EcoRight Speaks

The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) made a historic investment in protecting and maintaining popular federal lands in part by establishing the Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) to address billions of dollars in overdue maintenance needs. From 2021-2025, the LRF provided more than $9 billion to tackle priority repairs in national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, BLM areas and more. Unfortunately, the fund expired in August 2025, and the combined deferred maintenance backlog across federal land agencies is now estimated at over $35 billion. 
As the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, lawmakers have an opportunity to renew the fund and support continued repair of our most beloved landscapes and historic places. During its five-year lifespan, the Legacy Restoration Fund supported more than 1,500 Interior Department and U.S. Forest Service projects across all 50 states and D.C., reaching every corner of the country. Pew Charitable Trusts' Rebecca Knuffke joins us this week to discuss the importance of renewing the LRF, if we want to protect America’s greatest idea.

National Clean Energy Week 2026 is here and we're excited to welcome Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES) Founding President James Dozier to set the stage for this year's event. Dozier shares more about the week-long celebration of clean energy innovation with conversations to help solve the world’s most pressing challenges in nuclear, solar, wind, wave, hydropower, geothermal, natural gas, biomass, carbon capture, storage and waste-to-energy technologies.
This year's NCEW lineup of speakers includes a robust list of Governors including Mike Dunleavy (Alaska), Kelly Ayotte (New Hampshire), Kelly Armstrong (North Dakota), Spencer Cox (Utah), Jared Polis (Colorado) and Mikie Sherrill (New Jersey). Hear more about this year's event and so much more from James Dozier!

Despite different upbringings, the hosts of the "We've Got To Talk" podcast, Jolene Conway (a self-identified conservative from Pleasantville, Iowa) and Nicole Fonarow (a self-professed liberal from San Francisco) became fast friends at the University of Iowa. And they're tighter than ever 40 years later. 
Living in a world that often seems intent on drawing lines in the sand and choosing political sides, they launched their "We've Got To Talk" podcast to inspire others. In this deeply divided society, the power of conversation can unite us. Their goal isn't to change each other's opinions, but to listen with curiosity, kindness, and empathy. And yes, to also have a good time while doing it!

Despite different upbringings, the hosts of the "We've Got To Talk" podcast, Jolene Conway (a self-identified conservative from Pleasantville, Iowa) and Nicole Fonarow (a self-professed liberal from San Francisco) became fast friends at the University of Iowa. And they're tighter than ever 40 years later. 
Living in a world that often seems intent on drawing lines in the sand and choosing political sides, they launched their "We've Got To Talk" podcast to inspire others. In this deeply divided society, the power of conversation can unite us. Their goal isn't to change each other's opinions, but to listen with curiosity, kindness, and empathy. And yes, to also have a good time while doing it!

The power grid is old and it is being asked to do things it wasn’t built to do. Luckily, there are a lot of smart people on the task of updating the grid. Pat Wood is one of those people. Co-chair of The Pew Charitable Trusts Distributed Energy Resources Initiative Advisory Council, Wood has spent three decades building more competitive, resilient energy systems — first as a regulator in the state of Texas and now as an entrepreneur. He is also Executive Chairman of Hunt Energy Network, deploying distributed resources across the Texas power grid, and chairs Luma Energy's board, overseeing the rebuild of Puerto Rico's power system after decades of underinvestment. 
Previously, as Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission under President George W. Bush, Wood helped shape the nation's wholesale energy markets and strengthen grid reliability. As Chairman of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, he helped engineer the restructuring that made Texas one of the most competitive electricity markets in the world.
Wood also led the recent Pew report, "Distributed Energy Can Unleash the Resilient, Affordable Grid of the Future," a comprehensive policy playbook with recommendations and examples from throughout the country and around the globe for deploying distributed energy resources and virtual power plants. Catch the interview with Pat Wood!