Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Directly Threatened!

Secretary Zinke Recommends Largest Reduction of Protected Areas in U.S. History. Secret Department of the Interior Report recommends destruction of habitat, cultural heritage sites and economic harm to local business on an unprecedented scale. Escalante, Utah September 18, 2017 – Today marks the 21st anniversary of the proclamation of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, but instead of celebrations, we stand shocked and appalled by the aggressive and careless recommendations from Secretary Ryan Zinke for its future. In a secret report leaked to the Wall Street Journal late yesterday, Secretary Zinke recommends shrinking the national treasure, Grand Staircase-Escalante and allowing “traditional” uses like mining, logging and drilling in protected areas. It is clear that the Department of the Interior is preparing an unprecedented attack on our nation’s protected lands; never before has the United States eliminated, at such a large scale, permanent protections for national parks, wilderness areas, or national monuments. “If the Grand Staircase-Escalante, with two decades of Congressional support, extraordinary scientific discoveries, and demonstrable economic benefits to the entire state of Utah is vulnerable to arbitrary political favors and whims,” said Nicole Croft, Executive Director of Grand Staircase Escalante Partners, “what hope can we have for the continued stewardship of our shared public lands?” If the Trump Administration accepts Secretary Zinke’s recommendations, thousands of acres of vulnerable habitat, world-famous paleontological, archaeological and geologic resources could soon be lost to mining, drilling, and logging. Native American sacred sites, natural wonders, and places that are currently open for hunting, fishing, hiking and outdoor recreation are at risk of being permanently lost to energy extraction, mining, and private development. President Trump has the opportunity to halt the wholesale destruction of the crown jewel of America’s National Conservation Lands by rejecting these recommendations in favor of preserving this landscape and its resources for future generations. These recommendations illustrate how deeply out of touch Secretary Zinke is with the communities of the Grand Staircase-Escalante, the American people at large and the law. Local business leaders and conservation organizations like Grand Staircase-Escalante Partners were excluded from his listening tour in May of this year, and it seems that the economic livelihood of the hundreds of businesses that surround the Grand Staircase-Escalante and depend on the National Monument are being disregarded for special interests. “The small businesses that drive the economic engine of the gateway communities represent the heart and hope of rural America, and we are very concerned for the future of these community leaders and their families,” said Croft. The Administration’s effort to sell out America’s national monuments is deeply unpopular and unAmerican. We will fight to keep every inch of the Grand Staircase-Escalante open to the public and protected for our children and grandchildren. More than 2.8 million public comments poured in during the Department of the Interior’s 60-day comment period- a record-breaking response. More than 98 percent of all comments received expressed support for maintaining or expanding national monuments. Legal scholars are in agreement: the Antiquities Act does not grant the president the authority to eliminate or significantly alter a national park or national monument. See analysis here, here, here and here - including a letter from 121 law professors expressing deep concern with the very process through which the Trump Administration “reviewed” these national monuments. Conservative commentators (here, here, here, and here) have also noted that the President does not have the constitutional authority to revoke a national monument. Further, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 affirmed that only Congress has the authority to modify national monuments. Secretary Zinke’s recommendations ignore the spectacular resources that were set aside for protection 21 years ago today. Over these two decades, research has only demonstrated that the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument exceeds the standards outlined in the Antiquities Act and are more than worthy of protection in perpetuity. We implore President Trump to listen to the people, and reject these disastrous and thoughtless recommendations. If they are adopted, Grand Staircase Escalante Partners intends to explore and pursue all legal options to challenge such a short sighted result.