** WATCH the Illumination and VIEW Photos**
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of the Interior building was alight, literally, with a demonstration of support for America’s national monuments. An illumination projected on the building highlighted the more than 2 million public comments sent to Washington, DC from across the country by Americans who want to see national monuments preserved. The illumination marks the end of the public comment period for the Trump administration’s unprecedented national monument “review.” Led by Secretary Zinke, the clear intent of the review is to undermine and rollback protections for some of the country’s most beloved public lands.
“America stands with #MonumentsforAll” said the projection, which also scrolled through a list of some of the national monuments threatened by the Trump administration. Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monuments in Utah, Gold Butte and Basin and Range in Nevada, Mojave Trails and Giant Sequoia in California, Grand Canyon Parashant in Arizona and the marine monuments of Northeast Canyons and Seamounts and Papahanamokuakea were among the threatened monuments highlighted.
The projection was done in partnership with New York City’s The Illuminator.
Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune issued the following statement accompanying the project:
“It’s clear that during this review process Sec. Zinke has opened his ears only for those who would sell out our public lands. But now is the time for him to open his eyes and heed the millions of Americans who want to see our nation’s monuments and public lands protected for all time. Public lands and waters tell the story of our nation -- a story that should be of our shared democracy, not a celebration of corporate greed.”
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