DeGette, Huffman call on Interior to conserve public lands to combat climate crisis

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Jared Huffman (D-CA) sent a letter to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland urging the department to use its existing authority to preserve more of the nation’s public lands from the threat of future development.

Under powers given to the secretary under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, Haaland has the authority to administratively designate wilderness-like areas that are being managed by the Bureau of Land Management as either Wilderness Study Areas or Areas of Critical Environmental Concern to protect and preserve their untouched characteristics for future generations to enjoy.

“The Department of the Interior has the authority to update inventories of the resources it manages – including areas that qualify for wilderness designation, [Areas of Critical Environmental Concern], and other conservation areas,” the lawmakers wrote. “Once such inventories have been completed, the Interior Department may then move to administratively protect lands as new Wilderness Study Areas.”

The lawmakers urged Haaland to consider the move, not only to preserve some of the nation’s most pristine untouched landscapes, but also as a way to help achieve President Biden’s goal of protecting 30 percent of the nation’s lands and waters by 2030, an endeavor that’s been touted as crucial to combatting the climate crisis.

“Our remote lands are frequently overlooked in conversations about addressing the climate crisis, but their contributions will be crucial,” the lawmakers wrote. “Public lands not only support complex ecosystems, but also can sequester carbon and make areas more resilient to the impacts of climate change.”

By designating more of the nation’s public lands as Wilderness Study Areas, the administration would be bestowing on them one of the highest-levels of land protection available.

“For years, [Department of Interior] and the [Bureau of Land Management] have not utilized their ability to protect these lands, leaving critical habitats vulnerable to degradation of their unique resources,” the lawmakers wrote. “Without proper protections, these lands face many threats that could jeopardize wilderness-quality values the [Bureau of Land Management] stated these lands have.”

Once designated as either a Wilderness Study Area or Area of Critical Environmental Concern, access to the area would, essentially, be limited to only those traveling by foot or horseback and any manmade changes to the land would be strictly prohibited.

Among the areas Haaland could choose to designate are, at least, 17 areas in Colorado that DeGette has sought to permanently protect as part of her Colorado Wilderness Act. All 17 are currently being managed by Bureau of Land Management and could meet the requirements for a Wilderness Study Area designation. Of those 17 areas, nine are already partially protected as Wilderness Study Areas, while six currently have little or no formal protection at all.

In addition to DeGette and Huffman, the letter was signed by more than three dozen members of the House who, among other things, want to see the department prioritize land conservation in the years ahead. And the letter has been endorsed by some of the nation’s leading conservation groups including the Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, Center for Biological Diversity, Colorado Wildlands Project, and Colorado Wild Public Lands.

A copy of the letter can be found here  and below:

February 15, 2023

The Honorable Debra Haaland

Secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior

1849 C St., NW – 6156

Washington, D.C. 20240

Dear Secretary Haaland:

In order to combat the climate and biodiversity crises, we encourage you to shift the focus of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to emphasize conservation by utilizing all the administrative tools at your disposal. These tools include designating Wilderness Study Areas, meaningful protection for Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs), and connecting landscapes for safe travel for wildlife. We urge you to use your statutory authority established by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) to provide protections for our public lands and waters and drastically increase the opportunity of overcoming these crises.

Under FLPMA, the Department of the Interior has the authority to update inventories of the resources it manages—including areas that qualify for wilderness designation, ACECs, and other conservation areas. Under section 202 of FLPMA, once such inventories have been completed, the Interior Department may then move to administratively protect lands as new Wilderness Study Areas. Managing these BLM lands in a wilderness-like state would help achieve President Biden’s goal to protect 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030.

Our remote lands are frequently overlooked in conversations about addressing the climate crisis, but their contributions will be crucial. Public lands not only support complex ecosystems, but also can sequester carbon and make areas more resilient to the impacts of climate change. The largest opportunity to protect our public lands lies with the BLM. For years, DOI and the BLM have not utilized their ability to protect these lands, leaving critical habitats vulnerable to degradation of their unique resources. Without proper protections, these lands face many threats that could jeopardize wilderness-quality values the BLM stated these lands have.

FLPMA directs the BLM to give priority to the designation and protection of ACECs. These are places where special management attention is required to protect and prevent irreparable damage to important historic, cultural, or scenic values, fish and wildlife resources or other natural systems or processes. For decades, this designation has gone largely underutilized, with inconsistent identification, designation, and management. If fully embraced, ACECs can preserve and protect historical and cultural resources and sites as well as promote public access and enjoyment of the open air, outdoor areas and historic resources of the nation.

Protecting new Wilderness Study Areas and ACECs in a durable way as envisioned in FLPMA would be a significant step to mitigate climate change and reach the administration’s 30 x 30 goal. Thank you for your commitment to the stewardship of our nation’s public lands.

Sincerely,

[Members of Congress]