For months CalWild spurred supporters to protest Senator Mike Lee’s (R-UT) effort to use the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to fast-track an attack on the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Management Plan. And finally in June, Senator Lee appears to have failed. Thank you for being part of the effort to defend our national monuments. How it happened: The CRA includes a provision that allows Congress to pass a “joint resolution of disapproval” targeting an administrative rule via a simple majority, but it must act within 60 session days. “Session days” are not always readily calculated, but it appears that yesterday, Thursday, June 11, was day 60 for the Senate, making Senator Lee’s resolution now subject to the Senate’s regular rules, including the filibuster, which requires a 60-vote threshold to pass a bill or resolution. We don’t believe that can happen given the current Senate makeup. CalWild and our partners raised thousands of voices opposing this effort and supported millions of social media views to educate the public so they could push back against this attack against our public lands. We did this because if Senator Lee succeeded, he would’ve not only harmed a magnificent national monument in Utah, but would’ve set a very bad precedent for the same thing to happen in California. What could have happened: A monument’s management plan sets expectations for how the monument’s values are to be protected by managing for recreation and outdoor access; collaboration with Tribal Nations; dark night skies; grazing and other uses. This CRA action would have undone Grand Staircase-Escalante’s plan and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) would have been barred from issuing another substantially similar plan in the future. Senator Lee also led the failed attempt to sell off millions of acres of public lands across the west last year and we’re keeping a close watch on what he does next. Stay tuned. We’re so grateful for your efforts in standing up for California’s landscapes. Photo: Chuckwalla National Monument, Bob Wick |
