The last few years have seen a revival of the conservative conservation ethos, and Republicans are ready to act on key energy priorities. From the formation of the Conservative Climate Caucus in Congress to conservative environmental leadership on the state level, GOP-led initiatives are gaining momentum.
In Utah, the state legislature and congressional delegation are working to save the Great Salt Lake and enhance statewide water conservation programs. Even in a divided Congress in Washington, Republicans and Democrats worked together to pass key pieces of legislation in the 117th Congress.
The Save Our Sequoias Act passed the House, and President Joe Biden signed into law the Saline Lake Ecosystems in the Great Basin States Program Act and the MAPLand Act , two bills introduced by Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT) to establish a scientific monitoring and assessment program to save the Great Salt Lake and to digitize and standardize mapping records to aid federal land management agencies, respectively.
With Republicans now in control of the House, the CCC’s leadership has never been more important. The past two years have shown us that top-down policies from the Biden administration have failed to deliver results. Fortunately, we know that a conservative approach that balances our energy and environmental needs will.
House Republicans have introduced H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act . This bill embraces an all-of-the-above energy approach and encourages traditional and renewable energy production by removing bureaucratic red tape that kills projects before they can even launch. The effect of this will be cleaner, more reliable, and affordable energy for families.
H.R. 1 modernizes and simplifies our current permitting process for new energy infrastructure, makes it easier to source and process critical minerals in the United States, promotes cross-border cooperation on energy infrastructure with Mexico and Canada, and more. We know that to create better environmental and economic outcomes, we must get the government out of the way and allow innovators to do what they do best. To create the energy and climate technologies of the future, we cannot allow unnecessary roadblocks to hinder our country’s best and brightest.
Rather than picking winners and losers in energy markets, we should unleash the full power of American energy, from natural gas to renewables to nuclear power, and we must maximize America’s powerful carbon advantage . Our current permitting process stalls and kills energy projects, including a large number of renewable energy projects, weakening energy security and slowing climate action. We must reform our processes, and even Democrats agree. H.R. 1 addresses this by streamlining the National Environmental Policy Act permitting process, limiting the scope of NEPA jurisdiction, and setting deadlines for NEPA reviews, among other key provisions.
This push for an all-of-the-above approach and comprehensive permitting reform through the Lower Energy Costs Act shows that conservatives bring unique and productive perspectives to environmental conversations. Utahns and people from coast to coast are concerned about our environment and want solutions. Young conservatives, especially, are leading the charge in this fight. Together, as Utah’s youngest member of Congress and as a Gen Z climate activist, we understand the importance of smart, commonsense leadership from the Right on this matter.
This June, the American Conservation Coalition, the largest right-of-center youth environmental organization in the country, will host its 2023 ACC Summit in Salt Lake City to show the incredible engagement and action being taken on climate in the West.
The next generation of the conservative movement, one determined to bolster our economy and protect our environment, is here to stay, and we’re ready to get to work.
Rep. Blake Moore is a member of the Conservative Climate Caucus and was the most successful Republican freshman legislator of the 117th Congress. He has served Utah’s 1st Congressional District since 2021. Benji Backer is the founder and president of the American Conservation Coalition [Action].
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