During his tenure, President Obama has acted to protect a wide range of historic and cultural sites, making our country’s system of public lands more representative of America’s history and our present. Thanks to his foresight, future generations will be able to learn about Cesar Chavez at his homesite and African-American labor union history at Pullman National Monument. They’ll be able to explore the outdoors in California’s Berryessa Snow Mountain, see ancient rock art in Basin and Range in Nevada, and hopefully soon, see the Grand Canyon permanently protected from the threat of uranium mining.
Almost 100 years after the creation of the National Park System, his administration is making strides not only to continue our country’s proud American conservation tradition, but also to make sure that all Americans have a chance to access the public lands that belong to us all. Every fourth-grader in the country, and their family, will get a free pass to visit a national park, monument or other public land thanks to President Obama’s Every Kid in a Park initiative.
Our nation’s waters too have benefitted from additional protections under the Obama administration. For the first time in 20 years, the door has been opened for new marine sanctuary nominations; the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument was expanded to include neighboring pristine waters; Alaska’s Bristol Bay has been safeguarded from dirty fuel development; and after years of confusion there is finally clarity on which waterways deserve Clean Water Act protections.
Shortly after entering office, President Obama, reversing a directive from the previous administration, restored protections for endangered species. Thanks to the President’s efforts, any federal agency planning to construct a dam, log, or drill for oil and gas must consider the project’s impact on wildlife, specifically endangered species, and what it may do to our climate.
Earlier this year, President Obama visited Alaska and became the first sitting President ever to visit the Arctic. With a backdrop of rapidly melting glaciers, the President demanded that we take action to ensure the future of our climate and America’s wild places.
President Obama answered his call to action when he canceled the 2016 and 2017 Arctic drilling lease sales last week. In doing so, he ensured that this pristine refuge remains protected from the dangers of drilling.
Now Congress must meet this call and permanently reauthorize and fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund. From our neighborhood parks to the Great Smoky Mountains, this program has been vital for the preservation and conservation of America’s public lands.
Protecting our public lands is not a Republican or Democratic issue -- it’s an American issue. Improving access, expanding, and preserving our public lands is the type of common sense legislation that benefits everyone, and shouldn’t require months of demands. Congress should listen to President Obama and reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund immediately.
As we approach the 2015 United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Paris, President Obama is laying the groundwork to call on other nations that acting on climate does not only entail carbon commitments, but protecting our wild and pristine places as well.
President Obama continues to build an unparalleled climate legacy, through national monument designations, wildlife protections, and preventing drilling in our wild places. Sierra Club and our over 2.4 million members and supporters look forward to continuing working with him as he cements America’s place as a leader on land, wildlife, and climate protection.