Outgoing Biden Interior Department announces flurry of new wilderness protections

The Biden administration proposed two rounds of new environmental protections for sites in the Western U.S. on Monday, beginning a process that would extend into the forthcoming Trump administration.

The first protections announced apply to Nevada’s Ruby Mountains and would protect the range from mining for 20 years, beginning with a two-year segregation period during which no new mining claims would be allowed on an area spanning about 264,000 acres.

“The Ruby Mountains are cherished by local communities for their scenic value, cultural heritage, numerous wildlife and benefit to the local economy through a thriving outdoor recreation industry,” Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement Monday. “Today, we are taking an important and sensible step to pause new mining claims to ensure that we have the science and public input necessary to inform proposed protections of the Ruby Mountains area for future generations.”

The new protections will be subject to a 90-day public comment period, which will stretch into the first months of the second Trump administration.

The department also announced permanent protections in Grand Teton National Park and the $100 million purchase of a 640-acre parcel of land from Wyoming. Prior to the sale, it was the biggest unprotected swath of land within the national park. The land includes the beginning of a key migration corridor for the pronghorn, an antelope-like mammal with a habitat range spanning from Canada to parts of Texas.

“People from every state come to Grand Teton National Park each year to enjoy the stunning landscapes and iconic wildlife protected in the park,” National Park Service Director Charles Sams said in a statement. “We are grateful for the support of countless stewards in the park’s local community, Wyoming and across the nation who contributed their voices leading to this incredible conservation achievement that will benefit generations to come.”

In his first term, President-elect Trump rolled back Obama-era protections for two Western national monuments: the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante monuments. President Biden restored those protections in 2021.

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