In order to encourage prudent management of natural resources and spur economic development on traditionally protected public lands, President Trump issued an executive order on Thursday creating the Make America Beautiful Again Commission.
According to the order, the commission, which will be led by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and consist of cabinet secretaries and other high-ranking federal officials, will increase access in parks and forests and promote a variety of outdoor recreation activities, including fishing, hunting, hiking, biking, skiing, climbing, boating, off-roading, and wildlife viewing. Five million employment were supported by the recreation industry in 2023, according to the report.
The move coincides with the Trump administration’s push to open up large tracts of federal waters and public land, undoing climate protections implemented by the Biden administration that limited mining, drilling, and other activities on federal waters and public lands.
In June, the administration declared its intention to remove federal protections from millions of acres of Alaskan wilderness, allowing for mining and drilling in some of the nation’s last untouched wilderness areas. The government allowed hard-rock mining and oil and gas drilling on thousands of acres of land in New Mexico and Nevada in April.
In addition to signing numerous executive orders to favor fossil fuels and revoke assistance for renewable energy, Mr. Trump insists that climate change is a hoax.
According to the executive order, America can maintain its natural beauty and increase outdoor recreation possibilities for future generations by fostering the outdoor recreation industry and encouraging outdoor recreation pursuits like hiking, fishing, and hunting.