Issue 222: Regroup to Balance the Environment and Economy

A Note from RFF’s President

What seems to have gone forgotten (or set aside) amid recent deregulatory actions is that Americans want a thriving economy and healthy environment. Both are achievable in tandem, and we’re selling ourselves short if we neglect strategies that benefit Americans over the long term.

The cover story in this magazine details an example. Resources for the Future (RFF) senior fellows Bryan Hubbell and Alan Krupnick chronicle recent changes to federal agencies which deflate our ability to keep up the progress of the past several decades. More to their point: Because of the Clean Air Act and other environmental regulations, the US Environmental Protection Agency found regulatory strategies that have vastly improved air quality for Americans alongside significant economic growth. Because parts of the agency have been dismantled this past year, we’re likely to see a retreat from these kinds of environment-economy wins unless people across political divides regroup to find opportunities amid the setbacks.

Other articles here show the potential and possibilities of RFF’s healthy environment, thriving economy mantra:

• Daniel Raimi lists lessons learned from energy and climate policy, which are actionable for managing artificial intelligence and data centers.
• Beia Spiller and alumni of the Critical Minerals Research Lab she leads use the case study of lithium mines in Argentina to argue for maximizing the value of resource extraction across multiple dimensions.
• Brandon Holmes and Matthew Wibbenmeyer show that federal land-conservation programs need not harm rural economies.

Bryan and Alan cite a figure in their article that strikes me every time I see it: For every $1 in costs from tightening air-quality standards, Americans gain as much as $77 in health benefits—a more than worthwhile investment in the future of our economy, public health, and natural resources in the United States. This type of massive return on investment continues to be accessible.

Billy Pizer
President and CEO, Resources for the Future