{"id":18790,"date":"2022-04-25T16:00:21","date_gmt":"2022-04-25T16:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/?p=18790"},"modified":"2022-04-25T16:00:54","modified_gmt":"2022-04-25T16:00:54","slug":"policy-news-april-25-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/2022\/04\/25\/policy-news-april-25-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"Policy News: April 25, 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this issue:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

White House Announces First National Nature Assessment\u00a0
\n<\/b><\/a>This assessment will provide a comprehensive report on the state of the nation\u2019s lands, waters, and wildlife.<\/p>\n

Congress<\/strong><\/a>
\nHouse Science Committee to hold hearings about the Department of Energy Office of Science and climate science.<\/p>\n

Executive Branch<\/strong><\/a>
\nWhite House repeals Trump-era National Environmental Policy Act regulations.<\/p>\n

Courts<\/a>
\n<\/strong>Judge upholds critical habitat for jumping mouse.<\/p>\n

States<\/strong><\/a>
\nMaine State Senate advances proposal to restore tribal sovereignty.<\/p>\n

International<\/a>
\n<\/strong>War in Ukraine could have a profound ecological impact.<\/p>\n

Scientific Community<\/strong><\/a>
\nLong Term Ecological Research Network to hold panel discussion about community engagement.<\/p>\n

Federal Register opportunities<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>White House Announces First National Nature Assessment<\/h2>\n

In an executive order made in honor of Earth Day, the White House announced the creation of a U.S. National Nature Assessment. This assessment, similar to the National Climate Assessment, will provide a comprehensive report on the state of the nation\u2019s lands, waters and wildlife and the specific benefits that they provide. The assessment will also allow the country to look ahead at how nature might change in the future and identify opportunities for investments in nature to help achieve the administration\u2019s climate, health, environmental justice and economic goals. The U.S. Global Change Research Program will lead the development of this assessment.<\/p>\n

Along with this assessment, the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Office of Domestic Climate Policy lead a report to the National Climate Task Force on opportunities for greater deployment of nature-based solutions. The White House Office of Management and Budget will develop guidance for agencies regarding accounting for ecosystems services in policies.<\/p>\n

The executive order also includes provisions regarding forestry and protecting old-growth forests.The order requires the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to inventory old-growth forests and identify threats to these forests. After the inventory, the agencies will develop policies for climate-smart management and conservation of old-growth forests. The order also includes incentives to reduce deforestation internationally and promote economic development in areas heavily dependent on the timber industry.<\/p>\n

Read a fact sheet about the Executive Order\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Congress<\/h2>\n

House Science Committee:<\/strong> The committee will hold a hearing<\/a> about research infrastructure at the Department of Energy\u2019s national laboratories, featuring testimony from Undersecretary for Science and Innovation Geraldine Richmond April 27.<\/p>\n

The next day, the House Science Committee will hold a hearing<\/a> about climate change with Ko Barrett of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and NOAA; Dr. Dominique David-Chavez, an assistant professor of indigenous natural resource stewardship at Colorado State University; and Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.<\/p>\n

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee<\/strong>: The Senate will hold a confirmation hearing<\/a> for President Biden\u2019s nominee to be the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) director, David Applegate, this Thursday April 28. Applegate is a career USGS employee who has served as the acting USGS director for the past year.<\/p>\n

House Appropriations Committee<\/strong>: House Appropriators will hold hearings with leaders from the Department of Energy<\/a>, the U.S. Forest Service<\/a>, the Department of Agriculture<\/a>, the Department of Interior<\/a> and the Environmental Protection Agency<\/a> this week regarding the agencies\u2019 Fiscal Year 2023 budget requests.<\/p>\n

More News:<\/u><\/p>\n