by Linda Castro, Assistant Policy Director
Please act now to let your Representative know that you oppose the Ending Presidential Overreach on Public Lands Act and any future legislation introduced in Congress to undermine the integrity of the Antiquities Act or to repeal protections for existing national monuments.
A U.S. Representative and Senator from the State of Utah have introduced the so-called Ending Presidential Overreach on Public Lands Act. The bill seeks to take away the President’s authority to use the Antiquities Act to protect lands and waters by designating them as a national monument or by expanding existing national monuments. The bill would reserve the right to designate or expand national monuments to Congress, only, which will have the effect of taking away our ability to ask Presidents to take action to protect as national monuments those irreplaceable places that are dear to our hearts and to those of future generations.
The Antiquities Act of 1906 provides our President and Congress with the authority to designate national monuments on lands and waters managed by the federal government. National monument designations are intended to help safeguard public lands and waters that have cultural, historic, ecological, and scientific importance and to ensure that future generations can enjoy and learn from these places. Since President Teddy Roosevelt signed the Antiquities Act into law in 1906, 18 Presidents from both parties have used the Act to protect national monuments. In California, Congress has only established one national monument on lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and/or the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), while a dozen more were established by a President’s use of the Antiquities Act (not including additional national monuments in California on lands overseen by the National Park Service).
We can speak from decades of experience that Presidents have consistently set a high bar for proposed new national monuments that are brought to their attention by advocates here in California. For example, monument proponents must demonstrate that there is strong support in the affected communities for the new national monument and to painstakingly explain why the lands and waters are deserving of protection.
In addition, economic studies show that conserved lands, and in particular national monuments, provide an economic boon to local communities. Gateway communities tend to see an increase in home values as well as an overall increase in tourism income. This is especially important to rural communities that often do not have significant economic drivers within their communities.
We expect that many more efforts to undermine the Antiquities Act will be attempted in the next two years, if the first Trump administration is any indicator. It is important that our opposition be heard loud and clear.
Please act now to let your Representative know that you oppose the Ending Presidential Overreach on Public Lands Act and any future legislation introduced in Congress to undermine the integrity of the Antiquities Act or repeal protections for existing national monuments. Do not let Congress take away your right to seek a national monument in your state – in your backyard – through the President’s use of the Antiquities Act.
