End of Scoping Period for Land Use Planning for 15% of Bears Ears National Monument

Contact

Carly Ferro (801) 467.9294 or carly.ferro@sierraclub.org

Salt Lake City, UT--  Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will close the public input period for the land use planning, for 15% of Bears Ears National Monument. The process would provide monument protection to the Indian Creek and Shash Jáa Units while excluding 85% of the original monument, leaving those areas vulnerable to drilling and mining and without adequate protection for the dense cultural and sacred resources. The comment period lasted a mere 45-days. Sierra Club helped generate over 8,400 public comments that opposed the BLM moving forward with the planning process.

 

Ashley Soltysiak, Utah Chapter Director made the following statement:

 

“BLM is following through with Trump’s reckless plan to slash Bears Ears National Monument to benefit extractive industries, despite pending litigation challenging the legality of the President’s proclamation to shrink Bears Ears by 85%.

 

“Any management plans for Bears Ears must consider all of the natural, sacred, and cultural resources -- the reasons the landscape was designated.  

 

“Sierra Club Utah will continue to stand with our allies and local communities in pushing for the full protection of Bears Ears National Monument.”



About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, 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.