The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army have issued a rulemaking that finally clarifies the scope of the Clean Water Act in the wake of a split 2006 Supreme Court decision (Rapanos v. United States) that muddied the law’s interpretation. and has made protecting our nation’s vital waters and wetlands more difficult. The new rule offers a prudent, balanced and science-based interpretation that preserves the integrity of the Clean Water Act—which was passed in 1972 by a wide bi-partisan majority of Congress to protect the health of our nation’s water resources. “Clean water is a priority for every American, and this rule merits the same bi-partisan support that the Act itself received. This rule also deserves support—especially from conservatives—because it better protects wetlands, which is fiscally responsible and protective of downstream property rights,” said David Jenkins, President of Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship (CRS). Wetlands, because of their unique ability to trap, store, filter and slowly release storm water, perform a number of essential functions. They reduce the frequency and severity of flooding, help maintain water quality, replenish underground aquifers, and protect against drought. When wetlands are lost to development it inevitably leads to costly infrastructure projects—such as dams, levees, diversion channels, storm sewers, and sewage treatment plant upgrades—designed to perform the same services that the wetlands had performed for free. Taxpayers are not just on the hook for the initial construction of such infrastructure, but also for maintaining it in perpetuity. Wetlands loss also impacts the property of those living downstream, resulting in more frequent and severe flooding, lower streamflow during dry periods, and poorer water quality....
When looking for environmental success stories coming out of the Lone Star State, a couple really stand out. One is the amazing growth of wind energy. Texas is the king of wind energy, producing about 20 percent of the wind power generated in the United States. The other is an event that has become the nation’s most important and impressive environmental education effort, Earth Day Texas. Earth Day Texas, which is coming up this weekend (April 24-26) in Dallas, is the brainchild of Trammell S. Crow. It started out in 2010 as a local Dallas-centric Earth Day event, but has grown into a truly Texas-sized undertaking with state, national and global impact. Earth Day Texas attracts local and national political leaders, business leaders, conservation leaders and over 50,000 attendees. It provides each of them with an opportunity to learn about our most pressing environmental problems, discuss solutions, witness what others are doing to safeguard our planet, discover the latest green technologies, and learn how to do their part. This year’s event will feature presentations on topics, ranging from water conservation and wildlife protection, to renewable energy and environmental politics. There will be a showing of the powerful new film Racing Extinction, where an innovative team of artists and activists expose a hidden world of corruption and extinction that is truly shocking. Bat Conservation International will be there with live bats giving presentations on why bats are one of the most ecologically and economically important wildlife species, and yet one of the most threatened. That’s just the tip of the iceberg, Earth Day Texas has more exhibits, entertainment and presentations...
Cliven Bundy, the Nevada rancher who orchestrated an armed standoff with federal officials last year over his refusal to pay two decades worth of grazing fees and fines, is back in the news. Late last month, he and his followers rallied in Carson City to support AB408, a radical (and unconstitutional) bill in the Nevada State Assembly, the purpose of which was to seize all U.S. owned lands, mineral rights and water rights in the state, and to block enforcement of federal law. That bill has since been gutted of those provisions, but Bundy is staying in the news. This weekend he plans a “Bundy Ranch Freedom Reunion” at his ranch. Bundy, who says he does not recognize the United States as “even existing, owes the government more than $1 million and has ignored countless court orders. That Bundy is still running around free and not behind bars is almost as perplexing as his crazy beliefs are. Bundy somehow believes that Nevada is a sovereign entity that is not bound by the U.S. constitution and not subject to federal law. He has apparently even went so far as to order the Clark County sheriff to disarm federal officials and tear down National Park entrance fee booths. His wacky views are more or less in line with those of the Sovereign Citizen Movement, which the FBI has expressed growing concern about. Check out recent CRS op-eds in the Las Vegas Review Journal and the Salt Lake Tribune, linked below, to read why Bundy and his followers are anti-America and anti-conservative. Las Vegas Review Journal: Bundy’s stance not in line with...
Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship (CRS) is pleased to announce the addition of Mark Richardson to its Senior Fellows program. Mark, whose professional life has provided him with diverse connections to the energy industry, brings to CRS a wealth of expertise in energy-related tax policy, financing and royalties. For much of his life he managed a dual career, both as an engineer in operations for Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, and as a farmer. An oil and gas royalty owner, Mark has direct experience with the traditional energy and related policies, but he has also become a strong advocate of wind energy and other energy resources that support the farm economy in Kansas. He held the position of Plains States Coordinator for the Red State Renewable Alliance, and has been a member of both the Reno County (KS) Wind Energy Task Force and the Heartland Alliance for Regional Transmission. Mark has authored numerous articles and op-eds about energy policy, and has lobbied the Kansas Legislature and the state’s congressional delegation in support of policies that do not unfairly discriminate against renewable energy sources. He has a Masters degree of Business Administration with an emphasis on economics of regulated industries from Wichita State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Pittsburg State University. Living in Hutchinson, Kansas, Mark is a lifelong Republican and an active member of the community. He has served as a board member for the Hutchinson (KS) Historic Fox Theatre, Reno County (KS) Kansas Farm Bureau, El Cap Credit Union, Reno County (KS) Planning and Zoning Commission, Envista Credit Union Advisory Board, and the Hutchinson...
For at least the past six months there has been a relentless campaign to do away with the production tax credit(PTC) for wind energy. This effort, waged largely under the conservative banner, is not at all what it seems. The groups and people that attack the tax incentive for wind energy often frame their concern as protecting taxpayer wallets or supporting a level energy playing field, yet they are completely silent on the plethora of tax breaks and other goodies showered on coal, oil and natural gas. A philosophical stance against government subsidized energy production that looks honestly at all energy-related incentives might have merit, but that is clearly not the case here. Instead, the attacks on wind are a special interest driven effort to make sure gas, oil and coal have a distinct tax advantage over wind energy. The one thing that links most, if not all, of those targeting the PTC is a connection to the large fossil fuel conglomerate Koch Industries. Groups like Americans for Prosperity, Heartland Institute, Heritage Foundation, American Jobs Alliance and American Energy Alliance all have ties to Koch and are all campaigning against the PTC. It is also worth noting that these groups are the same ones who were still peddling the notion that better automobile fuel efficiency equates to unsafe cars long after auto manufacturers—and the marketplace—had proved them wrong. They are also the ones who kept telling us that incandescent light bulbs had been banned even as improved incandescent bulbs, which met new energy standards, were already on store shelves. There is no underlying conservative basis for singling out wind energy, just the...
During Senate consideration of legislation to approve the Keystone XL pipeline an important milestone was reached on climate change. Five Republican senators voted for an amendment sponsored by Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) stating that “climate change is real and human activity significantly contributes to climate change.” While five is not a huge number, it hopefully signals that stewardship-minded Republicans are starting to finally assert themselves on climate. These five, Lamar Alexander (TN), Kelly Ayotte (NH), Susan Collins (ME), Lindsey Graham (SC), and Mark Kirk (IL), deserve our gratitude and encouragement for taking a genuinely conservative, fact-based stand on climate change. They need to hear thanks and kudos from stewardship-minded conservative and center-right constituents. Please contact them today. A similar amendment by Republican Senator Hoeven from North Dakota, which acknowledged human contribution to climate change but omitted the word “significantly,” came only one vote short of the 60 votes needed for passage. It garnered the support of 15 Republicans, that–in addition to the five above and Hoeven–also included Senators John McCain (AZ), Bob Corker (TN), Rob Portman (OH), John Thune (SD), Jeff Flake (AZ), Lisa Murkowski (AK), Orin Hatch (UT), Mike Rounds (SD), and Rand Paul (KY). These senators also merit encouragement from their constituents. And it is worth noting that these Republican Senators are not alone. Three likely Republican presidential candidates also acknowledge the basic facts of climate change. Jeb Bush and Chris Christie have been clear on this point, and just recently they were joined by Mitt Romney, who told those gathered at a conference in Salt Lake City that he is “one of those Republicans” who thinks...
