This morning, the Senate wrapped up debate and confirmed Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana to be Secretary of Interior on a 68-31 vote. The newly-minted Secretary had barely settled into his first lunch hour on the job when a rally formed outside the Department of Interior, with dozens of people gathered to show support for Bears Ears National Monument.
Join them by calling Sec. Zinke now to say you support Bears Ears! Click here to be patched through or call 202-208-7351.
Why all the focus on Utah’s latest great monument? It’s because the Utah delegation and state legislature have been clamoring for Sec. Zinke to recommend that President Trump repeal or shrink the monument, against the wishes of the historic tribal coalition that advocated for it, the hundreds of thousands of Utahns that celebrated it, and the best interests of the American people.
It’s imperative that Zinke, as the top steward of our nation’s public lands, resist the extreme views of Utah politicians, who are even advocating for the repeal of the 20-year-old Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument!
Call Rep. Zinke now and tell him to leave Utah’s monuments alone! Be sure to mention where you’re from!
There is still time to persuade Sec. Zinke to go the right way on this. He’s from Montana, he reportedly has a good relationship with tribes, and he has repeatedly expressed his admiration for Teddy Roosevelt—the president who first used and advocated for the Antiquities Act. He has also said he opposes the transfer of federal lands.
But as a congressman, Zinke voted against policies that would cut carbon pollution, and for those that would block the creation of new national monuments and eliminate protections for wildlife.
We’re not sure which version of Zinke we’ll see on this issue, but we’re betting if he hears from you, he’ll find it difficult to attack Bears Ears.
Click here to be patched through to Secretary Zinke right now. (Have your cell phone handy.)
If you’d prefer to send Secretary Zinke an email, click here. However you contact him, please let him know that both Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments are here to stay.
Thank you!
