Denver – Today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet released the statement below welcoming the Biden Administration’s “America the Beautiful” initiative to conserve 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030 through locally-led and voluntary efforts: 

“Land and water conservation is a critical part of our effort to tackle the climate crisis. This report is a strong start and lays out a vision that aligns with the kind of conservation efforts we know to be successful in Colorado -- efforts that take a locally-led, collaborative, and inclusive approach and bring into the fold the private landowners, farmers, and ranchers who are already stewards of our natural resources. It’s the same approach that brought together the ranchers, hunters, anglers, and local elected leaders who worked for over a decade to draft the CORE Act.

“I’m glad to see the administration’s commitment to empowering local communities to drive the process. There’s a long road ahead to ensure that this is done right, and I expect the Biden Administration to continue to listen to Coloradans and individuals across the West as they work toward this goal. The ‘America the Beautiful’ initiative is an opportunity to not only build climate resilience, but also to create jobs and grow economies across the West.”

In 2019, Bennet and former U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) introduced a Senate resolution to conserve 30 percent of the land and 30 percent of the ocean within the United States by 2030.