Environment

America’s Old-Growth Forests in Need of New Protections

America’s Old-Growth Forests in Need of New Protections

Brief #152 – Environment Policy
By Todd J. Broadman

Just over a third of what remains as forested land in America is classified as “old-growth forest,” equivalent to 167 million acres. By definition, old-growth is at least 80 years old, and just 24% of old-growth forest is fully protected – the balance exposed to the risk of logging. 58 million acres of this old-growth forest are on federal lands under management by either the U.S. Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management.

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The Latest Spill Finds Politicians Ankle Deep in Tar Sands Oil

The Latest Spill Finds Politicians Ankle Deep in Tar Sands Oil

Brief #151 – Environment Policy
By Todd J. Broadman

Since the beginning of its operations in 2010, the Keystone pipeline has experienced 22 oil spills totaling 26,000 barrels of tar sands oil leaked into the surrounding land and water. The pipeline traverses approximately 2,700 miles, starting from the tar sands of Alberta, Canada and terminating at refinery locations in the Midwest and Oklahoma. The pipeline’s owner and operator is TC Energy.

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The Move Away from Plastic is Looking Just as Flimsy

The Move Away from Plastic is Looking Just as Flimsy

Brief #150 – Environment Policy
By Todd J. Broadman

We are a world addicted to plastic, the most perceivable, persistent and pervasive indicator of the Anthropocene. Plastics are produced from natural gas, feedstocks derived from natural gas processing, and each year more is produced. The current production rate is 400 million metric tons and is the source of 5% of CO2 emissions. By 2030 it will be 600 million metric tons, and 800 by 2040.

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Environmental Provisions of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act

Environmental Provisions of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act

Brief #148 – Environment Policy
By Jacob Morton

On August 16, 2022, President Joe Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act, H.R. 5376. The new law is a scaled-back version of the Biden administration’s Build Back Better Act, intended to reduce the national deficit and lower inflation while investing in domestic energy production, creating jobs, and lowering healthcare drug costs. Here is a look at how the new law impacts U.S. environmental and climate policy.

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