Washington, D.C. — A new analysis from the Center for American Progress highlights the latest efforts by a group of the most extreme anticonservation members of Congress to weaken or strip away protections from America’s most treasured public lands.
This group of lawmakers, which CAP has dubbed the “antiparks caucus,” is backing legislation that would sell out sensitive lands and waters to corporate polluters, remove protections from sacred Tribal lands, and take away a president’s ability to designate national monuments.
“As the Trump administration initiates sweeping overhauls of popular conservation measures, certain members of Congress are proposing similar and often more extreme bills that would harm public lands across the country,” said Sophie Conroy, a conservation research associate at CAP and co-author of the report.
Overall, the 119th Congress has introduced 81 antiparks bills that weaken or altogether strip away protections from public lands and waters, the report finds. The 25 members of the antiparks caucus are responsible for introducing or co-sponsoring more than three-quarters of these bills. So far, this Congress has introduced:
- 7 bills that threaten to sell off or transfer management of public lands
- 26 bills that recklessly auction off federal lands and waters for dirty energy development
- 15 bills that seek to remove or decrease protections for specific public lands
- 33 bills that would weaken or create loopholes in bedrock environmental and conservation laws
These congressional proposals are a clear attempt to further an unpopular agenda for a set of issues that has historically been bipartisan. If enacted, these policies would have serious long-term effects on our nation’s national parks, wildlife refuges, forests, seashores, and monuments.
Read the report: “The 119th Congress’ Antiparks Caucus: Tracking the Assault on Public Lands” by Sophie Conroy and Sam Zeno
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected].