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TexasTowelie

(111,300 posts)
Tue May 2, 2017, 09:02 PM May 2017

National monuments harm the economy, Utah public lands official tells Congress

Washington • National monument designations in Utah have harmed the economy and way of life for communities abutting them, killing jobs and harming ranchers, the head of Utah's public lands office testified before Congress on Tuesday.

"Any perceived benefits from the designation of huge landscape monuments need to be weighed against the impacts suffered by those who have traditionally used the lands," Kathleen Clarke, the former Bureau of Land Management director and now head of the Utah Public Lands Policy Coordinating Office, told a House Natural Resources subcommittee. "Landscapes don't disappear, but jobs and artifacts do."

Clarke joined a chorus of Republicans in blasting the Antiquities Act, which President Barack Obama used in late December to name the 1.35 million acre Bears Ears National Monument in southeastern Utah. She also told the congressional committee that the 1996 designation of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument has impaired the area's economy.

Read more: http://www.sltrib.com/news/5244565-155/utah-public-lands-official-to-congress

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National monuments harm the economy, Utah public lands official tells Congress (Original Post) TexasTowelie May 2017 OP
impacts suffered by those who have traditionally used the lands," ghostsinthemachine May 2017 #1
Recreational users beg to differ Freethinker65 May 2017 #2

ghostsinthemachine

(3,569 posts)
1. impacts suffered by those who have traditionally used the lands,"
Tue May 2, 2017, 09:05 PM
May 2017

Okay then let's give them back to indigenous people of North America. BTW, I go to Utah especially Arches, Moab, Canyonlands, for the National parks and monuments.

Freethinker65

(9,932 posts)
2. Recreational users beg to differ
Tue May 2, 2017, 09:53 PM
May 2017

Even the weasel-ly Mr. Chaffetz had to back down when hunters, anglers, and other recreational users found out he wanted to sell/privatize BLM land.

Honestly, few people besides ranchers and outdoor enthusiasts visit these areas. Beautiful and remote areas. Many of the roads still are not paved, or were paved only recently (kind of destroying the character from when my husband and I visited years ago). My last visit was marred by giant earth movers far off the main highway. Nearest main road was over 30 miles away. Remains of similar earth removal projects were passed on our way back to SLC.

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