Its been 2 years since largest investment towards clean energy and climate change in history of country was made when the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law:
“With the stroke of his pen, President Biden redefined American leadership in confronting the existential threat of the climate crisis and set forth a new era of American innovation and ingenuity to lower consumer costs and drive the global clean energy economy forward.”
Since August 16, 2022, The National Parks Service invested $210 million into various causes including the protection of wildlife and plants, landscape level conservation challenges, and preserving healthy environments for many generations to come.
“From protecting wildlife and landscapes to ensuring healthy environments, the Inflation Reduction Act supports restoration and resilience in the nation’s most special places. On the law’s second anniversary, we celebrate the work happening in parks from coast to coast to ensure that future generations can enjoy these iconic landscapes and thank the vital workforce that makes these improvements possible.” –National Parks Service
The NPS released the following statement reflecting on the past 24-months and what they changes they have made with the influx of funds.
NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE PRESS RELEASE:
Inflation Reduction Act Driving Historic Climate Action at National Parks
2 years since largest investment towards climate preparedness in history
Since the Inflation Reduction Act became law two years ago, the National Park Service has invested $210 million into the health of parks, building climate resiliency and benefiting local economies.
In this time, projects have broken ground and kicked off, providing benefits for people, wildlife, and local economies for generations to come. Inflation Reduction Act projects will continue to happen over the next seven years, but the investment will benefit parks and people long into the future.
“The Inflation Reduction Act is an unprecedented investment in the future of our nation’s public lands. This funding is combatting climate change and restoring healthy lands and waters at parks across the country.” –National Park Service Director Chuck Sams
To date, on-the-ground efforts in national parks are protecting wildlife and plants, tackling landscape level conservation challenges, creating career opportunities for America’s youth, preserving cultural heritage, and ensuring healthy environments for recreation and reflection.
In just 24 months since President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, the National Park Service has:
- Conserved sagebrush landscapes in the West, enhancing resilience to wildfire
- Fought avian malaria to prevent extinction of Hawai’i forest birds
- Protected coral from disease and climate change
- Enhanced capacity and provided career experience in ecosystem restoration and climate resilience to youth
- Restored essential grasslands in the East for key species, such as pollinators and birds
- Bolstered national parks against the impacts of climate change by providing tools and resources to understand and adapt to a changing climate
On the anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, the National Park Service recognizes these key investments and the vital workforce that enable repairs to critical facilities and infrastructure. Our work to enhance conservation through ecosystem restoration continues, with the full list of projects available on the National Park Service’s website.
These investments advance the Department of the Interior’s Restoration and Resilience Framework, which is guiding an over $2 billion investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act across bureaus and offices, and supports the President’s America the Beautiful Initiative and advances the objectives of the National Climate Resilience Framework.
