11/16/2016
Now that the election is behind us, many climbers are wondering what’s next for issues that are important to us. The election will certainly have implications for conservation and public land policy. And with over 60% of the climbing in this country located on federally managed public lands, it is likely to have implications for climbers too.
The climbing community is politically diverse. Our shared passion for climbing unites us. The Access Fund protects and conserves America’s climbing areas, no matter which way the political winds are blowing. We will adapt to changes in the political landscape. While we don’t always agree with politicians and policy makers on all issues, and there are times we need to stand firm, we must work with people across the political spectrum to achieve our mission. Along with our partners in the Outdoor Alliance, we have already started reaching out to the Trump transition team to begin laying the foundation for how we will work with the new administration to advocate for climbing and conservation of public lands.
President-elect Trump does not have a voting record and has voiced a wide-range of ideas and ideologies that are not always consistent with the GOP platform, so the policy positions of the forthcoming administration remain largely unknown. To better understand the contours of a Trump administration, we must wait to see who is appointed for key leadership roles, including the Secretary of Interior, Secretary of Agriculture, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Head of the President’s Council of Environmental Quality, among others.
Here are some of the issues we’re currently paying close attention to:
The days ahead are uncertain. Once President-elect Trump appoints his cabinet and those leaders hire staff, Access Fund will begin the work of building relationships with the new administration and advocating for the climbing community and the places we love. It is more important than ever to have a strong and steady voice in Washington, DC to advocate for climbing access and conservation of our public lands. Please make a donation today to support our public lands work.
Thank you for your support. Stay tuned for the latest news and updates.