Photo: Bureau of Land Management
Take Action to Protect Bears Ears National Monument
Members of Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, Ute Mountain Ute, & Uintah Ouray Ute Tribes are leading a call to protect the Bears Ears national monument in Southern Utah in the face of Donald Trump’s threats to remove its newly designated protected status.
Bears Ears, a name which is shared by all five tribes in each of their languages, is a sacred ancestral land in what is now southeastern Utah, covering two buttes and an expansive valley with canyons, mesas, rivers, caves more than 100,000 archeological sites. The five tribes came together in a historic alliance to form the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition, which had been lobbying the federal government for co-management rights since 2015. Obama protected Bears Ears as a national monument in one of his last acts before leaving office. But, in April, Trump issued an executive order calling for the “review” of 27 national monuments, including Bears Ears National Monument.
Trump’s appointee as U.S. Interior Secretary, Ryan Zinke, just concluded a four day visit to the area to carry out the review, with the express purpose of “listening” to local perspectives. However, Zinke met with the five tribe’s leadership for total of just one hour. No public listening session was held.
Thanks to grassroots organizations like Utah Diné Bikéyah, supporters of Bears Ears demonstrated at various locations along Zinke’s travel route to show their unity and determination to uphold Bears Ears National Monument and tribal co-management. Utah Diné Bikéyah has urged both native and non-natives to stand with the Tribes in protecting their sacred site.
Until May 26, the Department of Interior is requesting public input that will help determine the future of Bears Ears National Monument. Use Utah Diné Bikéyah's public comment portal page to easily submit your comment urging Zinke to recommend keeping Bears Ears National Monument intact, along with its co-management policy with the Tribes.
www.UtahDineBikeyah.org/Public-Comment
Remember- All comments must be submitted by Friday May 26th to be considered by the Department of Interior.
Submit yours today!
