Comments now are being taken on the future of Bears Ears National Monument and 26 other monuments in the country/BLM
When he arrived in Utah earlier this week, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said it didn't matter where you live, whether in Boston, Massachusetts, or Blanding, Utah, you had an equal voice in how public lands, particularly national monuments, are managed. Beginning today, you can add your voice and thoughts to that issue.
The comment period on the validity and worth of 27 national monuments, from Bears Ears in Utah to Katahdin Woods and Waters in Maine, opened this morning on regulations.gov. President Trump called for the Interior Department to review national monuments of 100,000 acres or more created since 1996, when President Clinton designated 1.9-million-acre Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in southern Utah over the protests of Utah's congressional delegation.
While Katahdin Woods and Waters isn't quite 100,000 acres, it was added to the list, presumably, because Maine Gov. Paul LePage personally asked the president to consider whether Maine residents had enough input on whether the 87,000 acres adjacent to Baxter State Park should have been designated by President Obama last year. The twist in this instance, however, is that the monument was established only after Roxanne Quimby, who made her fortunate on Burt's Bees, donated 87,000 acres to the Interior Department specifically so Katahdin Woods and Waters could be created. Were the president or Congress somehow able to abolish that monument, who would own the land?
On Sunday when he met with reporters in Salt Lake City, the Interior secretary said that while he wanted to hear the views of "local stakeholders" on the 1.3-million-acre Bears Ears National Monument, he added that their voices should bear no more weight than those of Americans living elsewhere.
"Does a citizen from Massachusetts have any more standing from a citizen in Montana when it comes to our public lands? No. But everyone should have a voice, and a lot of what I face as secretary of Interior, there's a lot of anger out there. There's a lot of mistrust out there," said Secretary Zinke.
Just as those on the political right critized then-Interior Secretary Sally Jewell for her consideration and meetings over Bears Ears last summer, those on the political left have criticized Secretary Zinke for his meetings this week around Bears Ears and the Grand Staircase.
“It was amateur hour in Utah this week. Secretary Zinke’s one-sided listening tour amounted to little more than a series of staged photo ops with national monument opponents, while the loud pleas from the local monument supporters fell on deaf ears," said Greg Zimmerman, deputy director of the Center for Western Priorities. "Several times during his visit, Secretary Zinke indicated his mind is already made up— he wants to eliminate or shrink Bears Ears National Monument. Any action to undermine the Bears Ears, or any monument, will leave a dark stain on Secretary Zinke’s tenure at the Interior Department.”
In his order to Secretary Zinke, the president gave him 45 days from April 26 to report back on whether he thought Bear Ears should remain intact as President Obama established it under the Antiquities Act, or whether it was too big and should be reduced in size or even abolished. Then, by mid-summer, Mr. Zinke is to report back on the other 26 monuments identified for the review.
Public comment at regulations.gov is being taken on Bears Ears National Monument through May 25, and on all other monuments in the study through July 9.
While Secretary Zinke spent four days in Utah this week, and presumably will visit some or all of the other monuments on his list, there's been no word whether there will be hearings on the monuments elsewhere in the country. So if you live far from the monuments, this comment period might be the only chance you'll get to voice your opinion.
Comments
Do they not see how much tourism revenue has been generated by the establishment of these national monuments. Do they not understand that there are resources here that are irreplaceable and have a value far greater than a few barrels of oIl or some lumber?The longer Trump is in office, the more I am convinced this an ego driven campaign to undo all decent acts of protecting our lands simply for spite.
The Great Debate
To let the federal government keep ownership of lands, or have the federal government sell the land back to the people.
Why not both? If we allow the government to keep ownership of the more prominent parks, and monuments, while allowing certain parcels of land to be returned to the American citizen. If we sold the "Bears Ears" land, and allowed a recreational company to buy it, the possibilities would be endless. Throw up a windmill or two, and still allow outdoorsmen access for a lower cost.
If Everest now has 4G atop the summit, one is a fool to think that this is an isolated incident. We are in a time where we have to face certain realities. Realities that are not necessarily comfortable. We have a technology crisis. People are demanding energy, while sometimes violently opposing the ones who produce it. Renewable energy doesn't have the infrastructure to support itself as of yet, it destroys the landscape, flyways, and uses more energy than it produces.
If we keep the disputed lands protected, we are kicking the can down the road, and sending a message to our children that "it's not our problem". We don't care to face the realities of our time, and we would rather stick our heads in the sand instead of dealing with our issues.
In my opinion, I say sell some of the lands, and not just to companies, but to anyone who has created the opportunity for themselves to do so. Create your American dream, be a good steward of the earth, and try to keep an open mind.
support the keeping of all designated natuonal parks
and also to keep the parks status by previous administration too.
This are the essence of american beauty, that no other country has it.
Lets keep it that way so people of our country can enjoy this beauty.
Our parks are treasures that can never be replaced. Please abandon this misguided effort to gut our national heritage. We need to preserve these monuments, and others yet to be established, before it's too late!
"In my opinion, I say sell some of the lands, and not just to companies, but to anyone who has created the opportunity for themselves to do so."
In other words, sell public lands to members of the 1% so they can build more trophy "homes" for themselves surrounded by fences and No Trespassing signs.
They are nothing less than the reason we live. Save them.
These parks are our greatest living legacy, they are the boundaries we have set, whist tearing down, and stomping out, all the rest of God green earth. Should we save them? That is a ridiculous question.
I hope that all the Traveler readers who have commented here understand that in order for their comments to count, they MUST click the link Kurt provided:
Public comment at regulations.gov is being taken