Property rights are essential conditions of freedom and prosperity. Contrary to propaganda from environmental advocacy groups, environmental stewardship by private landowners has proven to be far superior to that of public land managers. However, federal regulations—primarily the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Clean Water Act wetlands regulation—increasingly undermine private conservation by threatening property rights. Private land ownership provides the right incentives to protect the value of land, including its wildlife and environmental resources. 

Since our founding in 1984, the Competitive Enterprise Institute has sought to reform and reduce environmental regulation of land, shrink the federal estate, and unlock federal lands for private ownership. 

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Study

Corn-Based Ethanol

A boom in ethanol production is taking place today for variety of reasons. Undoubtedly, the most significant factor is government support and subsidies for biofuel…

Energy

Products

Animal Rights, Human Wrongs

Animal rights extremists—whom the FBI has labeled America’s biggest domestic terrorism threat—have encountered a number of serious reverses recently. These reverses are a great victory…

Antitrust

Op-Eds

A Windfall of Bad Ideas

In the third-quarter of 2005, the major U.S. oil companies—ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, BP America, and Shell Oil Company—collectively earned almost $26 billion in profits, an…

Antitrust

News Release

ESA Reform Bill Passes House

<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />Washington, DC, September 29, 2005—The Competitive Enterprise Institute commends the U.S. House for passing much-needed reform…

Energy and Environment

Daren Bakst

Director of the Center for Energy and Environment and Senior Fellow

  • Energy and Environment
  • Lands and Wildlife
  • Property Rights

Angela Logomasini

Adjunct Fellow

  • Chemical Risk
  • Consumer Freedom
  • Energy and Environment

Patricia Patnode

Research Fellow

  • Banking and Finance
  • Consumer Freedom
  • Deregulation

Fred L. Smith, Jr.

Founder; Chairman Emeritus

  • Automobiles and Roads
  • Aviation
  • Business and Government