Tell Congress to oppose bills that roll back protections on public land

Citadel Ruins at Bears Ears 

Right now, some of our most cherished landscapes, cultural landmarks, and pristine natural preserves are threatened by three separate bills in Congress.

We can stop these bills, but only if we act now. Send a message to your lawmakers: our country's natural treasures need more protection, not less.

Opposing these bills is crucial — if passed, they would permanently enshrine the recent, controversial rollbacks shrinking Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments into law and fundamentally change the Antiquities Act itself. That's the law that allows Presidents to protect special places through a national monument proclamation, originally championed by Teddy Roosevelt starting in 1906. It's protected countless national treasures like Devil's Tower, Chaco Canyon and the Grand Canyon.

To stop these bills, every member of Congress needs to hear from people like you — people who are committed to safeguarding the fragile beauty of our public lands. Stand up now and tell Congress that you oppose these dangerous bills.

- Shiloh Stark, The Nature Conservancy

By filling out the form found on the link above, the following message will be delivered to your Senators and your Representative:

Stop legislation that threatens public lands

I stand in firm support of our nation's public lands and urge you to help defeat H.R. 3990, H.R. 4532, and H.R. 4558. Our cherished landscapes and waters are home to our greatest natural treasures, and we cannot afford to roll back protections that previous Presidents have enacted.

National monuments and public lands not only inspire us; they give us clean water and air, provide vital wildlife habitat, and generate billions of dollars in recreational activities. Places like these need more protection, not less.

Arizona Contact Info:

Rep. Martha McSally
Tucson office: (520) 881-3588
https://mcsally.house.gov/contact/email

Sen. Jeff Flake
Tucson office: 520-575-8633
https://www.flake.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-jeff

Sen. John McCain
Tucson office: (520) 670-6334

https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-form

ASK CONGRESS TO DEFEND AMERICA’S NATIONAL MONUMENTS AND OPPOSE ANY LEGISLATION THAT WOULD UNDERMINE THE ANTIQUITIES ACT

Click here to e-mail letter below.

Our national monuments and public lands and waters help define who we are as a nation by telling the story of our shared historical, cultural, and natural heritage. And that’s why I was deeply disappointed in President Trump’s decision to not only eliminate national monument protections for more than 2 million acres of public lands within southern Utah’s Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments, but also specifically allow for more mining and drilling claims to be made within the original boundaries of these monuments at 9 am on February 2nd. I ask you to do all you can to defend America’s national monuments and oppose any legislation that would undermine the Antiquities Act.

Since President Theodore Roosevelt signed the Antiquities Act into law in 1906, 16 Presidents – 8 Republicans and 8 Democrats – have used the authority granted by the act to safeguard public lands, oceans, and historic sites in order to share America’s story with future generations. These national monument designations are broadly supported from coast to coast and provide a myriad of benefits to local communities, including economic boosts from tourism, places to enjoy the outdoors, clean air and water, protection for ecologically sensitive areas, and windows into our country’s history.

I am gravely concerned about legislation introduced in Congress that would weaken future Presidents’ ability to preserve our national heritage and that would take management of public lands out of the hands of the American people. I strongly urge you to oppose S. 22, S. 33, S. 132, H.R. 243, H.R. 2074, H.R. 2284, H.R. 3990, H.R. 4532, and H.R. 4558; to oppose the Antiquities Act provisions in H.R. 200, H.R. 1489, H.R. 3905, and H.R. 4239; and to vote NO if any of these measures reach the floor. Additionally, I urge you to stand with the national monuments reviewed by the Department of the Interior, and to advocate for keeping their protections intact.

National monuments are our legacy to our children and our children’s children, and a gift that belongs to all Americans. Please take a stand for future generations by defending the Antiquities Act.

- Monuments for All

To tweet about it click here. 

PUBLIC STATEMENTS OPEN: URGE SECRETARY ZINKE TO PROTECT BEARS EARS NATIONAL MONUMENT

Colorado River on northern boundary of Bears Ears (top photo) & Wassataquoik Stream 

As some of you might know, my husband Dan and I have been working to restore Tucson's depleted groundwater and rivers. We practice rainwater harvesting in our own yard and Dan volunteers for Watershed Management Group.  In Tucson, we have been suffering from a 20 year drought. As more and more states experience droughts, it becomes even more vital to protect our water sources. One of the protections we have for our rivers and streams is to designate a piece of land a National Monument.

President Trump recently signed an executive order that could undermine protection of millions of acres of public lands and waters central to our nation’s natural and cultural heritage.

According to America's Rivers:

The order directs the Department of the Interior to review all national monument designations of 100,000 acres or more created since 1996 and suggest modifications. Many of the 26 monuments impacted by the order could suffer the removal of protections for rivers and streams and their priceless natural, cultural and historical values.

Located within these national monuments are rivers and streams that provide clean drinking water supplies for downstream communities, spiritual sites for Native American tribes, fish and wildlife habitat, and opportunities for fishing, boating and hiking.

“This executive order threatens to reverse almost twenty years of progress in preserving our country’s natural heritage,” said Bob Irvin, President of American Rivers.

Earth Justice is taking up that cause:

The first monument in his crosshairs is Bears Ears National Monument—sacred land to five sovereign tribes and home to ancient cliff dwellings, Native American cultural sites, jaw-dropping beauty and iconic wildlife. It’s unconscionable, but the faster they can overturn or shrink Bears Ears, the faster they can give it away to oil, uranium and other industry interests.

But first, Zinke has to open his review of Bears Ears for public comment. You have a narrow window—just until May 26—to urge him to keep this iconic public land intact.

According to Zinke, the review will lead to a report on Bears Ears National Monument in 45 days and a larger report on national monuments in 120 days, though it remains unclear what concrete recommendations for action those reports will make.

Any attempt to reverse or shrink a monument designation by the executive branch is unlawful under the Antiquities Act. Only Congress has the authority to modify a national monument.

Urge Secretary Zinke to follow in the footsteps of his hero Teddy Roosevelt by upholding our public lands and keeping Bears Ears National Monument intact and protected under the Antiquities Act.

The designation of Bears Ears marks the first time in the 110-year history of the Antiquities Act that Native American tribes—the Hopi, Navajo, Ute Mountain Ute, Zuni and Ute Indian tribes—have come together to ask a president to designate a national monument.

We can’t let Bears Ears become the testing ground for dismantling the Antiquities Act. An attack on one national monument is an attack on them all.

Your personalized message will be added along with the following letter:

Uphold Bears Ears National Monument (Re: DOI-2017-0002)

Dear Secretary Zinke. 

Bears Ears National Monument is a national treasure for all Americans to protect and enjoy. As a public stakeholder, I urge you to listen to my voice today. Follow in the footsteps of Teddy Roosevelt and keep this land intact and protected under the Antiquities Act. Don't shrink Bears Ears National Monument or reverse its monument protections.

The designation of Bears Ears marks the first time in the 110-year history of the Antiquities Act that Native American tribes came together to ask a president to designate a national monument. Diminishing this land is an affront to their voices as well.

Please, leave your comment here.

Trump directed Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to begin a sham review process aimed at shrinking or eliminating many national monuments.

President Trump's frenzy of executive orders continues. This time, he's trying to hand over the keys to some of America's most treasured national monuments... to industrial interests, including his fossil fuel and mining allies.

He just directed Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to begin another sham review process aimed at shrinking — or even eliminating — many national monuments designated over the last two decades by Presidents Obama, Bush and Clinton.

Specific targets include two iconic monuments — the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in Utah. Others at risk include the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument off Cape Cod.

NRDC fought for years, with extensive public support and involvement, to win strong protection for these national treasures. We are not about to let them be sacrificed to industrial greed. And we're going to need your immediate activism to stop this land grab.

Take action: Demand that Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke stand up to President Trump and maintain protections for America's cherished national monuments.

Call 1-202-601-3839 and tell Secretary Zinke that any attempts to revoke or shrink our national monuments is an assault on our historical, cultural, and natural heritage.

Since Teddy Roosevelt, presidents have used their authority under the Antiquities Act to protect countless natural wonders like the Grand Canyon, New Mexico's Chaco Canyon, California's Muir Woods and Mojave Trails, Utah's Natural Bridges and Washington's San Juan Islands.

But commercial interests like mining and fossil fuel companies, and the ranching and commercial fishing industries, are chomping at the bit to roll back existing national monuments and gut the Antiquities Act. With this executive order, President Trump seems intent on doing their bidding.

National monuments protect our environmental and cultural heritage, and they're also good for our economy. Outdoor recreation generates billions of dollars and millions of jobs every year. In 2016, National Parks saw a record 331 million visits, contributing almost $35 billion to the U.S. economy.

Speak out now and show Trump and Zinke that millions of Americans are watching — and outraged — by these attempts to trade in America's national monuments for corporate gain.

Make no mistake: NRDC will not surrender special places like Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante and the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts without an all-out fight in the federal courts.

But first, we need to bring massive pressure to bear on Trump and his Interior Secretary.

NRDC is prepared to fight the Trump administration's attacks on our public lands — in and out of court — for as long as it takes to win.


Rhea Suh
President, NRDC


Sample letter:

Dear Secretary Ryan Zinke.

I am outraged that President Trump is considering rolling back the Antiquities Act and stripping protections from some of our recently established national monuments, including Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante and the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts. I ask that you fulfill the mission of your agency by protecting America's public lands and maintaining the integrity of these  monuments and of the Antiquities Act itself. 

Stand strong against President Trump's attempt to rollback national monument protections, which would serve corporate interests, not the American people.