By Russ and Tiña De Maris
The U.S. Department of Interior (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “Interior”) is back in the news. The parent agency of the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, and others, Interior says it’s time to take action on climate change. An agency press release says that climate change “pose[es] an imminent threat to our daily lives, critical wildlife habitats and future generations. Urban, rural and Tribal communities are economically burdened by storms, wildfires, droughts and floods.”
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A return to Roosevelt?
Under the battle cry of “Bold Action,” the land management agency says it will quickly roll out actions to help in the fight. But what might you expect to see? While some changes are seeming “no-brainers,” others may turn a few heads.
On the list, a new version of the CCC. No, this isn’t a group of campground building teenagers as in the days of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Rather, this CCC stands for Civilian Climate Corps. Their work will take these hires to the out-of-doors. As a result, they will work conserving and restoring public lands and waters and addressing climate change. Just how the specifics will play out is yet to be seen. Nevertheless, many Americans have been calling for a new vision of the old plan.
Energy and land management
Other parts of the new working orders on climate change include a few changes on energy and land management. In the past, emphasis in some agencies – particularly the Bureau of Land Management – focused on managing non-renewable energy sources. In particular, oil and gas were at the center. However, Interior now says it’s already identifying steps to accelerate responsible development of renewable energy on public lands and waters.
Included in this new relationship, the department has begun reviewing the existing federal oil and gas program. Consequently, the eye is to measure “that it serves the public interest and restores balance on America’s public lands and waters.”
Reviewing national monuments
While not directly “energy” related, the Interior Department has also been tasked to look at the land itself. Its marching orders from the White House include: “Developing approaches to conserve at least 30% each of our lands and waters by the year 2030.” They are looking at some national monuments which were pared down in size by the last administration. These include Grand Staircase-Escalante, Bears Ears, Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, “to determine whether restoration of the boundaries and conditions would be appropriate.”
How will each individual agency under Interior be involved in these changes on climate change? That isn’t clear yet. Similarly, we don’t know how the new plan will change recreational access to the country’s public lands. We’ll keep you posted as we find out.
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##RVT987
Stop taking land out West, it’s not yours you climate crazies.
First of all, this article should have never appeared in RV Travel. I say “shame on you” for publishing it. Oh, what about that “left-handed”, “back door” comment about the “previous administration”?
The politicization of climate science has led to corruption of the science.
Over the last 100 years or so, the CO2 level has been increasing. However, the temperatures over that time have not been consistent with the hypothesis that human-generated CO2 is the prime cause of temperature increases.
The science is not ‘settled’, or there would be one model, not over a hundred, that attempts to predict the global temperature. Furthermore, the official climate models that have predicted up to 4.5°C of global warming with a doubling of the CO2 have failed all five tests applied to them. They should be rejected.
Because positive feedback does not operate, the warming from a doubling of the CO2 is likely to be less than 1°C, which would be beneficial to life on earth.
The impact of global warming on various natural disasters has been hyped and is not supported by the evidence.
Bravo!!
Stop telling factual information, nobody believes you.
You know what’s the best, we all burn so much fossil fuel to enjoy the lifestyle, I dare you guys to put the brakes on it, LOL.
So, currently in Central Texas, it is 10 degrees with a windchill of -9. Global warming? Hahaha
Get with the program, they morphed that to “climate change” a cover all so this will never end. Wait, I’m headed to the gas station to fuel up my ungodly gas guzzler, and go RVing!
Global warming/cooling/climate-change 101 course.
EVERYBODY agrees that we should take care of Mother Earth. Recycle, renew, develop alternate sources of energy, etc, etc. etc. But it’s kind of arrogant of us to think we humans can have an appreciable effect on weather. As stated earlier, it’s a natural cycle. When faced with one of those kids telling you that YOU are the blame for ending life on earth because you drive a car, ask them two questions. (1) “How many Ice-Ages ” has the Earth experienced? (2) How many of them were caused by, or cured by, the actions of Man? It really IS that simple. Fred and Wilma Flintstone “crusin’ through the hamburger stand” in their SUV did not cause weather problems today.
This is different. Human technology, extraction, and births, have changed the cycles of our planet. Period. Science 101.
Next time you use your Pseudo- “Science,” in your statement, try to be a little MORE vague, OK? Births change the weather??? Really???
The planet has weather cycles. Everybody agrees.
I think by births Laura Martin is referring to the continual global increase in the human population and how more people use more resources and generate more of an impact. We are changing the natural cycles.
Small number of people, small impact. When Phoenix was a small town, the temperature in and around Phoenix was the same. Population growth has resulted in more concrete and asphalt, and the temperature difference keeps going up. Enough people can and do have an appreciable effect. There are studies showing how reducing black pavement in parking lots or growing more shade trees could lower the hot temperatures by 4.3 to 10F in Phoenix.
Look at ice core studies and what they show for weather changes if you want to see how much slower natural weather cycle changes were up until the industrial age started burning coal on a massive scale.
A better term for our impact on climate change might be “Global Weirding”.
Man, you had me till the last sentence. Not really, lol
Actually, Steven, that was the one part of her comment I agreed with: Births. We are very rapidly and irresponsibly overpopulating the planet, and I consider that to be the largest [and rapidly GETTING larger] problem we face, but few want to address it.
Ummmm….. more like opinion 101.
We all drive ungodly inefficent gas guzzlers. This is an RV site right. Am I missing something here. Look, with all do respect, I don’t think that sells here very well, just sayin’
We have never had such an earth population extracting and burning so much hydrocarbons. When we see our huge snow cap mountains and ice melt, who do you blame for that? There are areas of the ocean where the water is 90 degrees – where does this energy go from the ocean in storms? Go on believing we can burn fuel, make plastic junk and bottles and it is just a natural cycle. Tell that to people experiencing horrific storms, hurricanes, endless wild fires and flooding. You may be next to stand where you home used to be or in a pile of ash. Then tell me this is just a natural occurrence. We all have some responsibility to use our resources wisely and not just say “I got mine, f-you”
Since YOU believe we all should move into caves and eat only mushrooms, I’ll move there when YOU move there. Again, it’s cycles, blown out of all logic by people that want power and control over YOU, and are wanting to sell more cell phones, car insurance and beer. Reality, Bobby, reality. Read my original comment again. Especially the first sentence. And, as they say down South, “Well, bless your heart!”
“tell me this is just a natural occurrence”.
There you go.
You drive a gas guzzling RV I assume? Man, this sure is good entertainment reading this stuff.
Barney Rubble was a hell of an actor!
The Forest Service is under the Dept. of Agriculture, not Interior. But it’s common for people to believe all land management agencies are Interior’s. I applaud you for opening the Climate Change Continual Can of Worms. Regardless of the cause, this is the only planet you and I have. Respect it or it will NOT respect us.
I was also going to point out the fact that the Forest Service was in the USDA.
Also, this readership may be interested to know that “The Army Corps of Engineers is the largest federal provider of outdoor recreation in the nation…”
Love it! Army and recreation, gosh our founders were smart.
Thanks for the government lesson. That just tells me we have way too many Depts. Less government, more following the US constitution. You don’t like it you might say, change it, there are provisions for that too.
Who can argue with that philosophy.
Will someone tell these folks that we are just between ice ages. Its based on real science and not the biased analysis they are engaged in. Let’s deploy those eager teens instead to repair and replace the nation’s aging water and sewer infrastructure rather than making posters with neat slogans. Somehow, the earth is laughing at us and I always thought it was indifferent to us. But where there’s money to spend you’ll find a ready audience all with their hands out.
Several years ago there was a study of climate change, i.e. temperature changes. In that study it was determined that the earth normally goes through a heating and cooling cycle over a 100 year cycle. It heats up for 50 years and cools off for 50 years. I’m 77 years young born in 1943, I can remember when I was a young child of 6-7 years old how cold the winters were and summertime temps didn’t require more than a fan to stay comfortable. Then as I became an adult in the 60s things started getting warmer, then in the 90s I was living in AL and winters were colder than normal. Now all the millennials who seem to be in charge are screaming global warming like chicken little the sky is falling. Wait 10 years you’ll need to unpack the long handles again.
Wait 10 years, you’re talking to “I want it now” generation. Good luck with that old timer. P.S. you’re right by the way, but save your breath, they won’t believe you, you’re too old, lol
I remember back in the 70’s when they told us about the “coming ice age” that was going to freeze the upper US and reduce our ability to grow needed food. We were going to die. When that didn’t transpire they reversed their rhetoric and told us it was actually global warming that was going to kill us. Florida was going to be underwater, along with other coastal population centers. When Al Gore’s global warming meetings on the east coast got snowed out they had to figure something else out. After all, we have to be scared all the time. Along comes “Climate Change”, which encompasses whatever happens in our daily or yearly weather. Politicians take full advantage of any changes in the weather to further their agenda, which is usually restricting more of our rights or raising our taxes. Meantime the weather just keeps doing what it always does. It changes regardless of what we do or don’t do. “Mother Earth” doesn’t even know we’re here. We are a mere pimple.
So true! I also remember that, back then, to combat the “coming ice age”, they (scientists) wanted to cover the glaciers & ice fields with carbon dust to attract more heat from the sun. We have to take care not to kill the planet (And we in the US have been -better than other countries) but if you follow the money, you will see who is leading this. And it aint for our benefit!
AMEN to that!
I hate to break it to you, but there are ulterior motives a foot here, sadly.
The problem with the Climate Change advocates is they never tell or want you to know the whole story, which makes their story less believable. First, I believe climate change is occurring. What are the man made causes and what are the natural causes? The earths climate has been changing for millions of years. Tell both sides of the story so the story is more believable. Turn hundreds of thousands if not millions of acres of land into solar fields, gobbling up farmland. The American Farmland Trust’s motto is “No Farms No Food”. Build hundreds of thousands of acres of windmill fields and kill birds by the thousands including endangered species. Refineries have always been looked at as ugly, and they are, but so are solar array fields and windmill farms. How many wildfires each year are caused by lighting, careless campers, old electrical infrastructure, et.? And, the story could go on and on.
Both sides? Shouldn’t the largest manufacturing country in the world be included? China. The pictures from China the past two to three weeks indicates a major smog problems (man made). Perhaps they should join the climate change corp too.
If we are truly concerned about our environment I must wonder why we are not moving to decentralized nuclear energy to replace much of our aging electrical grid. This could be accomplished in America much in the same way it is operating in Europe the middle east and Scandinavia. The new methods and science of nuclear energy is safe, non polluting and cost effective. Waste disposal issues are being managed and possibly less of an issue than the disposal and recycling of the lithium batteries required for wind and solar.
Waste disposal issues are being managed – “Hot plutonium” will be around for 200-250 thousand years. So you manage it today… what about tomorrow? At present, Carlsbad, N.M. is the dumping ground, I do hope there is future technology that can clean it up. :-/
Not really, please read up on WIPP in New Mexico. It is not for plutonium waste. They only store low level waste. The high level waste mostly from power plants is stored close to the power plants in large swimming pools. I just read an article recently that said we are only a couple of decades away from having to deal with the oldest waste. We really need someone to overturn the Jimmy Carter rule and start reprocessing the waste like France does.
Exactly.
The CCC was a well thought out jobs effort for many unemployed young men who, under the leadership of master architects and builders, worked hard improving our parks and leaving us beautiful examples of stone masonry all over the country. Teenagers? Not hardly.
To Russ and Tina –
I’m trying not to be overly critical of this article, but what are you trying to communicate? It started out fine, then just ended without saying much of anything. I usually appreciate your messages, but this one seems to be missing a few paragraphs. No disrespect intended.
Dan: The basis for this one was more or less an FYI. The information is based on a press release from Interior, which at times (from our experience with dealing with the government) can be rather abrupt. And attempts, of late, to get a direct line to several of the Interior Department public information offices have basically fallen flat. Hopefully, as COVID uncurls and the new administration gets settled, things will improve, and questions will be (more or less) answered. Thanks for your kindness!
FYI? On what exactly? I had to reread article, thought I missed it. I’m with Dan with kindness too.
With kindness, I am looking forward to your and Dan’s articles in future issues. They will be interesting and concise, right?
We welcome your guest essays. If we publish it we will send you a $75 Amazon gift certificate. Submit here, 500-600 words.
Nice snarky reply. Good grief.
Cold weather has you grouchy?