Elizabeth's Warren Plan for Public Lands

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) recently published a detailed plan to protect public lands.

2 minute read

April 19, 2019, 7:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Bureau of Land Management

Zack Frank / Shutterstock

It's no secret that the Trump administration has worked throughout its first term to undercut the size and protections of public land. If elected, Democratic candidate for president and senator from Massachusetts, Elizabeth Warren promises to increase protections of public lands, while also increasing access to public lands.

Leah Dunleavy reports on the proposals included in Warren's plan for public lands:

Warren wants to make public lands part of the solution to climate change, not a contributor. Her proposal includes an executive order (to be implemented on her first day as president) that would eliminate new fossil fuel leases for drilling offshore and on public lands. She also calls for increasing renewable energy on public lands.

In addition, Warren intends to the use of the Antiquities Act to restore protections for Bears Ears and Grand Staircase–Escalante national monuments in Utah, which President Donald Trump reduced in 2017.

Dunleavy also reports criticisms of Warren from some in the environmental movement for not being strong enough on climate change, and digs into more of the specific policy proposals included in the plan.

Planetizen is not endorsing Warren's candidacy for president, but continuing an ongoing effort to highlight the policy positions of candidates in the 2020 presidential election. Previous posts have focused on the campaign platforms of senators Corey Booker (D-New Jersey) and Kamala Harris (D-California), as well as South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg.

Planetizen has been closely monitoring public land policy under the Trump administration, mostly organized under the U.S. Department of the Interior tag. 

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