Lawmakers are engaging in “over-the-top alarmism” on national monuments

“But history often shows that today’s land grab evolves into tomorrow’s economic success story. In Utah, where the antimonument fervor is particularly strong, the monuments that later became national parks now support more than 7,000 jobs and annually attract more than 6.6 million visitors who spend $407 million a year.

Also in Utah, the communities surrounding the Grand Staircase-Escalante have seen a 38 percent increase in jobs and a 40 percent increase in real personal income since its designation.”  Opinion – Center for American Progress

ATVers can blame themselves for lost access

“In the last twenty years ATVs have become popular. These four wheelers with heavy-duty tires are designed for rough terrain, and therefore easily driven over bumpy dirt roads and off them, the latter often resulting in impromptu-made trails and thus ruts and erosion. For instance, there have been problems in Wyoming’s Big Horn Mountains with the trashing of their high elevation wetlands home to migratory waterfowl. And desert terrain in the Southwest near large cities such as Las Vegas and Phoenix is popular with the ATV crowd, with the aforementioned negative results.”  Commentary – The American Spectator

Our national parks need more resources to survive

“Tom Kiernan, president of the NPCA, pointed out parks are receiving two-thirds of what they need. Funding parks amounts to ‘one-thirteenth of 1% of the national budget. Cutting funds or not providing funds is not going to impact the deficit.’ Kiernan said parks are an economic investment, with a $4 million return annually. The parks system generates $13.3 billion in economic activity, according to NPCA.”  Read more – Los Angeles Times