30 By 30
The Biden Administration’s 30 by 30 Plan is meant to fight climate change by conserving 30 percent of the nation’s land and waters by 2030.
At present, 12 percent of the nation’s land is currently protected. That’s about 289 million acres.
The 30 by 30 plan would add 440 million more acres under protected status and bring the total federally protected lands in the U.S. to 729 million acres.
What it does intend to do is take land away from farmers and ranchers.
Vilsack: “Not gonna happen.”
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack responding to a reporter’s question says there are no plans to take farmers' lands away to meet climate or emissions goals.
Vilsack: “Uh no, this discussion surrounding 30 by 30 is really really off base. The goal here is to create new opportunities for farmers to benefit by embracing climate-smart agricultural practices. None of it involves taking anybody’s land away from them or using Imminent Domain.”
Vilsack says the plan is to pay farmers to adopt climate-smart practices.
So far leaders of 4 western Colorado Counties have gone on record opposing the plan. Texas-based American Stewards of Liberty has representatives in Colorado hoping to garner more opposition. A representative told the Colorado Sun 30 By 30 is anti-capitalism.
Supporters of 30 By 30, include the Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust
the Center for Western Priorities, and the Colorado Wildlands Project. Just 8% of the 8.3 million BLM acres in Western Colorado currently are conserved according to the Colorado Wildlands Project.
