CFACT at Vanderbilt University submits testimony opposing Biden’s “30 by 30” atlas program

Edward “Ned” Sheehan, a senior at Vanderbilt University, submitted written testimony on behalf of CFACT in opposition to the Biden Administration’s “30 by 30” atlas program. The 30 by 30 plan is a program through the Biden Administration’s Department of the Interior to conserve 30% of America’s lands and waters by 2030. While that may sound good on the surface, it actually distorts the state of conservation in America today and opens the door wide for government abuse of property rights.

The atlas program is a part of the 30 by 30 plan that will try to combine government data from dozens of departments, agencies, and divisions so that the federal government can monitor the state of conservation across federal, state, and private lands and waters. This will be ripe for abuse by government bureaucrats curious to stop ranching, farming, mining, drilling, and building because it goes against the misplaced “preservationist” environmental ideal.

When discussing the idea to submit testimony to the government, Sheehan replied “I’m always happy to say my piece to the government! I’d love the opportunity to respond to this latest government debacle.  How can I help?”

Sheehan then penned this great testimony and formally submitted it to the Department of the Interior’s comment period on the matter, which you can read here:

“To Whom it May Concern,

“My name is Edward Sheehan, and I am a senior at Vanderbilt University and a Driessen Fellow intern with the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT).  I am writing today in opposition to the American Conservation and Stewardship Atlas that is part of the Biden Administration’s “30 by 30” plan. 

“The 30 by 30 plan is a dangerous and unconstitutional federal land grab being sold under the guise of “conservation.”  The administration claims that only 12% of American lands and waters are set aside for conservation.  This is false – by the federal government’s own numbers, 40% of American lands are set aside for this purpose.  With the government’s goal for the protection of American lands already achieved, this can only be seen as a land grab to give the Biden Administration and extreme environmentalist organizations more leverage over our country’s natural resources. 

“The “Atlas” plan is disturbing because it is so vague.  Such a plan could possibly allow federal officials to invade the privacy and property rights of every landowner, exposing them to all manner of undue harassment.  Instead of focusing on actual solutions to conservation issues, the federal government is undermining federalism and attacking our God-given rights to privacy and property.  This catastrophic plan should be halted at once.

“Best, Ned Sheehan”