Kimberley Pope 303.454.3374 or kim.pope@sierraclub.org
Denver, CO-- Today during a visit in Utah, President Trump effectively eliminated the state’s national monuments-- drastically reducing the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase- Escalante. The announcement follows an executive order for the Department of the Interior to review 27 national monuments followed by a leaked Washington Post memo on possible reduction recommendations.
In response Kim Pope, Organizer at Colorado Sierra Club issued the following statement:
“Reducing Utah’s national monuments is an attack on public lands everywhere. This administration’s efforts to sell out public lands to oil and gas industry are shameful and don’t reflect American values. These places were created to serve the public and remain pristine, not to prop destructive industry.
“In Colorado, national monument designations have only boosted our local economies-- attracting visitors and employing our residents. With these decisions, Trump is creating severe uncertainty for our communities-- risking jobs and economic revenue.
“From day one, Trump and Interior Secretary Zinke’s persecution of Bears Ears especially reveals racial bias and blatant disrespect to the several Tribal Nations who joined to advocate for the monument’s protection.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.