tongass National Forest and Minnesota’s Boundary waters in order to manage land in a way that simultaneously mitigates climate change.

Ask Your Senators to Vote ‘Yes’ to Confirm These Leaders Today

Voter turnout sets records: Biden-Harris Administration turning their attention to climate and NEPA

As the AAC wraps up our landmark get out the vote campaign, Send it to the Polls, we’re feeling inspired and motivated by the climbing community. In the midst of a global pandemic, you committed to vote, educated others about how to vote, and importantly, you showed up to make your voice heard.

COVID-19 changed the way many Americans participate in the democratic process but against all the odds there was a record setting voter turnout! According to the non-partisan United States Elections Project, 160 million people voted, and there was a turnout rate of 66.9%. Turnout has not been this high since 1900 — 120 years ago. Investments were made across the country to increase voter accessibility like online and same day registration, mail-in ballots and earlier than normal voting. All measures the AAC supports carrying forward into future election cycles in order to continue breaking down voting barriers.

With the 2020 election in the books, we’ve been asked what a Biden-Harris Administration means for the climate and for fixing important environmental regulations like the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

The efficacy of a Biden-Harris environmental agenda partially depended on who controls the Senate - an outcome that was recently decided by two run-off elections in Georgia. With two Democrats winning Senate seats in Georgia, there will be an even split in power in the Senate with Vice President elect Harris acting as the tie breaker. This could mean big things for the conservation lands designations that we advocated for during the previous congress and for the composition of important committees like the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Check out the Summit Register issue #1 for an article about climate change impacts on the climbing community in Georgia.

With a shift in power in Congress, we’re hopeful to see the Biden Administration’s extensive legislative agenda realized. President Elect Biden’s website lists climate as a top four priority, and many of the policies highlighted to change in the first 100 days relate to repairing the countless rollbacks we witnessed over the past four years. In fact, the same day that President Trump announced changes to the Council on Environmental Qualities regulations that implement NEPA, then presidential hopeful Joe Biden “outlined an environmental policy that would roll back President Trump’s environmental reforms, invest trillions in clean energy and transportation, and set aggressive emissions goals, including emissions-free power by 2035.”

While we’re hopeful that the incoming Administration will correct these environmental rollbacks, it’s important that they hear from you to prioritize this goal.

The American Alpine Club alongside our partners at the Winter Wildlands Alliance, Western Environmental Law Center and Earthjustice, will continue to fight the previous administration’s NEPA rollback in court and expect to see challenges from intervening parties with a vested interest in a poorly functioning NEPA process. We’ll need your help to keep them at bay.

The National Environmental Policy Act ensures federal decision making is transparent, scientifically informed, and that the public has an opportunity to share their expertise and concerns. It's a bedrock environmental law that requires Federal agencies to engage in a project review process to identify the environmental, cultural, economic, and health impacts of a project, as well as offering alternatives to the plan before a decision is made.

NEPA is also a fantastic tool to help federal agencies consider and account for cumulative impacts like climate change but it needs to be restored to its original form.

Alongside correcting NEPA, President Elect Biden and Vice President Elect Harris have committed to re-entering the Paris Climate Agreement, and ensuring a just transition to renewable energy. With climate policy receiving a potential spotlight in the coming year - we look forward to advocating for public land management as a solution to the climate crisis. Policy objectives like the 30 x 30 resolution to protect 30% of public lands and waters by 2030 are a fantastic opportunity for conservation and recreation groups to conserve critical ecosystems, combat climate change and promote human powered outdoor recreation.

There’s a lot more work to be done, and we’ll need your help pushing the incoming Administration to stand up for the outdoor recreation communities needs, but we’re hopeful about the opportunities on the horizon.

AAC is suing the Administration over change in NEPA, the peoples environmental law

When the government proposes a project that could impact the health of your community and environment, one federal law keeps you in the loop and allows your voice to be heard—but last week the Trump Administration pulled it apart. As a result, the AAC is joining forces with Winter Wildlands Alliance and 20 other conservation and environmental justice organizations to sue the Council on Environmental Quality and the Trump Administration.  

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) ensures federal decision making is transparent, scientifically informed and that the public has an opportunity to share their expertise and concerns. It’s a bedrock environmental law that requires Federal agencies to engage in a project review process to identify the environmental, cultural, economic, and health impacts of a project, as well as offering alternatives to the plan before a decision is made.

Sounds pretty reasonable right?

Well, after years of environmental deregulation under the guise of “efficiency” and “job creation,” the Trump Administration finalized its biggest rollback yet. On July 15, the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality released the final text of their updates to the rules that implement NEPA. 

These rule changes raise major concerns not only for the protection of public lands and outdoor recreation, but for the health and well-being of communities across the country who rely on clean air, water and a healthy climate. The destruction of NEPA is not only an environmental issue, but a social justice issue as well.

“This rule change is a massive step backward not only for public lands and the climbing community but for all Americans. NEPA ensures meaningful community participation and representation, it considers public health data and other important scientific research to make informed decisions, and it considers the composition of the affected area to determine and address disproportionate impacts on low-income and minority communities. These changes fly in the face of every American’s right to a healthy environment - especially now in the midst of a public health crisis.”

— Taylor Luneau, AAC Policy Manager

WHAT IS CEQ

Essentially, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), is the keeper of the nation’s environmental goals. Created by NEPA, the CEQ is meant to advise the Executive branch on how best to protect the quality of the nation’s environment. Importantly, it’s tasked with overseeing how NEPA is implemented by federal agencies such as the National Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management. As you can imagine, the CEQ plays a major role in how our natural resources are managed, and that role can change dramatically from administration to administration. 

CUMULATIVE IMPACTS

The CEQ’s new regulations limit the scope of environmental review and remove meaningful science and data from decision making. Importantly, it no longer requires agencies to consider certain long-term effects of a project due to eliminating what are known as “cumulative and indirect impacts” from environmental analysis. These are the effects of a project that result from incremental actions, or impacts that are reasonably foreseeable in the future. These impacts may be minor individually, but collectively result in significant impacts over time. 

For example:

Say there’s a new logging proposal on Mt. Hood which will cut a road directly through the approach trail to your favorite climb! In the previous NEPA process, the Forest Service would need to create an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) where they consider the immediate impacts of the logging proposal on things like wildlife, recreation, and the watershed. In addition, the EIS would also analyze the indirect effects, such as the long-term decline of a species due to habitat fragmentation, as well the cumulative impacts, like the impact on the climate due to removing a carbon rich forest.

In the updated NEPA process, the Forest Service is now only responsible for considering immediate and direct effects of the proposal and can ignore those indirect and cumulative impacts, of which there are many.

Removing the requirement to consider long-term project effects opens the door for extractive industries looking for fewer environmental constraints. This favors the interests of industry over the health of our communities and impedes our important work to address climate change.

PUBLIC PROCESS

Discussions surrounding NEPA cannot be had without acknowledging the systems of environmental racism that have been in place in this country since its inception. Disruptive federal projects like the interstate system or power plants, have historically landed in the communities of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. The history of racial injustice caused by these federal projects was part of the impetus behind NEPA’s creation. The law provided the chance for community members and allies to have a say in projects being proposed in their own backyards. Trump’s rollback sidelines the public and gives corporate polluters the ability to cut corners and complete their own analysis without listening to opinions of constituents. Industry does not deserve to have the final say on the future of our communities and public lands. 

“The elimination of public comment periods silences citizens while giving a megaphone to corporations who profit from the destruction of public lands and pollute neighborhoods across the country.”

— Amelia Howe, AAC National Campaign Coordinator

HOW CAN WE INTERVENE?

Congress must take action to hold the Administration accountable and defend the National Environmental Policy Act, an act that once was celebrated for its overwhelming bi-partisan support. Our elected officials must understand that public process and the need for thorough environmental analysis are not partisan issues. We must elect officials who will stand up for laws that aim to protect our environment and vulnerable communities. 

The AAC is committed to fighting for the National Environmental Policy Act at all costs which is why we are suing the Trump Administration. There is a long fight ahead, but together we can protect our climbing landscapes and communities.

Stand up for the National Environmental Policy Act!

WHAT IS NEPA?

For 50 years, the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”) has provided important guardrails that protect the environment, cultural resources, and public health, but the current administration is attempting to overhaul the law in a way that will provide benefits to big polluters by severely limiting environmental reviews, curtailing public comment, and allowing industry to conduct their own impact statements - introducing bias into federal decision making. Perhaps most concerning is the removal of the indirect and cumulative effects analysis which requires the federal government to account for their impact on climate change.

NEPA is a bedrock environmental law that was built to provide government oversight in a system that otherwise affords the government ample discretion. It’s important we oppose revisions to NEPA and fight to maintain science and public comment in federal decision making.

ACT NOW TO PROTECT NEPA

Policy updates in the era of COVID

COVID19 is inundating the national news cycle—and it should be. During this global pandemic, people want the latest information about the virus and how to best protect themselves and those around them. It can be hard to consider attacks on the environment when many are working at the front lines of the epidemic, have lost jobs or income, or are experiencing the sudden responsibility of caring for family members.

While we adapt to this new “normal”, the government is still chugging along making decisions that affect our public lands and waters. 

Recently, we’ve witnessed some issues that gave us pause for concern. During a time of media overload, government officials are working without the same level of public scrutiny, and some appear to be exploiting this opportunity.

In a time of national crisis, the government should press pause on all non-essential activities, just like the rest of us. But over the past few weeks we’ve observed government officials loosening regulations on polluters, pushing anti-environmental rule makings without sufficient public engagement, making final decisions on land use plans, and even hosting lease sales of oil, gas, and coal on public lands.

All government efforts should be focused on the current crisis and ensuring that every American is supported throughout. 

While many members of Congress have called for a halt to actions such as the proposed changes to the regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act, the administration seems to be pushing their “energy dominance” agenda forward. This may have to do with fast approaching deadlines imposed by the Congressional Review Act, a law that could allow the next administration to erase any rule or regulation implemented later this year. 

The American Alpine Club has put our outdoor endeavors on hold temporarily, but we’re still keeping an eye on what’s happening behind the scenes. We want to distill some of what we’ve seen to catch you up to speed.

ISSUES TO HAVE ON YOUR RADAR

Suspect candidates continue being placed in high-ranking land management positions

Department of the Interior Secretary David Bernhardt—a former lobbyist for oil, gas, and agricultural industries–is in charge of managing 700 million acres of American public lands. Among his many responsibilities are to oversee public land managers at agencies like the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) where in January, he extended the tenure of Director to a person who expressed anti-public lands ideology in the past and was not formally confirmed by the typical process in the Senate. Most recently, Bernhardt appointed Edward Keable, a longtime associate of Bernhardt’s, to oversee Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP) as Superintendent. Keable’s lack of formal experience within the National Park Service (NPS) is concerning at a time when the GCNP faces continued threats of uranium mining and a controversial development project on the Park’s iconic South Rim—a project that Bernhardt’s old lobbying firm strongly supports. Not only does this appointment take the opportunity away from qualified NPS career employees, but it yet again demonstrates the current administration's lack of commitment to protecting public lands by undermining leadership positions at land management agencies.

National Park Fees were waived before more than half of Parks close their gates

While many National Parks and other public lands have since decided to shut their gates in order to maintain social distancing orders, protect their staff, and reduce crowding—a responsible move that should be commended—Secretary Bernhardt’s initial response to the COVID pandemic was to waive all national parks fees and leave the parks open. Similar to the government shutdown of 2019, National Parks were inundated with visitors ready to explore the nation’s public lands. Typically, these visitation numbers and new visitor groups would be celebrated. However, risk of exposure to the novel coronavirus amongst park employees and gateway communities led many towns and counties to request the closure of their nearby public lands. At this point more than half of the 62 National Parks have closed their gates to the public.

The EPA is loosening its hold on critical environmental standards

The EPA decided to suspend enforcement on various environmental laws allowing companies to not satisfy important health and environmental standards during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the policy change is temporary, and the “EPA will assess the continued need for and scope of this temporary policy on a regular basis”, there is no end date in sight as the pandemic presses on. Vague language encouraging entities to “make every effort to comply with environmental compliance obligations” amounts essentially to a massive hall pass for dirty corporations who are no longer required by the EPA to monitor their pollution. Without clear understanding on when the COVID pandemic will end, it is highly irresponsible for the EPA to allow industry to utilize the pandemic as a free pass.

Agency rulemaking charges forward amidst calls from Congress to stop

New research from the Center for Western Priorities found that the Interior Department executed 57 separate policy actions unrelated to COVID-19, occurring after President Trump signed the first emergency Coronavirus bill on March 6th. Many of these decisions resulted in the expansion of oil and gas leases, removal of protections for wildlife, or increased mining operations across the country. Despite numerous requests from members of Congress and State officials for Secretary Bernhardt to suspend rulemakings during the pandemic, it appears the Interior has opted to push through policy with limited public input. Americans should not be required to find and comment on rulemakings when they are experiencing such upheaval in their daily lives. 

CEQ and USFS continue to chip away at NEPA

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), widely regarded as the “Magna Carta” of environmental law, has been under relentless attack over the past year. You may recall this past summer the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) was considering sweeping changes to how it implements NEPA that would drastically limit engagement on up to 93% of USFS projects. More recently, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) is attempting to rewrite the rules that implement NEPA. The proposed rule would drastically restrict public engagement in future environmental analysis, limit the scope of environmental reviews, and cut out important tools for combating climate change. Both the USFS and CEQ are working through their revisions now, and the AAC and our partners are keeping a close eye on their progress. It’s important to stay vigilant at times when the Federal government seems to be limiting important checks and balances.

SOME GOOD NEWS

Okay, that was heavy and we get there’s no absence of stress inducing news right now. So, to leave things on a high-note, here are a couple golden nuggets to celebrate.

The Great American Outdoors Act gets a look

You may recall back in early March (what feels like a lifetime ago) when the President called on Congress to fund public lands, kicking off a bi-partisan package called The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA). The bill includes all sorts of good things that we, and out partners at the Outdoor Alliance, have been advocating for. Things like permanent funding for the LWCF and addressing maintenance backlogs on public lands through the Restore our Parks Act. Congress is rightly focused on addressing the coronavirus response but at some point in the future, they’ll turn their attention to infrastructure bills like GAOA to help the country rebuild. In the meantime, you can learn more about GAOA and write your lawmakers in support of the package. Expect to hear more from us on this package soon.

The 50th Anniversary of Earth Day is around the corner

While the typical celebrations and rallies for Earth Day won't be happening in person this year, many organizations are bringing their efforts online. Check out the Digital Earth Day events happening all over the globe! The first earth day in 1970 was propagated due to poor air and water quality across the country (not to mention that some rivers were literally on fire!). Due to the incredible advocacy of people at all levels of government, our nation has made incredible strides in environmental conservation. Take a moment to celebrate our progress as environmental advocates on April 22.

Photo Credit: Amelia Howe

Speak up by March 10 to protect The National Environmental Policy Act

Recently, the Trump Administration announced a plan to rewrite the rules for how a bedrock environmental law called the National Environmental Policy Act is implemented. The rule changes would restrict public engagement in federal projects and limit the scope of environmental review for development projects on public lands and waters. More importantly, the rule changes would eliminate what is known as the cumulative impacts analysis, which has historically required the government to consider the effects of their decisions on the climate.

The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) held a public hearing in Denver at the EPA Region 8 headquarters where the 100 or so speaking slots filled in under four minutes! AAC Policy Manager Taylor Luneau provided testimony on behalf of the human-powered recreation community, saying:

“At its core, NEPA mandates informed decision making, based on sound science and requires that, to the fullest extent possible, all agencies of the federal government take a hard look at environmental consequences prior to issuing a decision. NEPA declares a broad commitment to protecting and promoting environmental quality and the CEQ rules are influential in shaping agency implementation of the statute.”

NEPA is an essential pathway for the outdoor recreation community to engage in public land management and these changes will limit our ability to do just that. The CEQ will be accepting public comment on their revisions to NEPA until March 10. Please take a moment to let the CEQ know that we oppose these changes in the brief action alert below.

Policy Manager Taylor Luneau providing his testimony on the proposed changes to the CEQ implementation of NEPA at the EPA Region 8 Headquarters in Denver, CO.

Action Alert: Keep the Climbing Community's Voice in Public Land Management

The Forest Service is Proposing Changes to NEPA: Please Sign Our Action Alert to Ask Them to Stop!

Signed into law January 1, 1970, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was the first major environmental law in the United States and is often referred to as the “Magna Carta” of environmental laws. While it created the Council on Environmental Quality, NEPA is most well-known for requiring the federal government to analyze the environmental impact of its decisions. Which decisions you ask?

NEPA requires that actions by “all agencies of the Federal Government” which are deemed to be “major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment” must be accompanied by “a detailed statement by the responsible official on the environmental impact of the proposed action.” By requiring this environmental review process, agencies like the National Forest Service must “…use all practicable means, consistent with other essential considerations of national policy’ to avoid environmental degradation, preserve ‘historic, cultural and natural’ resources and promote ‘the widest range of beneficial uses of the environment without…undesirable and unintended consequences.”

Whether through an Environmental Assessment (EA), or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), the review process provides an opportunity for the public to weigh in on Federal decision making and offer thoughts on agency analysis as well as to propose alternatives to chosen actions. These public comment periods are critical to the work we do at the American Alpine Club, alongside the members of the Outdoor Alliance, on such important public land management issues as Forest Plan Revisions or Forest Service Projects.

Currently, the U.S. Forest Service is considering sweeping changes to how it implements NEPA that would drastically limit public engagement on up to 93% of USFS projects, allowing actions like logging and road building to proceed without environmental review or public comment. This would be accomplished by the addition of several new Categorical Exclusions (CE’s), which require limited environmental analysis and public involvement. If a project is granted a CE, extended amount of environmental review, either through and EA or more extensive EIS, is not required. For climbers these changes would be detrimental considering that, according to the Access Fund, there are over 10,000 climbing areas located on USFS lands across the country. These proposed changes could cut the climbing community out of the planning process and a risk degradation to our cherished climbing environment.

Supporters of this “fast-tracking” of agency actions claim the Forest Service is simply increasing the efficiency of its review process. While there may be legitimate reasons to increase the efficiency of agency reviews, they should not come at the cost of public involvement or at the quality of our clean air and water, wildlife habitat, and recreation access on federal lands.

The Forest Service is accepting public comments on this proposed rule change until this coming Monday, August 26th. At the AAC, we want our public land managers to provide proper opportunities for public comment and the evaluation of agency impacts to the environment. The proposed changes by the Forest Service do not provide the necessary transparency, community engagement or agency accountability that we expect of our land managers.

Please take a moment to let the US Forest Service know that you disagree with their changes to NEPA.