National Wildlife Federation Cannot Support Permitting Package in its Current Form

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The National Wildlife Federation issued the following statement on the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act and the substitute amendment proposed by the bill's sponsors:

"The National Wildlife Federation has great respect for the lead negotiators of the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act and is grateful for their willingness to consider input and improvements," said Collin O'Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. "We share their urgency in the need to reduce climate pollution by modernizing our grid and deploying more clean energy. We particularly appreciate the efforts to maximize the capacity of the existing transmission system through grid-enhancing technologies, responsibly site infrastructure in existing degraded rights-of-way rather than disturbing intact greenfields and wildlife habitat, and improve interregional and offshore transmission planning, as well as fund abandoned hardrock mine cleanup and coastal resilience.

"However, first and foremost, the National Wildlife Federation is a conservation organization dedicated to ensuring wildlife and people thrive in our rapidly changing world. The greatest threats to wildlife include habitat loss, invasive species, disease, and pollution, all of which are exacerbated by climate change. While wildlife survival urgently requires accelerating emission reductions, those gains are not guaranteed under this bill. Meanwhile, adverse impacts to wildlife, waters, Tribal lands, public lands, and communities will result from the package's statutory concessions affecting the Clean Water Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, and National Historic Preservation Act, as well as from restrictions on judicial remedies and the ability to revisit ecologically harmful decisions. These certain impacts on nature and wildlife should not be traded away for uncertain climate benefits.

"After closely evaluating the full bill and the newly released substitute amendment alongside our state and territorial affiliates, Tribal partners, environmental justice partners, hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation partners, water coalition partners, and other conservation partners, we have concluded we cannot support the legislation in its current form.

"We believe that the significance of the proposed revisions to our nation's bedrock environmental laws and the numerous concerns raised about impacts on natural resources and communities warrant more deliberation than is possible during a truncated lame-duck session. It would be prudent for the incoming Congress to work collaboratively with states, Tribes, and the administration to deliver durable reforms that accelerate responsible energy development and reduce pollution, while conserving our waters, lands, and wildlife, upholding Tribal sovereignty and Treaty Rights, and ensuring meaningful community engagement."