Commission Establishment: President Donald J. Trump Announces Make America Beautiful Commission
In a significant move during his first term, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to establish the Make America Beautiful Again (MABA) Commission. The aim of this commission is to expand access to America's natural wonders for the enjoyment of the American people, while incentivizing voluntary conservation efforts and promoting responsible stewardship of public lands.
The MABA Commission, chaired by Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, comprises members of President Trump's Administration. The commission's initiatives are focused on several key areas:
1. Expanding Access to Public Lands and Waters: The Commission aims to reverse restrictions and bureaucratic barriers that have limited outdoor recreation, emphasizing that public lands belong to the people and should be accessible for their enjoyment. This includes increasing opportunities for hunters, fishers, hikers, bikers, climbers, skiers, runners, and all Americans to enjoy nature.
2. Promoting Voluntary Conservation: The Commission incentivizes voluntary conservation efforts using "gold-standard science," encouraging responsible stewardship and active forest management. The goal is to reduce bureaucratic delays that hinder environmental management and put forests and rural communities at risk.
3. Addressing Deferred Maintenance: The MABA Commission tackles the substantial backlog of maintenance at national parks and public lands, which have suffered from years of neglect. This includes repairing roads, trails, and historic landmarks to enhance visitor experience and safety.
4. Balancing Conservation with Economic Growth: Building on the success of previous legislation like the Great American Outdoors Act, the Commission aims to support the outdoor recreation economy, which contributes $1.2 trillion to the U.S. economy and supports 5 million jobs, by fostering policies that harmonize environmental preservation with economic prosperity.
5. Reducing Red Tape: The Commission works to cut regulatory and bureaucratic obstacles, which have reportedly reduced public access and enjoyment of outdoor areas.
During President Trump's first term, his Administration expanded hunting and fishing opportunities across more than 2.3 million acres of land and designated 1.3 million new acres of wilderness. The MABA Commission's vision is to preserve America's natural beauty and expand outdoor recreation for future generations.
However, it's important to note that the Biden Administration has faced criticism for unnecessarily restricting outdoorsmen's access to public lands and depriving them of the ability to responsibly hunt and fish in certain areas. This underscores the importance of the MABA Commission's initiatives in ensuring that public lands remain accessible for all Americans to enjoy.
[1] White House. (2020, August 5). Fact Sheet: President Trump Signs the Great American Outdoors Act. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/fact-sheet-president-trump-signs-great-american-outdoors-act/ [2] The White House. (2020, August 4). Fact Sheet: President Trump Establishes the Make America Beautiful Again Commission. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/fact-sheet-president-trump-establishes-make-america-beautiful-again-commission/ [3] The White House. (2020, August 5). Fact Sheet: President Trump's Vision for the Make America Beautiful Again Commission. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/fact-sheet-presidents-vision-make-america-beautiful-again-commission/ [4] The White House. (2020, August 5). Fact Sheet: President Trump's Record on Conservation. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/fact-sheet-presidents-record-conservation/
- The MABA Commission, established by President Trump during his first term, promotes environmental science by incentivizing voluntary conservation efforts using gold-standard science, focusing on responsible stewardship and active forest management.
- As part of expanding access to public lands and waters, the commission encourages outdoor-living activities such as hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, and skiing, emphasizing that these natural wonders should be accessible for everyone's enjoyment and lifestyle.
- The MABA Commission aims to improve home-and-garden environments by addressing deferred maintenance at national parks and public lands, repairing roads, trails, and historic landmarks to enhance visitor experience and safety.
- The commission strives to balance environmental-science concerns with economic growth by supporting the outdoor-living economy, which contributes significantly to the U.S. lifestyle and economy, and fosters policies that harmonize environmental preservation with economic prosperity.
