By Charles Pekow — The federal land and tariff policies of President Donald Trump may be setting back the cause of bicycling. However, Trump has also launched the Make America Beautiful Again Commission (https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/07/establishing-the-presidents-make-america-beautiful-again-commission/), which lists among its goals increasing recreation on federal lands—including bicycling.
The commission does not have the power to set rules or diminish the authority of cabinet secretaries, but it can recommend policies. Part of its mandate involves “developing policies to expand access to public lands, national parks, national forests, and wildlife refuges while promoting a wide range of outdoor recreation opportunities,” including bike riding.
However, expanded access could come at the cost of weakened environmental protections.
The Pacific Legal Foundation, a libertarian law firm, stated that the announcement “recognizes that people—not federal regulators—are best equipped to care for our natural resources.” At the same time, the foundation expressed concern that any new government commission could end up creating more bureaucracy and red tape.
Full statement: https://pacificlegal.org/make-america-beautiful-again-commission-the-right-vision-if-it-avoids-more-red-tape/
The Sierra Club, meanwhile, issued a sharply critical statement, saying: “‘Make America Beautiful Again’ is the tiniest fig leaf on the most anti-environment administration in our country’s history.”
Read the Sierra Club’s response: https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2025/07/sierra-club-make-america-beautiful-again-greenwashes-most-anti-environment
