U.S Interior Secretary Sally Jewell says the Obama administration will continue to use its executive powers to protect public lands until Congress takes action on a number of stalled conservation measures.
Jewell renewed the threat Thursday while speaking to a few hundred wilderness advocates at a national conference celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act.
Jewell told the crowd that preserving landscapes that are representative of America's character and important to local economies in the form of tourism dollars will also help the nation better prepare for climate change.
She says scientists will be able to learn from Mother Nature how to adapt.
In her sweeping speech, Jewell also said Congress needs to authorize the use of oil and gas royalties to fully fund conservation efforts as intended through the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
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