Commissioners Stand Against '30 x 30'

The Cheyenne County Commissioners took a formal stand against the part of President Joe Biden's Executive Order 14008 known as the “30 x 30” program.

In late April, the commissioners discussed the proposal during a commission meeting. The concern included the impact on privately-owned land and potential impact on local tax revenues.

The 30 x 30 plan is an effort to have 30 percent of land in a conservation program, “at least 30 percent of the lands and waters in the United States by 2030.”

In the May 5 meeting of the county commissioners, county attorney Paul Schaub presented a resolution stating the county's opposition to the program. The resolution states that Cheyenne County has about 765,626 acres of land, and 759, 469 acres are farmland (crops 70 percent and pastureland 29 percent). Additionally, 93 percent of all farmland in Cheyenne County consists of family farms. The federal government presently owns less than 1 percent of the land within Cheyenne County.

Gov. Ricketts Slams “Vague” 30 x 30 Report from Biden-Harris Administration Agencies

LINCOLN – On May 6, Governor Pete Ricketts issued a statement following the release of a new report by the Biden-Harris Administration on their 30 x 30 plan.

“Nebraskans have rightly been concerned about President Biden’s radical climate agenda and his 30 x 30 plan,” said Gov. Ricketts. “To date, his plans have been long on lofty goals and short on details, which has fueled speculation and concern. The May 6 report provides few new details and more vague platitudes and goals—and it’s not good.”

“Nebraskans should not be deceived by the report’s ‘America the Beautiful’ branding.  This rollout includes the endorsements of a wide array of environmental lobbying groups while mainstream agriculture stakeholders continue to be cut out of the process.”

“While the report states that 30 x 30 will include voluntary private measures, at least in part, this reassurance is not enough. If the Biden Administration really believed that voluntary measures worked, they would leave conservation efforts to the states and private landowners instead of pursuing a national strategy that imposes goals written by federal bureaucrats.”

“As President Biden’s 30 x 30 plan begins to evolve and take shape, my administration will work to stop any interference with our rights that arises.  I encourage Nebraskans to be on the lookout in their community for potential federal interventions or other attempts to make land less available. Together, we can push back on federal overreach and protect our way of life.”