Talking Points for Bears Ears' Public Comments

Public comments on the review of a National Monument designation for Bears' Ears are due May 26, 2017. Comments on the 26 other monuments under review are due by July 10.

Flex Your Muscles! Submitting public comments is one of the most impactful actions an advocate can take.

Comments may be submitted by mail (postcard preferred due to security) or electronically.

POSTCARDS:

MAIL TO:
Monument Review, MS-1530
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240

*Mail ASAP to be considered for Bears' Ears.

* Please also send postcards to your Senators (addresses may be found HERE) and to your representative (addresses may be found HERE).

* If you are from Utah or are of native descent, please so state. Space is limited so say something like:

I support the national monument designation for Bears' Ears which is sacred native land. It includes cliff dwellings and many other historically significant sites. Please respect the tribes' and keep this land protected. 


ELECTRONIC PUBLIC COMMENT:

Please prepare your comment in a document where you can save it. Once it is complete, submit your comment HERE and please also email it to your Senators (contact info HERE) and to your representatives (contact info HERE).

WHAT TO SAY:
* These will focus on Bears Ears as we have additional time to prepare comments for the remaining 26 monuments.
* If you will not be able to submit another comment for the other monuments between May 26 and July 10, please make your comment more general and specifically mention any monuments to which you have a connection.
* Please REWORD as much of this as possible. The Department of the Interior looks for unique content.
* If you are from Utah or are of native descent, please include this in your comments.
* If you have visited Bears' Ears - or plan to, please include your experience in your comments.

I write to ask that the National Monument designation for Bears' Ears in Utah be respected. 

This land is of incredible cultural significance to the tribes. The region contains ancient cliff dwellings and over 100,000 cultural and archaeological sites. Prior to being designated as a National Monument, the area experienced vandalism of ancient petroglyphs and other archaeological artifacts. National Monument status will offer more protection to prevent these artifacts from being damaged or destroyed.

Further, a study conducted by the Center for American Progress found that Bears' Ears was on par with our national parks in terms of cultural and ecological significance. However the monument is in the 69th percentile for mineral resources and 54th percentile for oil and gas. This means that if Bears' Ears is stripped of its National Monument status, the important landscape will be vulnerable to development.  Development of this magical landscape - valued as part of our national heritage - would be a tragedy.

Finally, the economy would benefit from continuing to protect Bears' Ears as a National Monument. In the decade following Grand Staircase-Escalante being established as a National Monument, jobs in the counties surrounding the monument increased by 38%. Per capita income in the same counties rose by 30%. It is likely that this would occur with Bears' Ears as well given its popularity with outdoor enthusiasts and photographers. [IF YOU HAVE VISITED MONUMENTS OR NATIONAL PARKS, ADD A SENTENCE ABOUT THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF TOURISM AND HOW YOUR TOURIST DOLLARS MAY HAVE IMPACTED LOCAL COMMUNITIES].

For all of these reasons, I strongly believe that Bears' Ears should remain protected as a National Monument.