Legislative Update

NWF Keeping the Drumbeat for Climate Legislation During Month of March

By Zackary Cockrum, National Wildlife Federation

National Wildlife Federation has long been at the forefront of passing comprehensive climate and energy legislation that protects America’s vulnerable natural resources and diverse communities from climate change.  We also recognize that a clean energy revolution will create opportunities in a variety of communities across the country.   Currently, Senators Kerry (D-MA), Lieberman (D-CT), and Graham (R-SC) are spearheading a clean energy and climate bill effort in the Senate.  To support this effort, NWF has been flying in hundreds of constituents to meet with key swing Senators and their staff.

The first event on March 2nd and 3rd involved participants from the higher education community, including state and community college presidents, clean energy re-training programs, and representatives from the Blue Green Alliance, a coalition of environmental and union organizations.  This event was hugely successful in achieving face-to-face meetings with Senators due to the high profile nature of the participants.  Our recruits were able to deliver the message of passing a climate bill with a strong investment in education and job retraining programs.

On March 8th and 9th, thirty sportsmen from across the country came to Washington to make their voices heard on climate and the importance of investing in healthy natural resources and wildlife habitat.  They made it clear that sportsmen are engaged and paying attention to the issue of clean energy and climate and are concerned about the impacts climate change will have on their favorite fish and game.  More important that the recreational impacts, however, is the message that healthy natural resources support a vast outdoor recreation economy that includes multiple uses of America’s beautiful landscapes.

On March 22nd and 23rd, representatives from Tribal Communities across the country came to DC to spread their message about the role of tribes in a clean energy future.   Tribes have a unique connection to the environment around them, many subsisting off of the land from generation to generation, and are thus uniquely tuned to changes in climate.  In addition to the vast natural resources contained within many tribal lands, many locations are primed for renewable energy development which could employ local tribe members.

On March  23rd and 24th, representatives from the Evangelical Environmental Network and the National Hispanic Christian Leaders Conference brought a similar message of creation care.  They asked Senators to keep in mind the least fortunate when addressing climate change, and to address climate change in a cost-effective and minimally disruptive way.  As the Environmental Climate Initiative says on their website, http://www.christiansandclimate.org/, ECI Leaders “believe that love of God, love of neighbor, and the demands of stewardship are more than enough reasons for us to respond with moral passion and concrete action”.

All of these events demonstrate the leadership in action that NWF has brought to the forefront of the climate fight.  We will continue to organize these highly effective events through the continuation of the climate fight, and will use many of the experiences we have had throughout this fight to be more effective advocates for change on other issues, as well.

Sportsmen writing letters to the editor in a morning session before going to Capitol Hill.

Credit: Garrett Conover.