Natural Resources Policy in the Bush (II) Administration: An Outsider’s Somewhat Jaundiced Assessment

Abstract

This article reviews the Bush Administration's first three years in natural resource policy, focusing primarily on the federal lands. It concludes that the Administration has been remarkably and stridently pro-industry, acting mostly unilaterally, Congress accommodating by staying out of its way. It has also so far escaped serious resistance in the courts, although litigation unfolds slowly and it is too soon to tell whether the courts will be as compliant as the Congress. Meanwhile, the administration’s shrewd messaging and the lack of congressional resistance have avoided triggering a serious public backlash.

Keywords: Federal Lands, Natural Resources Policy, Bush Administration, Land Conservation,. Energy Policy

JEL Classification: K11, K32, Q20, Q28, Q30, Q38, Q40,Q48