ICYMI: Interior Department Ignored Benefits of National Monuments

Internal Interior Department documents publicized today by the Washington Post confirm that Sec. Zinke’s department dismissed economic and other data that did not support his and Donald Trump’s efforts to eliminate protections for national monuments across the country. Interior has subsequently tried to recall the documents as they “reveal the strategy” behind Zinke’s monuments review--namely to open up protected areas to extractive industries like drilling, mining, logging and commercial fishing.  

Some of what Zinke ignored:

• Economic research shows population, employment, personal income, and per capita income grew in communities near national monuments after their designations.

• Outdoor recreation contributes billions annually to the economy, demonstrating steady growth compared to slow or volatile growth from the agriculture, oil and gas industries.

• Protected public lands’ economic benefits extend beyond tourism and recreation, driving broad  economic growth.

In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune released the following statement:

“Ryan Zinke’s inability to cover-up his dangerous strategy of selling out our public lands while disregarding the facts and the American people is as reckless as the plan itself. No cover-up can ever suppress the fact that the American people overwhelmingly support protecting our national parks, monuments, and public lands.”

What they’ve Zinke has said about our parks:

Ryan Zinke, April 19, 2017: “National Parks are America’s treasure which provide magnificent outdoor recreation opportunities and serve as economic engines for local communities. In my own hometown of Whitefish, Montana, I saw how the popularity of Glacier National Park led to growth of the local outdoor rec and eco-tourism industry. And while traveling to Sequoia and Kings Canyon last week it was exciting to see tourism towns dotting the road to the park. This report is a testament to the tangible economic benefits our parks bring to communities across the nation. Visitation numbers continue to rise because people want to experience these majestic public lands.”

Ryan Zinke, April 25, 2018: “This report illustrates the incredible​ economic​ value of our national parks,​ and further shows the value in President Trump's plan to rebuild park infrastructure. ​National parks provide us a gateway to the outdoors, family ​recreation​ opportunities,​ and​ connect us to​ our history and heritage, ​and they are extremely vital to local economies all across the nation. ​Parks provide jobs and fuel ​the outdoor recreation and tourism economy.”