Inside the Greenhouse

On June 1, the Interior Department announced that it suspended all oil and gas leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as it reviews the environmental impacts and legality of previous lease sales.

On April 22-23, President Joe Biden convened 40 world leaders for a virtual Leaders Summit on Climate to build support to address the climate crisis.

On March 18, Rep. Donald McEachin (VA-04), Rep. Raúl Grijalva (AZ-03) and Sen. Tammy Duckworth (IL) reintroduced the Environmental Justice for All Act.

FCNL is honored to support Rep. Deb Haaland’s (NM-01) historic nomination for secretary of the interior.

Inside the Greenhouse is a monthly newsletter about FCNL’s environmental work, ways to engage members of Congress, and stories that impact our work.

President Biden Acts on Climate Change

True to his campaign promise, President Joe Biden issued an executive order to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement soon after he was sworn in on Jan. 20, with re-entry taking effect on Feb. 19.

Congress included key components of the Senate and House energy bills in its FY21 spending package passed in late December.

As President-elect Joe Biden begins to name key members of his administration, he is continuing his commitment to make climate change a central focus. As special presidential envoy for climate—a newly created role—former Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to guide the United States back into the Paris Climate Agreement and recommit to global climate cooperation. In December, Biden is expected to name Kerry’s domestic climate policy counterpart.

On Oct. 30, President Trump officially lifted roadless restrictions in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, paving the way for logging and development of more than 9.3 million acres of forest, including old growth forest. This decision was made despite overwhelming opposition; 96% of the public comments submitted opposed lifting the protections, and the five cooperating Alaska Native tribal nations withdrew from the process after their input was ignored.

August and September saw multiple disasters worsened by climate change hit the United States. Hurricane Laura, one of the strongest storms to ever hit the country, pummeled the Gulf Coast. Out West, massive wildfires raged, burning entire towns, forcing mass evacuations, and cloaking the region in hazardous smoke. Across the Southwest, record-breaking heat shattered records.

The Trump administration finalized plans to open up 1.56 million acres of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil and gas development. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt hopes to sell leases for development by the end of the year.