Center for Biological Diversity & VoteVets & Greenpeace USA – 2017-04-27 00:52:59
Trump to Launch Unprecedented Attack on National Monuments
No president has ever attempted to withdraw a monument named by a predecessor
Center for Biological Diversity
(April 26, 2017) — President Trump is poised to threaten more than 1 billion acres of national monument protection in a devastating and unprecedented attack on America’s public lands and oceans.
Trump is expected to issue an executive order April 26 calling for a review of every national monument that’s been protected by presidential proclamation since 1996. His goal is to turn these natural and cultural wonders over to special interests, including mining and logging industries. Trump reportedly has the stunning Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah at the top of his hit list.
“This is a frightening step toward dismantling the protection of some of America’s most important and iconic places: our national parks and monuments,” said Kierán Suckling, executive director of the Center for Biological Diversity.
“Trump’s tapping into the right-wing, anti-public-lands zealotry that will take us down a very dangerous path – a place where Americans no longer have control over public lands and corporations are left to mine, frack, clear-cut and bulldoze them into oblivion. It starts with Bears Ears and Grand Staircase and only gets worse from there.”
More than 50 national monuments are at risk, including vast marine areas in the Pacific and Caribbean. Congress gave the president the authority to designate national monuments on federally owned land under the Antiquities Act of 1906 for the express purpose of protecting important objects of historic and scientific importance.
“President Trump is clearly doing the bidding of the Utah congressional delegation, who are without question the most aggressive federal lawmakers seeking to seize, dismantle and privatize America’s public lands,” Suckling added.
National monument designations have protected some of the most iconic places in the country. Dozens of the nation’s most treasured national parks were first protected as monuments, including Grand Teton, Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion, Acadia and Olympic national parks.
“With this review, Trump is declaring war on America’s public lands,” Suckling said. “The president is satiating the greed of industry and blatantly dismissing the wishes of the vast majority of Americans, who overwhelmingly want to see these areas protected for future generations.”
The monuments under attack are cherished by Americans for their natural beauty as well as their huge cultural significance.
Congress gave the president authority to designate national monuments on federally owned land under the Antiquities Act of 1906 to protect significant natural, cultural or scientific features. No president has ever attempted to withdraw a monument named by a predecessor.
Tell Congress not to sell our wilderness to the highest bidder: Click Here.
ACTION ALERT: Tell Trump:
Protect Our Public Lands — Don’t Sell Them Off
VoteVets
(April 26, 2017) — Earlier today, President Trump signed an executive order that will surely threaten our public lands. The order “directs the Department of the Interior to review prior monument designations and suggest legislative changes or modifications to the monument proclamations.”
What’s that all mean? In short, it means our public lands will likely be sold off the wealthy, seeking to get even richer through development for oil and gas. While that will help the rich, it’ll hurt the rest of us.
A recent study found that outdoor recreation alone drives a $887 billion economy and supports 7.6 million jobs. Additionally, numerous studies have shown that communities located near monuments and other protected public lands have stronger economies that are attractive to new residents, entrepreneurs and small businesses, and investment.
Maybe that’s why, since Teddy Roosevelt sixteen presidents — eight Republicans and eight Democrats — have used their authority to protect places from the Grand Canyon to Acadia to Papahanaumokuakea in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and historic places from Stonewall to Birmingham to Cesar Chavez.
Trump’s action is deeply unpopular — the public overwhelmingly opposes attacks on national parks, public lands and waters. In some polls like the up to 90% of voters supported Presidential proposals to protect some public lands and waters as parks, wildlife refuges and wilderness.
Our first national monument was created by a president who was a war veteran. Let’s not allow a president who has never served take them away from the American citizens and future generations.
Please Sign Here to Add Your Name to the list of veterans who oppose these executive order to eliminate our public lands. It’s important. And if you’re a veteran and so moved, include a personal quote and photo of yourself in military uniform or in the outdoors that we can use in our social media effort to stop this.
Thank you for adding your voice.
Trump Orders Potential
Rollback of America’s National Monuments
Diana Best / Greenpeace USA
Trump has just signed an executive order taking aim at an American institution that is beloved by all — public lands, waters, and national monuments.
He has ordered a review that could potentially roll back safeguards for lands and waters that are currently protected from destructive development. In doing so, Trump is carving up this beautiful country into as many corporate giveaways for the oil and gas industry as possible. This is unacceptable and we the people will RESIST.
Share with your friends, family and tell Trump’s administration that you will RESIST these senseless attacks on America’s public lands, waters, and national monuments.
This land is not Trump’s to give away to greedy fossil fuel developers and corporate polluters. We all value and cherish these public lands and waters and are committed to protecting them for future generations.
From Bears Ears National Monument in Utah to Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument in Hawaii, these monuments are invaluable and irreplaceable.
Trump is trying to get rid of one of this country’s historic and loved institutions and we cannot let this happen. Call 855-636-8150 to tell the Interior Department:
Protect America’s national monuments and public lands and waters.
We’re ready to stop Trump from jeopardizing these significant places — are you in? Please share to let others know you will RESIST.
Diana Best is the Senior Climate and Energy Campaigner with Greenpeace USA.
Greenpeace never takes a dime from corporations or governments. Everything we do is thanks to the generous support of people like you!
Posted in accordance with Title 17, Section 107, US Code, for noncommercial, educational purposes.
