Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Chairman Dan Newhouse (WA-04) and Senate Western Caucus Chairman Steve Daines (MT) sent a letter to U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland renewing their request for details on the Biden Administration’s “30 by 30” initiative, or “America the Beautiful.” The letter was sent on the one-year anniversary of the Congressional and Senate Western Caucuses releasing their alternative proposal, the Western Conservation Principles, which outlines conservation policy proposals and practices with measurable environmental benefits that are utilized throughout rural America.
 
“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,” wrote the Chairmen.
 
They continued, “Healthy and resilient landscapes are the cornerstone of our western way of life. Those who are closest to the land, whose quality and way of life depend upon the land, have the most at stake. Rural Americans take pride in managing our resources for the betterment of the environment, surrounding communities, and future generations. The continued alienation of key constituencies and lack of transparency is not in the best interest of our conservation goals.”
 
Click here to read the letter.
 
Background:
 
On March 16, 2021, Chairmen Newhouse and Daines led 12 Senate and 50 Members of the Congressional and Senate Western Caucuses in sending a letter to the Biden Administration requesting information on the proposed “30 by 30” initiative.
 
When they did not receive a response, Members of the Congressional and Senate Western Caucuses unveiled the Western Conservation Principles on October 5, 2021. This document, which serves as an alternative to the “30 by 30” initiative, is a blueprint for responsible, effective conservation supported by rural communities across the United States.
 
On January 20, 2022, Chairmen Newhouse and Daines submitted the Western Conservation Principles as an official public comment to the Department of the Interior’s proposed American Conservation and Stewardship Atlas and urged the Administration to consider the document as they moved forward with the development of the re-branded “America the Beautiful” initiative.
 
In April 2022, the National Association of Counties announced they had voted to adopt the Western Conservation Principles and also submitted them as an official comment to the Biden Administration’s American Conservation and Stewardship Atlas.
 
The Biden Administration has yet to provide concrete details or a briefing on the “30 by 30” or “America the Beautiful” initiative to the Congressional or Senate Western Caucuses.