In January, the White House issued a report showing that聽 while 2.9 million acres have been permanently protected. Seems disproportionate.
On Sunday, however, 聽that in a bold move that might change America鈥檚 public land policy,聽the Obama administration, using its executive authority over Congress, is preparing to designate more than 500,000 of acres in New Mexico and California as off-limits to development.
The first site is the 500,000-acre聽 region near Las Cruces, New Mexico鈥攖wice the size of the largest national monument established by Obama. The other site covers 1,600 acres on California鈥檚 central coast.
A final decision has not been made, but many hope the monuments will combat criticism that the administration has not preserved enough public land under Obama’s presidency.聽