Kyley Fishman
The sale of federal public lands has become a nexus for Republican leaders. On April 4, the Senate voted 48 to 51 to not adopt the Hickenlooper-Heinrich Amendment, which would have banned the sale of public lands to pay for the proposed extension of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017.
U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich, D-N.M, and John Hickenlooper D-Colo., both members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, sponsored the amendment proposal. Supporters cautioned that selling these areas would tip the balance between fiscal policy and environmental stewardship, cause damage to the environmental heritage of states and create irreversible repercussions on biodiversity and ecosystems.
“Personally I find these trends deeply troubling,” said Ian Hohsfield, senior environmental science and international studies double major. “Public lands represent a collective heritage and ecological legacy, and selling them off undermines public trust, reduces accessibility and threatens our responsibility to future generations.”
“Native biodiversity loss is already incredibly accelerated in the U.S. so allowing for these types of extractive industries to take place in these protective areas will only make that worse,” said senior international studies major and environmental studies minor, Annie Barrows.
The day after the proposal rejection, President Donald Trump released an executive order to expand logging up to 112.5 million acres of national forestland, with all 18 of California’s national forests expected to be hit, according to the Los Angeles Times. Locally, high travel spots in the Bay Area, such as the Presidio and Point Reyes, have already seen cuts in funding. Muir Woods National Monument is also in jeopardy of having its funding cut. The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, argued that additional logging will reduce wildfire disasters, improve animal habitats, combat the energy crisis and improve the economy.
“It doesn’t look good,” said Cade Cennedy, director of programs for Climate Resilient Communities, a nonprofit that focuses on community organizing and climate solutions. “There’s actually a recent report that showed that in general, the nonprofit sector, since January, has lost 10,000 jobs across the country […] You don’t know if you’re going to get paid for the work you do. There’s been a ton of uncertainty injected, which is vilifying and demonizing environmental justice organizations.”
“I had an internship at the [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency] that was taken away from me due to loss of funding,” said Barrows. “This House [of Representatives] is cutting thousands of public servants and jobs. How is that good for the economy?”
Chad Hanson, director and principal ecologist of the John Muir Project, told EcoWatch that the loss of forests, especially those with fire resistant native trees and species, can actually increase wildfires due to the creation of drier and hotter conditions. Environmental groups caution that logging forests can pollute millions of people’s water supply, as well as wreak havoc on the habitats of nearly 400 species, including the grizzly bear, wild salmon and spotted owl.
“There is a bit of hypocrisy in declaring a domestic energy emergency while we flood international markets with fossil fuels,” senior attorney Gillian Giannetti, who specializes in interstate gas transit and federal energy issues, said in a statement to the Natural Resources Defense Council. “We’re the world’s number one exporter of oil and gas, and we have an energy emergency? What is this based on?” The production rate of oil and electricity are all set to remain steady through 2035. U.S exports of natural gas are estimated to more than double by 2028.
“I urge people to be critical of everything this administration says, especially with political environmental happenings,” said Barrows.
Hohsfield has participated in restoration projects and advocacy campaigns with local organizations in the Presidio and Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
“Building collaborative partnerships and amplifying marginalized voices in conservation dialogue could significantly strengthen our collective advocacy,” said Hohsfield. “By leveraging their scientific knowledge, young age and passion, students can highlight the ecological and social importance of these spaces, influencing both local and national conservation efforts.”
“Being a Coloradoan, moving to the city was a big change for me and these areas – Golden Gate Park, Point Reyes, the redwoods – provided me with these really important moments in nature that I really needed throughout my USF career,” said Barrows. “Access to nature and spending time in nature is a huge part of my spiritual side. It gives me energy. It makes me feel connected to Earth.”
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