As the hot muggy days of summer descend upon our great nation’s capital, I find my mind wandering back to a little cabin in the woods of Maine. The place was nothing fancy; it was a real sweep-the-leaves-off-out-from-the corners kind of deal. But I’d be hard pressed to find better summertime memories than running wild under the cool pine trees and the way the chilly lake took my breath away every time I went crashing into its waters.

President Obama today released the broad outlines of his proposed budget for FY 2010, setting the stage for a detailed budget proposal to follow in April. Every indication is that this will be the best federal budget in years for America’s environment and public lands, and the first budget ever to assume revenues from a cap on carbon pollution and an auction of carbon credits.