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A new analysis by the Center for American Progress (CAP) of President Joe Biden's first three years in office shows some big wins for public lands, along with more opportunities to make progress in 2024.
CAP's analysis finds that the Biden administration has conserved over 24 million acres of public lands and has funneled over $18 billion to federal, state, local, and Tribal conservation efforts over the last three years. In 2023 alone, the administration conserved more than 12.5 million acres and channeled $7.5 billion toward conservation programs across the country. “No other president has channeled as much toward conservation projects across the nation,” the report says.
The report acknowledges the administration's progress through its America the Beautiful initiative to conserve 30 percent of America's lands and waters by 2030 in part by highlighting five national monument designations enacted by President Biden since October 2022 that have protected 1.5 million acres, as well as the president's 2021 proclamation restoring to their original size the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah.
In addition, the report identifies more opportunities to make progress, including finalizing BLM’s draft public lands rule that seeks to elevate conservation on par with recreation, energy development, and livestock grazing, and President Biden's opportunity to approve the proposed expansions of the Berryessa Snow Mountain and San Gabriel Mountains national monuments in California, and designate the 440,000-acre Great Bend of the Gila national monument in Arizona.
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The administration should not be shy in utilizing every tool at its disposal as it approaches 2024. Doing so will put communities first and keep the country on track toward achieving 30x30.”
