Nevada Governor Blasts Biden Over 'Federal Confiscation' Of 500,000 Acres of Land

Nevada Governor Blasts Biden Over 'Federal Confiscation' Of 500,000 Acres of Land


The newly elected Republican governor of Nevada now has several hundred thousand fewer acres in his state to govern after an executive action taken by President Joe Biden.

Gov. Joe Lombardi, who was elected in November, ripped the president over the “federal confiscation” of more state land to create ‘national monuments’ under a law passed early in the 20th century.

On Tuesday, Biden utilized his power under the Antiquities Act of 1906 to establish two national monuments in Texas and Nevada, respectively. Additionally, he instructed the allocation of resources towards researching the viability of a marine national monument southwest of Hawaii. The combined effect of the two new national monuments is the implementation of rigorous regulations on approximately 510,000 acres of land, the Daily Wire reported.

The larger of the two national monuments is located in Nevada and spans over 500,000 acres. It is called the Avi Kwa Ame National Monument and encompasses the area known as Spirit Mountain in southern Nevada. Lombardo expressed concern that the monument’s designation, which was made without his input, will restrict land that had previously been designated for mineral development and other endeavors.

“Since I took office, the Biden White House has not consulted with my administration about any of the details of the proposed Avi Kwa Ame national monument which, given the size of the proposal, seems badly out of step,” the GOP governor told Fox News in a statement.

“Upon learning that the President was considering unilateral action, I reached out to the White House to raise several concerns, citing the potential for terminal disruption of rare earth mineral mining projects and long-planned, bipartisan economic development efforts,” he continued. “While I’m still waiting for a response, I’m not surprised.”

Avi Kwa Ame is an area abundant in minerals, with the state of Nevada boasting significant reserves of lithium, a crucial component in green technology like batteries. The national monument’s designation has the potential to halt the progress of at least one green energy initiative: Avantus, a California-based renewable energy firm, proposed the Angora Solar Project, a 400-megawatt facility that was not granted the 2,000-acre space it had requested from the Biden administration, according to Politico.

It should be noted that China is the world’s leading producer of rare earth minerals, accounting for about 61 percent of total annual production. Biden, it should also be noted, is being investigated by House Republicans after they reportedly discovered evidence linking him and his family to Chinese business deals when he was vice president and beyond.

In a statement, Biden justified the land grab.

“It’s one of our most beautiful landscapes that ties together one of the largest contiguous wildlife corridors in the United States: 500,000 acres. It’s breathtaking,” Biden said. “Rich in biodiversity; sacred lands that are central to the creation story of so many tribes who have been here since time immemorial.”

“It’s a place of reverence. It’s a place of spirituality. And it’s a place of healing. And now it’ll be recognized for the significance it holds and be preserved forever,” he added.


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