The Nature Conservancy : Senate Approves Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill

Press release from The Nature Conservancy:

August 10, 2021

Includes significant advances for climate, nature

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The Nature Conservancy

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With bipartisan support, the U.S. Senate today voted to advance a $1 trillion infrastructure bill that includes significant investments and provisions related to clean energy, community resilience, natural infrastructure and forest health.

The following is a statement by Lynn Scarlett, chief external affairs officer at The Nature Conservancy:

“Nature is infrastructure. Lands and waters are a foundation for American prosperity, safety and sustainability – and this bipartisan infrastructure bill recognizes that in a bigger, bolder way than ever before. Investing in nature as a solution is a smart way to achieve the clean water, resilient communities, healthy forests and fish and wildlife habitats, clean air and stable climate we all need. And, nature-based solutions can help make other infrastructure last longer, work better and reduce risks from increasing storms. 

Lynn Scarlett

Chief External Affairs Officer for The Nature Conservancy

“This bill also recognizes that the time has come for game-changing investments in clean energy and transportation to help us address climate change. By modernizing the electric grid, supporting a transition to renewable energy and cleaner transportation, increasing energy efficiency, enabling greater electric vehicle adoption and more, this bill advances the kind of infrastructure we need to lower emissions for a safer, more sustainable future.

“These are strategies our country needs now to help create a future-focused economy, too. Investing in nature and clean energy creates jobs, saves money and drives an economy prepared to answer the challenges we face.

“We are grateful to the senators who helped craft this bill for this major investment in our nation’s infrastructure and for recognizing the importance of focusing some of those investments on nature and clean energy. We thank all the senators who voted to pass this bill and encourage the House of Representatives to swiftly follow suit. We’re eager to see this momentum continue so we can ultimately act at the larger scale necessary to address the biodiversity and climate crises.”

This press release was produced by The Nature Conservancy. The views expressed here are the author’s own.