Washington, D.C. — The Wilderness Society and the Center for American Progress will host a brief press call today to help interpret the “summary report” from the U.S. Department of the Interior today on the national monuments.
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has indicated that he is recommending to President Donald Trump that vast portions of America’s national monuments be shut down. This attempted sellout of America’s public lands and waters would result in job losses, be deeply unpopular, and constitute an illegal abuse of power.
Since the Trump administration launched the so-called review of national monuments in April 2017, more than 2.8 million comments poured in, with more than 98 percent expressing support for maintaining and/or expanding national monuments. A recent analysis showed that communities located near monuments and other protected public lands have stronger economies and quality of life.
Since it was signed into law in 1906, the Antiquities Act has been used by 16 presidents—eight Democrats and eight Republicans—to protect existing public lands and waters as national monuments. No president has ever attempted to revoke a national monument.
WHO:
- Nada Culver, senior counsel and director, The Wilderness Society’s BLM Action Center.
- Matt Lee-Ashley, senior fellow and senior director of Environmental Strategy and Communications, Center for American Progress
WHEN:
Thursday, August 24 at 4pm ET
Call-in information:
(877) 424-4112
73983696