Wayne Hoskisson, 435- 260-9045
MOAB, UTAH -- Interior Secretary Zinke is visiting Utah this week, with a tour of Bears Ears National Monument arranged for today and a stop at Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument planned for later in the week. The visit follows an Executive Order from President Trump directing the Department of the Interior to review national monuments to determine where protections could be rolled back.
The Bears Ears National Monument was protected at the behest of five sovereign Tribal nations with strong historical, spiritual and cultural ties to these public lands. Efforts to undermine the monument by Utah’s Congressional delegation and state legislature, along with their broad anti-public lands stance, were at the center of a recent decision by the outdoor industry to move the lucrative Outdoor Retailer Show out of Utah to a state that shares the industry’s value of nature. They also fly in the face of the 80% of voters in the West who back keeping national monument designations.
In response Marc Thomas, Utah Sierra Club Chapter Chair issued the following response:
“While it is impossible to visit Utah and not be moved by our nation’s breathtaking public lands, I hope Sec. Zinke will leave with more than a sense of awe. He must also take back with him the strong support that Tribal Nations, Utahns, and people across the country have for national monuments like Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante.
“Taking Bears Ears National Monument off the map, or changing the map, would be an insult to the tribal nations whose cultural heritage is preserved in this place. The amazing structures and artifacts that still blanket the monument bear testimony to all that has come before.
“Tinkering with the boundaries of Grand Staircase-Escalante undermines the many businesses in Boulder and Escalante which have repeatedly stated their support for the monument, only to be ignored by their own county commissioners. They understand, like the rest of us, that rolling back protections for America’s parks, public lands and monuments is short-sighted with long-term harmful consequences for our shared history, our public lands, our health and our economy.
“The Sierra Club joins in solidarity with the Tribal Nations and the Garfield County business community in support of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monuments. We also join the majority of Utahns and overwhelming majority of westerners who want Sec. Zinke to champion the public interest and preserve America’s national monuments.”
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