U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), chairman of the Senate Western Caucus, and U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, again requested more information from the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) on the America the Beautiful initiative, a national goal to conserve and restore 30 percent of the country’s lands and waters by 2030.
The lawmakers wrote in an Oct. 5 letter sent to U.S. DOI Secretary Debra Haaland that they want implementation details on the rebranded conservation initiative, formerly known as the 30×30 initiative, which President Joe Biden offered in a January 2021 executive order. They originally sought such information in March 2021.
“As we have warned in the past, the lack of information and transparency leads many Westerners to fear the America the Beautiful initiative is at best, a thoughtless approach to conservation, and at worst, a top-down land-grab,” according to their letter.
In response to the America the Beautiful initiative, their caucuses developed the Western Conservation Principles document, which the lawmakers say provides a clear standard for measuring the health and resiliency of the nation’s ecosystems and proposes concrete policies to achieve these goals.
“Our alternative approach received the support from a broad array of stakeholders ranging from environmental nonprofits to industry to local governments to the agriculture and forestry sectors,” Sen. Daines and Rep. Newhouse wrote. “The continued alienation of key constituencies and lack of transparency is not in the best interest of our conservation goals.”
The lawmakers requested that the DOI and other relevant departments provide more information to the public on the America the Beautiful initiative, and asked for a briefing to be held this month with Senate and Congressional Western Caucus member offices.
“We also respectfully urge you to refocus your initiative with the Western Conservation Principles in mind,” they wrote.