by Tim Peterson, Utah Wildlands Director
When it matters most, we know we can count on you to speak up for the Colorado Plateau. And last week, you blew us away with your overwhelming support for Bears Ears National Monument — thousands upon thousands of you wrote comments in defense of Bears Ears!
As defenders of the Colorado Plateau, most of you are familiar with the president’s executive order mandating a review of most national monuments designated since 1996, and many of you have read about Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s visit to Utah in early May.
Part of the secretary’s review includes what was billed as a “first ever” comment period on national monuments despite the Obama administration’s lengthy process of gathering information from all sides. The very briefest of comment periods (just 15 days) for Bears Ears National Monument ended last Friday, May 26, and the positive response to defend the monument was overwhelming. More than 685,000 people wrote comments in defense of Bears Ears! A sampling of all comments received through the government’s portal found that 96 percent of people “expressed support for national monument designations, while three percent expressed opposition to monument designations.”
If you submitted comments, thank you! Take heart that you are part of a people’s movement making your voice heard.
Bears Ears National Monument is remarkable — it has captured the attention of national and international media, and even celebrities who value our public lands and national monuments.
Members of Congress from neighboring states like Michael Bennet, D–Colo., Tom Udall, D–N.M., and Martin Heinrich, D–N.M., former elected officials, outdoor businesses, locals, and people from far and wide spoke in support of Bears Ears as well, demonstrating that Americans are viewing the president’s review order for what it is — a transparent attempt to reverse national monuments. But our monuments are vital to our shared heritage and our local economies, and we will do everything we can to protect our national treasures for all time.
Newspaper editorial boards are weighing in too, with near universal support for leaving our national monuments alone.
Now our attention shifts to the 60-day comment period for all other monuments under review, which ends July 10. In the coming weeks, we’ll be providing tips on how to make informed comments on our treasured Colorado Plateau monuments, including: Vermillion Cliffs and Grand Canyon-Parashant in Arizona, and Grand Staircase-Escalante in Utah.
All of these monuments are popular, appropriate, and more than deserving of their elevated status. A fair review will find this to be true, and we hope Secretary Zinke is taking your comments, as well as his legacy as a “Roosevelt Republican,” under serious consideration.
The secretary must issue recommendations for Bears Ears by June 10 and the remaining monuments by August 24. We’ll keep you abreast of developments, and thanks once again for joining this people’s movement!
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