Uploaded February 2022 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
If President Biden has his way, half of the 17 million cars and trucks sold in the United States in 2030 will be electric. That’s great news for the climate and the air we breathe, but what does it mean for the West, where many of the minerals required to build electric cars, their batteries, and charging stations are found? Washington state, meanwhile, is considering what amounts to a giant battery — a “pumped hydropower storage project” that will help the Northwest decarbonize its electric grid. Contributing Editor Jonathan Thompson and Climate Justice Fellow Sarah Sax tell us more about what all this means for the public lands and Indigenous people.
If President Biden has his way, half of the 17 million cars and trucks sold in the United States in 2030 will be electric. That’s great news for the climate and the air we breathe, but what does it mean for the West, where many of the minerals required to build electric cars, their batteries, and charging stations are found? Washington state, meanwhile, is considering what amounts to a giant battery — a “pumped hydropower storage project” that will help the Northwest decarbonize its electric grid. Contributing Editor Jonathan Thompson and Climate Justice Fellow Sarah Sax tell us more about what all this means for the public lands and Indigenous people.
