U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today demanded clarification from President Biden on his vague Executive Order establishing a mandate to put restrictions on 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030 and urged him to include Montana stakeholders in future conversations.
“Conservation remains a top priority for Western congressional members, and our constituents’ lives and livelihoods rely upon a healthy, actively-managed landscape. However, the 30 by 30 initiative displays a dangerous thoughtlessness and far too many of our questions have been left unanswered. It is also our understanding that key constituencies have yet to be engaged on this initiative. As such, we respectfully urge you to provide state and local governments, the energy, minerals, and agriculture sectors, tribes, sportsmen, and recreationists an equitable and meaningful voice in the process. We also request a detailed briefing with the signers of this letter within 60 days of the Executive Order being signed,” the letter states.
Read the full letter HERE.
Background:
On January 27, 2021 President Biden issued the Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad Executive Order. Among other things, the Executive Order committed the United States to the goal of restricting land uses on at least 30 percent of our lands and oceans by 2030. The Order directed relevant agencies to submit a report to the Climate Task Force within 90 days but does not include any further detail on the baseline definition for conservation, the rationale behind the goal, or the steps required to meet it. The incoming Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland was unable to answer any questions on the initiative posed by Senator Daines during her confirmation hearing.