Should Congress Invest in a Federal Workforce for Conservation?

Awaiting Vote
Bill Summary

S. 847 will establish a 21st Century Conservation Corps, in an initiative to bring together climate resiliency efforts and economic stimulus. The program is modeled after the Civilian Conservation Corps of 1930, with updates to meet modern times and include a broader demographic of workers. The legislation will build up a workforce for resource management and land protection projects, and additionally will include smaller budget initiatives in relation to the environment. Sponsor: Senator Ron Wyden (Democrat, Oregon)
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Opponents say

•  "The scale that Biden’s proposing is going to be nowhere near in line with what’s actually needed. The president has called for $10 billion, which would be enough to maybe put to work somewhere in the range of 150,000 to 200,000 workers total… So there’s no shortage of work to be done. But we do need to see more leadership from the White House on this issue to show that they are committed to the climate crisis." Source: Mark Paul (New College of Florida)

Proponents say

•  "Rural communities are facing two big challenges: struggling economies and continued wildfire threats. By investing in a 21st century workforce, this bill will put people to work to tackle the climate emergency, restore our public lands and reduce wildfire risks. The bottom line, creating new jobs and supporting our public lands go hand in hand." Source: Senator Ron Wyden (Democrat, Oregon)


•  "The Secretary of the Interior, in collaboration with the Secretary of Agriculture and the heads of other relevant agencies, shall submit a strategy.. for creating a Civilian Climate Corps Initiative.. to mobilize the next generation of conservation and resilience workers and maximize the creation of accessible training opportunities and good jobs.  The initiative shall aim to conserve and restore public lands and waters, bolster community resilience, increase reforestation, increase carbon sequestration in the agricultural sector, protect biodiversity, improve access to recreation, and address the changing climate." Source: President Joe Biden