The past four years have been as bad as it gets for bird protection at the federal level. The anti-environmental efforts of President Donald Trump have turned back decades of progress in this regard. A few examples of administration actions:

• Removed Migratory Bird Treaty Act protections against "incidental take" of birds from industrial activity.
• Revoked protection of wetlands, tributaries and potholes under the Clean Water Act.
• Weakened Sage Grouse protections in the west.
• Increased economic considerations in habitat determinations under the Endangered Species Act.
• Increased logging by 30% on federal lands.
• Drastically cut back on efforts to lessen climate change, including withdrawing the US from the Paris Climate Agreement, scrapping the Clean Power Plan, weakening fuel economy standards, rescinding limits on methane leaks, and more.

Fortunately, some of these measures have been delayed by legal challenges, but others are now active policy and are being exploited by energy companies, agri-business, development interests and others. If we were facing another four years of the same approach, not only these efforts, but likely even more egregious attacks could be expected.

What will a Biden administration bring?

 
President-elect Joe Biden made addressing climate change a major focus of his campaign, and has continued to emphasize it since the election. The threats to bird life from a warming world are well-documented and are already apparent. Oil spills, open pit coal mining, habitat fragmentation and destruction from oil and gas exploration all negatively impact birds. A renewed commitment and action to reduce fossil fuel production and use will benefit birds in a multitude of ways.
 
One signal of Biden's approach to wildlife and habitat protection will be his appointments to head important departments and agencies such as Interior, Energy and the EPA. Among rumored candidates are Washington State Governor Jay Inslee, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, Montana Governor Steve Bullock, New Mexico Senator Tom Udall, California Air Resources Board Chair Mary Nichols, and others. All have positive environmental records and could be expected to work to reverse the excesses of the Trump administration.
 
However, there is a distinct possibility that the closely-divided US Senate may block confirmation of Biden's appointments, so the battles may well continue.
 
How ever the specifics turn out, there is no doubt there will be a new, clearer atmosphere in Washington starting in January, and our birds will be the better for it.