President Trump signed an executive order late last week establishing what he’s calling the “Make America Beautiful Again Commission.” Their job? To “promote responsible stewardship of natural resources while driving economic growth” on historically protected public land.
It’s the latest chapter in the saga over how best to manage public lands in the West. And while this latest order from the president seems to emphasize expanding access to parks and national forests, “while promoting a wide range of outdoor recreation opportunities like hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, skiing, climbing, boating, off-roading, and wildlife viewing.”
However, it comes on the heels of an effort to sell millions of acres of public lands across the West for development, most notably affordable housing, which is desperately needed in many communities, especially in Nevada.
So, what does this latest executive order mean for our public lands, and how has the debate over public lands management shifted in recent years?
Guests: Kirk Sigler, correspondent, NPR; Ed Lawson, mayor, City of Sparks; Aaron Weiss, deputy director, Center for Western Priorities
