Contact: Angela Benander (773) 899-4261 or angela.benander@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, the House Natural Resources Committee took the first steps to hold the Trump administration accountable for its illegal actions to shrink two national monuments and to open up millions of new acres of America’s public lands to dirty fuel development. The Committee heard testimony from Tribal leaders, scientists, conservationists, representatives of outdoor businesses and land management experts on the negative cultural, environmental, economic, paleontological, and archeological consequences of monument reduction. The panelists reaffirmed that no president has the legal or constitutional authority to alter national monuments and urged Congress to take appropriate action to protect public lands.
In response, Director of Sierra Club's Lands Protection Program Athan Manuel released the following statement:
"Trump’s actions to slash two iconic and treasured national monuments as a gift to the dirty fuel industry were unprecedented, illegal and deeply unpopular. Americans overwhelmingly support the protection of our unique landscapes, cultural sites and sacred spaces. Then-Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, who oversaw the administration’s ‘monument review,’ resigned under the cloud of multiple scandals, and the administration’s own internal documents prove that this decision was driven by the desire to open public lands and waters to drilling, mining and other exploitation to line the pockets of their wealthy industry friends.
“We are grateful to Chair Grijalva and the Natural Resources Committee members who are standing up to the administration’s actions and defending our public lands. Congress must pass the ANTIQUITIES Act of 2019 (S. 367, H.R. 1050) and the BEARS Act (H.R. 871) to stop the Trump administration’s assault on our priceless national monuments.”
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, 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.