Cheney Releases Legislation to Stop Biden’s Conservation Initiative
According to a press release, Representative Liz Cheney released legislation on Tuesday to help protect private property rights due to concerns she has related to president Joe Biden 30x30 initiative.
The initiative is part of an executive order by Biden to "achieve the goal of conserving at least 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030."
The Department of the Interior released a report in May that outlines some steps the federal government could take over the next decade to conserve 30% of land in the U.S., about 12% of U.S. land is currently classified as protected, along with some actions the administration has already taken.
The initiative will consist of the voluntary donation of land to the federal government to be classified as protected, like this land donation of 9,617 acres of the Cañon Ciruela property, New Mexico, in July.
The goal of Cheney's bill is to prevent Biden's executive order, or the recommendations it produces, from doing anything, however with Democrats in control of the House and Senate, it seems unlikely to pass, and the House of Representatives will not return from recess until at least August 23.
The text of the bill can be found here.
Cheney said:
"The uncertainty created from the Biden Administration's executive orders and their potential public land grabs are already making life more difficult for people across the Wyoming. To counter the negative ramifications of these overreaching policies, the legislation I've introduced will protect the private property rights of individuals across our state who need access to these lands to provide for themselves and their families, while also ensuring that the current Administration's political agenda will not undermine the interests of farmers and ranchers in Wyoming."
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon also issued a statement in support of the legislation:
"It is critical that any conservation initiative be locally-based, cooperative and truly voluntary. Representative Cheney’s bill ensures that any program is voluntary and recognizes the private property rights that are fundamental to Wyoming landowners."
Jim Magagna, Executive Vice President of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, said there hasn't been any changes announced by the Biden administration yet, but the uncertainty has him worried.
"I think what we're saying is that it's just, talk out there, and we don't want to take a chance on what it might mean. It could literally be implemented in ways that could have benefits to us, but it's equally true, and perhaps in some ways more likely...that it might become implemented in ways that would be harmful to our interests."