This year President Biden issued an executive order to tackle the “climate crisis” - this initiative is known as 30x30. The Biden administration created a report that outlines how 30x30 will support the efforts of people across the country to achieve habitat conservation goals.
The 30x30 initiative plans to permanently reserve up to 30% of US Ocean areas and 30% of U.S. land and freshwater by 2030. It also includes the “Half Earth” program, which is an initiative set to permanently lock up half of the earth’s land and water against human-use by 2050.
The initiative also includes the “America the Beautiful” report, which outlines steps that the US should take to safeguard key areas to increase biodiversity, combat climate change, and create more accessible natural spaces.
Richland County and surrounding areas have expressed great opposition to the 30 x 30, “America the Beautiful”, and the “Half Earth” program.
To express this opposition, the Board of County Commissioners of Richland County filed Resolution No. 2021-011, which opposes the initiatives and supports private ownership of land.
Several other counties and states have followed suit, expressing their opposition to this initiative. U.S. Senators from Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Tennessee, Georgia, Idaho, Utah, and Alaska have announced strong opposition to 30 x 30.
According to the resolution, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum signed a joint letter to President Biden that stated: this initiative “infringes on the sovereignty of states and rights of the citizens.” Nebraska and Kansas State Attorneys General have cosigned a letter to the Secretary of the Interior declaring that they are prepared to defend their states’ and landowners’ property rights against 30 x 30.
The Resolution No. 2021-01 filed by Richland County opposes the 30 x 30 program and every other similar program, all separate parts/pieces of such programs, and the Executive Order 14008. It also states that Richland County supports the passage of the “30 x 30 Termination Act.” This resolution urges Senator John Tester, Senator Steve Daines, and Representative Matt Rossendale to work for the passage of that act.
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