Dismantle the Antiquities Act of 1906?
1906: “Create national monuments from Federal lands,
To protect natural, cultural, scientific features.”
2017: With no thought to the future, not create but destroy,
Threatening the land, and humans, all creatures.
© F.W. HeatonMay 18, 2017
As cautious as Mary & I are regarding protecting/strengthening issues relating to our core values, we did not believe Federal protection for our currently federally protected lands would be withdrawn by a U.S. President. Similarly, we did not believe the legislation enacted by Congress and signed into law by Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 under the title, Antiquities Act, would be dismantled by a U.S. President. This law gives the President of the U.S. the authority to, by presidential proclamation, “create national monuments from federal lands to protect significant natural, cultural or scientific features.” The Act has been used over one hundred times to create national monuments, many of which went on to become national parks. Not once, in the history of our country, has a president removed from this federal protection even one area given this protection by a previous president. Not until now. Now, one hundred twenty days into the current administration, both the removal of federal protection for at least 27 national monuments and the dismantling of the 1906 Antiquities Act appear quite possible.
With respect to the Interior Department’s current “Review” of 27 National Monuments, the public has been given VERY little time to comment (only until 26May in the case of Bears Ears National Monument—8 days from this writing). And, the process for the public to comment has been made difficult to understand and time consuming. It is clear the administration is not seeking informed public comment (although they profess otherwise). Mary & I devoted this past Tuesday night and Wednesday morning to learning about Interior Secretary, Ryan Zinke, drafting/revising our cease and desist letter, and getting it successfully communicated at noon Wednesday to Interior. We copied by email on their websites our two U.S. Senators and U.S. Congressperson.
Bear's Ears National Monument, NM. by Bob Wick, BLM
As we write this, we keep top of mind Republican President, Theodore Roosevelt's, quote: "Of all of the questions which can come before this nation, short of the actual preservation of its existence in a great war, there is none which compares in importance with the great central task of leaving this land even a better land for our descendants than it is for us." Please, each of you who hold these values core as do Mary & I, take the time to write to Secretary Zinke, your two U.S. Senators and your U.S. Congressperson and ask them to STOP this give-away of public lands to the states and ultimately to oil and gas drilling, lumbering, mining, and development/commercialization.
For more information, please visit the websites of well-informed/activist organizations including the Earthjustice, Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Wilderness Society.