Environmental Priorities for the Next Administration
No matter who wins the presidential election, the next administration will face a number of pressing environmental issues. The Moore Charitable Foundation and our partners are active on so many of them. As we see it, these should be among the priorities:
Offshore drilling: The Trump Administration has put a temporary moratorium on offshore drilling for the southeast part of the United States, from Florida through North Carolina. This was a welcome development to so many coastal communities. The next important step will be making the ban permanent, and extend it along the whole coast, all the way up to Maine. The offshore drilling ban has had the effect of stopping seismic blasting in those areas, a huge win for the marine life that would suffer tremendously loud noises while companies looked for oil deposits on the ocean floor.
Forest Management: This year’s western wildfires have been devastating for communities. With inadequate forest management as a backdrop, the fires spread quickly with high winds and dry ground. With a changing climate making these fires more dangerous, the next administration must develop a plan to mitigate their strength before the next fire season. Prescribed fire is a key component of forest management by carefully getting rid of the ground cover that fuels so many wildfires.
Clean water and waterways: Whether it is “forever chemicals” from industrial waste or hog waste from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), our waterways are under threat. The next administration should prioritize measures that protect our water supply for both drinking and recreation.
Coastal protection: As sea levels rise, our coasts are more vulnerable than ever. Restoration efforts — such as creating oyster reefs that filter water, protect marine life and provide a sustainable food source — are critical to saving our shorelines and both the coastal economies and the marine flora and fauna that thrive on them.
For more information on these issues or Moore Charitable Foundation’s work, please visit our website.
