Virginia Cramer, virginia.cramer@sierraclub.org
San Juan County has withdrawn its legal support for the Trump administration’s actions to shrink Bears Ears National Monument, which are currently being challenged in court by Tribal Nations and conservation groups, including the Sierra Club. The action follows a decision by the San Juan County Commission to reverse its official stance on changes to Bears Ears National Monument. The Commission has condemned Trump’s move to shrink the monument and called for the original boundaries to be restored.
The change of direction came on the heels of the election of a more representative Commission. A federal judge ordered the districts redrawn after determining they had been racially gerrymandered.
“This decision reflects the voice of the people and the votes of the Commission declaring that the lands in Bears Ears remain precious, and that preserving them remains incompatible with drilling and mining,” said Ashley Soltysiak, Sierra Club Utah Chapter Director.
The shift in position comes as the Trump administration continues to push a dirty-fuels-first agenda. In testimony before Congress this week, newly appointed Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt made clear to lawmakers that his job is to maximize energy development without concern for climate impacts. The pace and location of oil and gas leasing across the West demonstrates that the administration also has little regard for the value of special places, clean air and water, or outdoor recreation. With each round of new leasing, the Trump administration gets further and further out of step with the vision Americans have for our public lands.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, 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.