Vibrant Environment

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) was enacted on December 23, 1973, with the goal of protecting species vulnerable to extinction and conserving the ecosystems and habitats necessary for their survival. The ESA mandates that the federal government maintain a list of all “endangered” and “threatened” species and develop and implement recovery plans, with the objective of removing species from the list.

ELI recently submitted a public comment in response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA's) request for input on the Draft National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics (Strategy). The Strategy was developed by EPA, in partnership with the U.S.

What we grow and produce in America affects our air, water, climate, wildlife, public health, and more. The Farm Bill is likely the most significant environmental law Congress will address this year. It is also directly influenced by federal policy, and most importantly the Farm Bill, a collection of government programs that requires renewal every five years. The sprawling legislation governs initiatives from farm subsidies to low-income nutrition support.

Since 1997, World Wetlands Day has been highlighting the importance of wetlands for people and the planet and helping to encourage wetlands preservation. Wetlands are typically defined as areas of land that are either covered by or saturated with water. Wetlands are critical ecosystems that provide numerous important benefits for people and wildlife and are integral to the culture and economy of local communities.

Although water covers 70% of the earth’s surface, only 1 percent is available for human use. While freshwater supplies remain relatively finite, demand for water in the United States has tripled over the past 50 years.

Yesterday morning, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument in a pair of cases—Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and Relentless, Inc. v. Department of Commerce—that by all accounts have the potential to result in a seismic shift in administrative and regulatory law, including changes for courts, the President and federal agencies, Congress, and the public.

Starting with the January/February 2024 issue, the Environmental Forum has a change: “The,” capitalized and in italics, is no longer part of our name—too 20th century, to be frank. This change comes as a result of celebrating our 40th anniversary with this issue, a time for reflection as to the foundational purposes behind this publication and to honor the roster of leading professionals who have made it possible.

It will surprise no one that Inflation Reduction Act implementation is a critical priority for 2024. Eighteen months after the IRA was signed, we’re starting to see the shape, scale, and strategy of some of its programs, and how its nearly $400 billion is being put into play to help realize the transition to a clean energy economy.

The Environmental Law Institute researches local government best practices on climate mitigation and adaptation. In conjunction with this work, ELI develops model policies and ordinances as well as participates in convenings that produce recommendations such as Mayor Cooper's Sustainability Advisory Committee 2021 Report on the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County's Climate Change Mitigation Action Plan.

The impacts of climate change are being felt throughout all regions of the United States and are expected to worsen with every fraction of a degree of additional warming. Those were some of the headline takeaways from the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5), published November 14, 2023.