Ideological blinders affect both extremes of the climate debate

Climate change challenges conservative and libertarian instincts in a way that makes it harder to believe the evidence, no matter how strong it is. Climate evangelists likewise tend to embrace science and evidence when it confirms their prior political views and reject it otherwise. For progressives and big-government liberals, climate change is easy to accept to the extent it seems to call out for a big-government solution. But even among climate evangelicals, where science and their prior political commitments conflict, politics usually win.

Science is immensely important, but it has a hubris problem

Science is incredibly politicized. Science is extremely important and scientists have a meaningful role in policy questions. But not all science is created equal and not everything a scientist thinks is science.

On Earth Day, celebrate the environmental benefits of human prosperity

Free people and free economies have repeatedly shown they’re up to the task of solving environmental problems. Earth Day should be a celebration of that fact.

Supreme Court should preempt state laws to save environmental federalism

If Congress can only protect its choices by broadly preempting states laws, it will. And, in the long run, states will have less room to protect the environment than they would if courts continued to enforce the balance. That would be a significant blow to both federalism and the environment.

Should government permits override property rights?

Environmental permitting should supplement property rights, not destroy them.

Conservation easements must be interpreted to encourage cooperation not conflict

Biased interpretations of conservation easements sacrifice long-term conservation benefits for short-term gain.

Do people have a right to protect their property through climate adaptation?

If we’re entering a period of sustained sea level rise, property owners’ rights to protect their property must be secure and they must be compensated when that right is taken from them.

Does the environment trump constitutional limits on federal power?

In Utah prairie dog decision, the Tenth Circuit undermined cooperative conservation of the species and tore up constitutional limits on federal power.

Congressional testimony on delays from ESA consultation

In congressional testimony, I explain how the Endangered Species Act’s consultation process delays infrastructure upgrades and can harm species.

Is everything a crime under the Endangered Species Act?

DOJ’s resistance to environmental groups’ effort to radically expand overcriminalization under the Endangered Species Act shows the long-term impacts of earlier, successful challenges to overcriminalization.