The MeatEater Podcast Ep. 785: Another Attack On Our Public Lands
Oct 30, 2025
In a compelling discussion, hunter-conservationist Jeremy Romero from the National Wildlife Federation tackles urgent threats to public lands, particularly the Borderlands Conservation Act pushed by Sen. Mike Lee. He explains the controversial 100-mile border buffer and its implications on federal lands, questioning how it could pave the way for motorized access and weaken wilderness protections. Romero emphasizes the need for public engagement to combat these policy changes, urging listeners to stay informed and take action.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Buzzwords Mask A Public-Lands Agenda
- Senator Mike Lee repeatedly pushes legislation framed with popular buzzwords to weaken public-lands protections.
- These bills often mask intentions to open undeveloped lands to development and resource extraction.
A Vast 100-Mile Federal Buffer
- The Borderlands Conservation Act defines a 100-mile federal buffer along northern and southern borders.
- That buffer would subject nearly all federal lands (except tribal, state, private) to new border-security road inventories and authority.
Map Illustration Of What 100 Miles Reaches
- Steven Rinella maps the 100-mile buffer and lists major wilderness areas it would reach.
- He names places like Boundary Waters, Big Bend, Tongass, and Wrangell–St. Elias as impacted examples.