Public lands & conservation
All 16 modern US presidents ranked by their net score on this single sub-criterion. Good and harm are scored 0–10 independently; net is good minus harm. Click a name for the full scorecard.
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA, 1970) — required environmental impact statements for federal actions. Endangered Species Act (1973). Marine Mammal Protection Act (1972). Coastal Zone Management Act (1972).
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- good·Tier 1·Primary document·Unverified
NEPA and ESA together established the core environmental-review and species-protection frameworks that have shaped federal land-use decisions for 50+ years.
congress.gov ↗
Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act 1980 — protected 104 million acres of Alaska (largest conservation action in US history). Doubled National Park System acreage.
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- good·Tier 1·Primary document·Unverified
ANILCA protected ~104 million acres of Alaska including 10 new national parks and 19 national wildlife refuges — single largest conservation legislation in US history.
congress.gov ↗
CCC employed 3 million young men in conservation work 1933-1942. Soil Conservation Act (1935). National park system expanded (Olympic, Kings Canyon, Big Bend, Everglades added). Migratory Bird Conservation Act.
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- good·Tier 1·Primary document·Unverified
The CCC enrolled approximately 3 million young men over 9 years in soil conservation, reforestation, and park infrastructure work; era-defining federal conservation program.
nps.gov ↗
Created more national monuments via Antiquities Act than any predecessor (~553 million acres protected including ocean). Bears Ears, Papahānaumokuākea expansion.
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- good·Tier 1·Primary document·Unverified
Obama designated 26 new national monuments and expanded 5 others, protecting more land and water than any predecessor; Papahānaumokuākea expansion (2016) created world's largest marine protected area.
nps.gov ↗
Antiquities Act used to create ~22 national monuments protecting ~5.7 million acres. Roadless Rule (January 2001) protected 58.5 million acres of national forests. Strong conservation record.
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- good·Tier 1·Primary document·Unverified
Clinton used Antiquities Act extensively to protect 5.7+ million acres; Roadless Rule protected ~58.5 million acres of national forests from logging and road-building.
nps.gov ↗
Wilderness Act of 1964 — landmark conservation law. National Trails System Act 1968. Wild and Scenic Rivers Act 1968.
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Wilderness Act established federal wilderness preservation system, designating 9.1 million acres immediately and creating framework for subsequent expansion to ~110 million acres.
congress.gov ↗
Federal Land Policy and Management Act 1976 (BLM organic act). National Forest Management Act 1976.
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- good·Tier 1·Primary document·Unverified
FLPMA and NFMA established modern federal land-management framework for BLM and Forest Service lands.
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Restored Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante. New national monuments. Inflation Reduction Act conservation funding. 30 by 30 initiative.
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- good·Tier 1·Primary document·Unverified
Biden restored Trump-shrunk monuments; created Camp Hale Continental Divide, Avi Kwa Ame, and other national monuments; launched 30x30 conservation initiative.
doi.gov ↗
Continued ANILCA framework. Pollution Prevention Act 1990. Standard public-lands management.
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- good·Tier 2·Primary document·Unverified
Pollution Prevention Act established federal pollution-prevention framework prioritizing source reduction.
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Continued FDR-era conservation programs. Modest park additions. Era-typical.
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- good·Tier 2·Historical record·Unverified
Park system additions continued at modest pace under Truman; no major new conservation initiatives.
nps.gov ↗
Wilderness preservation movement gaining momentum but Wilderness Act not enacted until 1964. Cape Hatteras National Seashore (1953) and others designated. Mission 66 modernized parks.
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- good·Tier 2·Historical record·Unverified
Mission 66 (1956-1966) was a 10-year, $1B program to modernize and expand the National Park System for the agency's 50th anniversary.
nps.gov ↗
Cape Cod National Seashore (1961). Wilderness Act drafting in progress (enacted 1964 under LBJ). Stewart Udall Interior Secretary.
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Cape Cod National Seashore created via 1961 act; Wilderness Act in active drafting throughout Kennedy term.
nps.gov ↗
Mixed. Marine national monuments created (~200M acres in Pacific). Opposed Wilderness designations. Energy development on public lands accelerated.
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- good·Tier 1·Primary document·Unverified
GW Bush created largest marine protected areas in world via Antiquities Act; energy development on public lands also accelerated.
nps.gov ↗
James Watt Interior Secretary (1981-83) pushed leasing of public lands to energy and mining industries. Tried to weaken Wilderness Act. Wilderness designations slowed. Sagebrush Rebellion alignment.
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- harm·Tier 1·Historical record·Unverified
Watt era at Interior Department dramatically expanded fossil fuel leasing on public lands and resisted new wilderness designations; major shift in federal public-lands posture.
doi.gov ↗
Reduced Bears Ears (85%) and Grand Staircase-Escalante (50%). Opened ANWR to drilling. Rolled back Roadless Rule for Tongass National Forest. Major public-lands extraction expansion.
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TCJA opened ANWR Coastal Plain to oil and gas leasing (long-fought conservation reversal); Tongass roadless rule reversal opened 9.4 million acres of national forest to logging and roads.
congress.gov ↗
ANWR drilling expanded. National monuments under threat. Tongass roadless rule reversed again. Public lands opened to extraction. Drill-baby-drill posture.
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- harm·Tier 1·Primary document·Unverified
Trump T2 expanded ANWR drilling, opened public lands to additional fossil-fuel leasing; major public-lands conservation reversal.
doi.gov ↗