In a move overshadowed by the passage and signing of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, President Donald Trump on July 3 signed an executive order establishing a new commission to advise him on the nation's public lands. 

The Make America Beautiful Again Commission, which will consist of senior administration officials, "shall advise and assist the President regarding how best to responsibly conserve America's national treasures and natural resources."

Exactly what policies the commission will pursue and what authority it will exercise, if any, remain to be seen.

The executive order explicitly stated that it should not "be construed to impair or otherwise affect" the authority of any department or agency and that it "shall be implemented consistent with applicable law." 

With management of public lands already falling largely under the purview of the Department of the Interior, which includes the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service, what additional purpose the Make America Beautiful Again Commission would serve was not immediately clear. 

Though the order touted the importance of conserving and preserving the nation's public lands, it also included language emphasizing the need to balance those priorities against other interests. 

For example, the order directed that all federal land-management agencies engage in policies that "promote responsible stewardship of natural resources while driving economic growth." 

Further, those agencies are to "cut bureaucratic delays that hinder effective environmental management."

The reference to "driving economic growth" could be interpreted as placing an increased emphasis on short-term financial considerations over longer-term environmental ones. Similarly, cutting "bureaucratic delays" could mean slashing key environmental regulations. 

Bolstering these interpretations were statements throughout the order describing environmental protection efforts as optional rather than mandatory. 

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For example, agencies are to "encourage responsible, voluntary conservation efforts" and "recover America's fish and wildlife populations through proactive, voluntary … efforts." 

This emphasis on voluntary measures strongly suggested a rollback on mandatory environmental protections, which would be in keeping with the policies Trump has pursued consistently throughout both of his terms as president.

Already in his second term, President Trump has moved to open up tens of millions of acres of protected Alaskan wilderness to mining and oil drilling, the Guardian reported. 

With such a vague mandate, the commission likely will reflect the policy preferences of its members. 

Per the presidential order, the Secretary of the Interior will act as chair, with the Assistant to the President on Domestic Policy serving as the executive director. 

President Trump's current Secretary of the Interior is Doug Burgum, a former governor of North Dakota. During Burgum's tenure as governor, North Dakota experienced record oil production, according to NPR.

Burgum did pledge to make North Dakota carbon neutral by 2030, though largely through carbon capture and sequestration rather than by pursuing cleaner energy alternatives, per NPR.

The more obscure position of Assistant to the President on Domestic Policy presently is filled by Vince Haley, who served as director of policy for Trump's 2024 campaign, according to Politico.

In a headline, the Wall Street Journal dubbed Haley "the Most Influential Trump Advisor You've Probably Never Heard Of."

According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Haley previously served as research director for the conservative American Enterprise Institute, which is known for advocating market-based approaches to environmental protection with limited government intervention.     

What impact the Make America Beautiful Commission will have on America's public lands remains to be seen. Regardless, these public lands belong to everyone, and if you have strong views on how they should be preserved for future generations, then it is important to make your voice heard.   

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