Today, President Joe Biden held a so-called "Conservation in Action Summit," where he announced a unilateral decision to lock up massive amounts of new land and water. House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) released the following statement in response:

"After taking flak from the far left on their Willow decision in Alaska last week, the Biden administration is clearly feeling the need to do damage control. As usual, their announcement today is a solution in search of a problem. This sweeping action limits access to public lands and waters without the proper input from Congress or local communities. Most concerningly, President Biden's continued federal overreach raises concerns around access to fisheries and comes without prior notice or consultation. Men and women on the ground - not bureaucrats in D.C. - know their land and water best, and should at the very least be closely consulted. I intend to request a full account from DOI on what went into these rushed and seemingly politically-motivated decisions."

Background

At the White House Conservation in Action Summit today, Biden announced sweeping new actions to lock up lands and waters across the country. Biden used authorities under the Antiquities Act of 1906 to designate the Avi Kwa Ame National Monument and the Castner Range National Monument, closing off more than half a million acres to multiple use. He also took actions to limit all access to U.S. waters surrounding Pacific Remote Islands, jeopardizing national security and potentially preventing access for communities who depend on these waters and access to fisheries. These actions were taken in support of the administration’s 30 by 30 Initiative, which has never been defined and is unsupported by scientific fact and local communities.

These decisions have major impacts on those who count on these lands and waters for economic opportunity, and these steps are another move by the administration to exert federal authority without consultation from Congress, communities and all relevant stakeholders.