u/Appropriate-Claim385

NOTE: BYD's projected manufacturing cost is $40 per kWh. The "$20" is this YouTuber's calculated cost per kWh is based on Sodium's ability to last twice as long as Lithium when used in a utility-scale electric grid system.

The actual purchase price for a utility was not discussed as the battery will not be ready for market until 2027.

On June 17th, Utah Senator Mike Lee added an amendment to the Wildfire Prevention Act (Bill S.104) to include a full rescission of the 2001 Roadless Rule. The amendment was voted on and passed, which has officially fast tracked the Roadless Rule to be removed without following NEPA procedures or accepting public comments. While this news may feel discouraging, we still have a chance to use our voice to take action. Bill S.104 will now be open for vote on the Senate floor, and will need 60 votes to pass.

It is vital that we contact our Senators and request that the Roadless Rule rescission be stripped from the Wildfire Prevention Act, and to demand that they oppose the legislation in its current form.

Find your US Senator here:

https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member

Note: If you are in the reddit app and the copy feature isn't working, you can copy the letter from the comments section.

Dear Senator {Last Name},

I urge you to oppose any attempt to repeal the 2001 Roadless Rule through the Wildfire Prevention Act (S.104). The recent amendment adding a full rescission of the Roadless Rule to this legislation bypasses the transparent public process that such a significant policy change deserves.

For 25 years, the Roadless Rule has protected millions of acres of America's national forests, safeguarding clean drinking water, wildlife habitat, recreation opportunities, and some of our most intact natural landscapes. If these long-standing protections are to be reconsidered, it should occur through an open public debate with full environmental review and public comment—not through an amendment attached to an unrelated bill. The Roadless Rule was originally adopted after one of the most extensive public comment processes in U.S. Forest Service history.

I respectfully ask you to work to remove the Roadless Rule rescission from S.104 and to vote against the bill if it continues to include this provision.

I also urge you to co-sponsor the Roadless Area Conservation Act (S.2042). Because the Roadless Rule is an administrative policy, it can be reversed by future administrations. The Roadless Area Conservation Act would permanently codify these protections into federal law, ensuring that America's roadless forests are preserved for future generations.

Our public lands deserve thoughtful, transparent decision-making—not legislative shortcuts. Thank you for your consideration and for your service.

Sincerely,

{Your Name}

Hi I’m a reporter. 

I'm working on a story analyzing how national parks in the midwest have been impacted by federal funding cuts in the last 18 months. I'm looking to compare budgets, employee numbers and visitor numbers from 2019-2026. Some of this data is difficult to find online and it varies depending on the source. So far I have been looking at local publications, as well as the National Park Services Website. The issue with the NPS website is that it is rarely updated; some haven’t been updated since 2015. 

I want to specifically look at the Indiana Dunes National Park, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Voyageurs National Park, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. If anyone knows of other parks in the midwest that have been impacted by cuts, feel free to suggest.

Are there online resources where I can find the information I’m looking for? 

If you have any information to point me in the right direction, feel free to PM me. 

If you want to talk, I’m happy to speak off the record/background.

"The Trump administration announced the most devastating attack on the U.S. Forest Service in the agency’s 121-year history. Not a budget cut. Not a policy shift. Not a “reorganization.” An execution." They protect one hundred and ninety-three million acres of YOUR national forests. Learn more: https://www.hatchmag.com/articles/trump-administration-orders-dismantling-us-forest-service/7716263

Please send the message below to your members of Congress calling on them to quickly stop this assault on the agency protecting your forests. Find your representatives: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member

Note: If you are in the reddit app and the copy feature isn't working, you can copy the letter from the comments section.

Subject: Dismantling of U.S. Forest Service and Protections for America's National Forests

Dear Senator/Representative {Last Name},

I urge you to take immediate and decisive action to protect America's national forests and preserve the integrity of the U.S. Forest Service. Recent restructuring efforts threaten to severely weaken the scientific capacity, workforce expertise, and independent oversight needed to responsibly manage nearly 193 million acres of public forests — lands protected under visionary leaders like Theodore Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot that represent a sacred public trust.

I am calling on Congress to stop funding the relocations and restructuring currently underway, protect Forest Service research stations and long-term ecological studies, and safeguard experienced staff from large-scale attrition. It is equally critical that you ensure all land management decisions remain science-based and free from political interference, uphold core protections under the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act, and explicitly prohibit any transfer or privatization of federal public lands. Sustained investment in wildfire prevention, ecosystem restoration, and climate resilience must also be prioritized.

Healthy forests are foundational to clean water, biodiversity, climate stability, and the local economies that depend on them — and weakening their protection puts all of these essential benefits at serious risk. Please act now to ensure our forests remain protected for future generations.

Sincerely,

{Your Name}