2012 Congressional Environmental Issues to Tackle

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December 30, 2011 -

We are going to bypass harping on the “shoulda, coulda, wouldas” of 2010 and head into 2012 with a glance at congress and what the news needs to cover to get more attention attracted by Congress about our environment. Let’s start the New Year on the right foot and take a glance at 2012 congressional “shoulds” from the very get-go. After all there are more than a handful of eco-friendly issues we want the 2012 Congress to tackle. Here are our thoughts…

Whilst Congress is at the moment amidst frenzied payroll tax tantrums, we still think now is the ideal time to take a close look at what 2012 has to offer, or at least what it “should” where Congress is concerned.

Pass wilderness bills! Let’s see these through in 2012. Follow through creating a happy, environmentally savvy society Congress! Let’s see legislation get passed that has bipartisan support in states like Washington, Michigan, California, Nevada, and Tennessee.

How about some preservation on land that is road-less and SHOULD STAY road-less? Pass more legislation that will forever preserve certain land being needlessly eye-balled by developers.

Congress in 2012 must follow through and fully commit and pass legislature for the Land and Water Conservation Fund’s $900 million appropriation. This appropriation should be fully rectified for the first time in more than 10 years.

Hey Congress quit it already with the commodity crop subsidies that alter markets, promote inequities, and stop paying for agricultural practices that wear away vital soils and corrupt our water value.

Dear 2012 Congress, promote and reward more energy efficient behaviors AND products instead of JUST products.

By all means pass an earnings neutral carbon tax as part of a large bargain tax reform that simplifies the tax code, ditches silly hurdles and loopholes, and produces a decrease in income tax rates across the board.

Well, this is our “should” list for Congress in 2012. What’s on your list? Here’s an idea: Let’s focus more on 2012 Congress and sideline (but not abandon) our personal “resolutions” and work hard on doing our part to make a stand.

Author: Amy Wermuth