Virginia Cramer, virginia.cramer@sierraclub.org, 804-519-8449
Leaked documents from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) outline the agency’s priorities for America’s public lands under the Trump Administration. The priorities include speeding leasing and permitting for dirty fuel development on public land, reforming the implementation of bedrock environmental laws to limit public input on projects and minimize accountability for companies that pollute our air and water or harm wildlife, and opening up new areas to development.
Last week, in news that shocked many, the BLM changed the image on its homepage from that of a family enjoying our public spaces, to an image of a coal mine.
In response, Athan Manuel, director of the Sierra Club’s Public Lands Protection campaign issued the following statement.
“The priorities from Trump’s Bureau of Land Management make it clear that the administration is not planning to manage our parks and other special places for the use and enjoyment of the people, but rather for the profits of corporate polluters.
“America’s public lands are worth much more than what lies underneath. These are the places where families spend time together, where people and wildlife both can take refuge as they enjoy and explore our wild places. We’re just beginning to understand the value of parks and outdoor spaces for public health, but we know these places are major economic drivers, generating more than $650 billion in spending each year and supporting tens of millions of jobs. Protecting them for future generations is the right thing to do.”
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