Public Lands: Buttigieg rolls out public lands plan ahead of Nev. vote

Todd Ockert

Moderator
Buttigieg rolls out public lands plan ahead of Nev. vote
Kellie Lunney, E&E News reporter Published: Friday, February 21, 2020

image003 (1).jpg


Former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, a 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful, released a public lands plan today. Francis Chung/E&E News

Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg today unveiled a plan to ban new fossil fuel leases on public lands, expand development of renewable energy, and prioritize access to clean air and water for underserved communities.

The proposal sets a national goal of protecting and restoring at least 30% of U.S. lands and oceans by 2030, similar to a resolution introduced this past fall by New Mexico Democratic Sen. Tom Udall (E&E Daily, Oct. 23, 2019).

Like Udall's measure, Buttigieg's plan recommends the government work with local communities, states, tribes and private landowners to strive toward the conservation target to help fight climate change as well as improve access to nature for communities of color. It would prize conservation of the country's lands and waters over fossil fuel extraction.

Buttigieg's proposal sets ambitious goals when it comes to transitioning to a clean energy economy. The plan aims to achieve net-zero emissions on public lands by 2030 and build a zero-emission clean electricity system by 2035.

The release of Buttigieg's public lands platform comes a day before the Nevada caucuses, the third major contest of the 2020 battle for the Democratic presidential nomination. The federal government owns roughly 80% of the land in the Silver State.

Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Ind., and a veteran, extolled the virtues of the outdoors as vital to local economies. The Democrat said public lands are a "key part" of addressing the climate crisis.

"America's public lands power local economies, preserve sensitive habitats and cultural heritage, and protect our clean air and water," Buttigieg said in a statement. "From Nevada's Red Rock Recreation Area to Arizona's Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument to Cherokee National Forest, they define us as a nation and as a people; yet we are losing the battle to protect these natural and cultural wonders at an alarming rate."

Other Democratic presidential candidates, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, have proposed similar bans on new fossil fuel leases on public lands (Greenwire, Dec. 19, 2019). But it's a proposal that could be hard to deliver, especially in Western states whose economies rely on oil and gas leasing.

Buttigieg's platform also calls for full, permanent funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund as well as the creation of the U.S. Climate Corps to focus on resilience in homes and communities.

The former mayor said he would also "significantly increase" wildfire prevention funding for the Bureau of Land Management and establish a Disaster Commission to improve coordination between state and federal agencies.

Buttigieg vowed to invest more money and attention in disadvantaged communities, including tribal communities, that have suffered from a lack of access to clean water and public lands.

"Pete will address the legacies of racism, exclusion, and injustice that have stood in the way of equitable public lands and natural resource policies," the campaign's public lands proposal said. "It is time to ensure that America's outdoor spaces are welcoming for all and that conservation opportunities meet the needs of our most polluted and park-poor communities."
 
Top