Sierra Club Strongly Opposes Bill to Codify Grand Staircase-Escalante Reduction

Salt Lake City, UT ---- Today, over 200 people crowded at the Utah State Capitol to oppose Rep. Stewart’s bill that would codify the severe 48% reduction to Utah’s Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The press conference comes just before a vote in the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources on the legislation. If passed, this bill will certify President Trump’s proposed reduction to one of the two Utah monuments under attack. The event was organized by the Utah Sierra Club, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, National Parks Conservation Association, and Grand Staircase-Escalante Partners.

Utah Sierra Club Chapter Director, Ashley Soltysiak, released the following statement:

“Rep. Stewart’s bill wrongly codifies the dramatic cuts that President Trump made in his proclamation to reduce Grand Staircase-Escalante by nearly half. He has ignored the voices of thousands of Utahns who protested the recent proclamation and is condemning these public lands for exploitation by special interests.

“This bill would open up more land to destructive industries, essentially greenlighting fossil fuel extraction. This delivers a blow to Utah’s thriving recreation and tourism economies.

“Utah Sierra Club strongly opposes this bill. This bill, marauding as a national parks bill, is a sell-out to big business. It only masks this administration’s moves that are effectively eliminating our public lands, piece by piece. We will not stand by and allow Grand Staircase-Escalante’s natural, archaeological, and economic richness to be undermined and misrepresented.”