POLITICS + GOVERNMENT

Utah leaders thank Haaland for her tour of monuments, but send a warning to the president

Apr 9, 2021, 6:23 PM

Utah leaders thank Haaland for her tour of monuments, but send a warning to the president...

(Interior Secretary Deb Haaland listens as Gov. Spencer Cox speaks during a press conference at Edge of the Cedars Park Museum in Blanding on Thursday, April 8, 2021. Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)

(Interior Secretary Deb Haaland listens as Gov. Spencer Cox speaks during a press conference at Edge of the Cedars Park Museum in Blanding on Thursday, April 8, 2021. Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)

KANE COUNTY, UTAH – Elected leaders in Utah are thanking Secretary Haaland for her two-day visit to the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments.  She’s gathering information as the president considers restoring the monuments to their previous size, and lawmakers are warning the Biden administration against making a unilateral decision.

During her visit to southern Utah, Interior Secretary Debra Haaland told reporters her job was to listen to every stakeholder involved.  She said she wanted to find every competing interest to determine the best way to manage the lands, which has been a contentious issue ever since they were designated as national monuments.

In a tweet, Haaland thanked the people who joined her during her visit to the monuments in Utah.  It reads, in part, “It’s a powerful reminder that how we manage public lands and national monuments will provide a path for future generations.”

Utah Senator Mike Lee joined Haaland during her last day, explaining how Utahns were impacted when the lands were no longer available for their use. 

“We spoke with Utahns who live near monuments, Utahns whose professional livelihoods, whose ability to raise their cattle and run their businesses have been adversely affected,” Lee says.

He says they had a good discussion about options that could “reconcile” the interests of the federal government and the needs of people living nearby.  Lee says the best solution will be to make a permanent law through the legislature, adding that designating the monuments through executive orders just led to problems.

“Setting them up to become yet another political ping-pong, going back and forth,” Lee says.  “There is a better way, and it’s through legislation rather than executive order.”

All members of Utah’s congressional delegation and other state leaders issued a statement thanking the secretary for the visit, and calling on President Biden to avoid making the same decisions of previous presidents.

The statement reads…

“We appreciate Secretary Haaland’s visit and thank her and her team for taking time to meet with us and with state, local, and tribal leaders as part of the ongoing review of these monuments. During these discussions, we reiterated our desire to find a permanent legislative solution, which we believe is the only path to finally resolving the longstanding dispute over the monuments’ boundaries and management. If the Administration decides to act unilaterally, a legislative solution that provides certainty will be nearly impossible to achieve. And without protections against the Antiquities Act, Utah is left vulnerable to the whim of future presidents. We continue to urge the Administration to work with us to craft a collaborative, consensus plan that reflects the input of the people most directly impacted and ends the political back-and-forth that our communities have been subjected to for more than 25 years.”

 

Other Reading:

Utahns react to Pres. Biden’s gun control executive orders

Sen. Romney explains decision not to support Rep. Haaland

Haaland OK’d at Interior, 1st Native American Cabinet head

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Politics + Government

Rep. Phil Lyman, R-Blanding, speaks during the Utah Eagle Forum's annual conference at Salt Lake Co...

Emma Keddington

Rep. Phil Lyman defends post correlating DEI policies with Baltimore bridge collapse

Rep. Phil Lyman is defending a post made Tuesday, that said Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies had something to do with the Baltimore bridge collapse. 

54 minutes ago

rep phil lyman shown, he made comments about the bridge collapse in maryland...

Heather Peterson

LISTEN: Utah Rep. Phil Lyman blames Baltimore bridge collapse on DEI

Rep. Phil Lyman said the bridge collapse is because of "governors who prioritize diversity over the wellbeing and security of citizens."

2 days ago

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 4: A view of the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday morning January 4, 2024 in...

MARK SHERMAN

Supreme Court again confronts the issue of abortion, this time over access to widely used pill

Two years after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and cleared the way for bans or severe restrictions on abortion in many Republican-led states, abortion opponents on Tuesday will ask the high court to ratify a ruling from a conservative federal appeals court that would limit access to the medication mifepristone, which was used in nearly two-thirds of all abortions in the United States last year.

2 days ago

File - The Instagram logo is seen on a cell phone in Boston, USA, Oct. 14, 2022. Instagram has star...

Associated Press

New Instagram feature limits display of political content

Instagram has started an automatic clamp down on the amount of political content appearing in its users' feeds.

3 days ago

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene...

Manu Raju, Melanie Zanona, Annie Grayer and Kristin Wilson, CNN

Marjorie Taylor Greene files surprise motion to oust Speaker Johnson, a sign of growing revolt from the right

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia filed a motion, seeking to oust Speaker Mike Johnson from his position.

3 days ago

U.S. Second Gentleman Doug , and Tom Perez, Senior Advisor to President Biden and Director of the W...

Bridger Beal-Cvetko

Second gentleman, White House official tout federal funding to remove lead pipes in SLC

The Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, visited with Salt Lake leaders Friday to tout federal investment in the workforce and clean drinking water.

5 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Mother and cute toddler child in a little fancy wooden cottage, reading a book, drinking tea and en...

Visit Bear Lake

How to find the best winter lodging in Bear Lake, Utah

Winter lodging in Bear Lake can be more limited than in the summer, but with some careful planning you can easily book your next winter trip.

Happy family in winter clothing at the ski resort, winter time, watching at mountains in front of t...

Visit Bear Lake

Ski more for less: Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

front of the Butch Cassidy museum with a man in a cowboy hat standing in the doorway...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking Back: The History of Bear Lake

The history of Bear Lake is full of fascinating stories. At over 250,000 years old, the lake has seen generations of people visit its shores.

silhouette of a family looking over a lake with a bird in the top corner flying...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

8 Fun Activities To Do in Bear Lake Without Getting in the Water

Bear Lake offers plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy without having to get in the water. Catch 8 of our favorite activities.

Wellsville Mountains in the spring with a pond in the foreground...

Wasatch Property Management

Advantages of Renting Over Owning a Home

Renting allows you to enjoy luxury amenities and low maintenance without the long-term commitment and responsibilities of owning a home.

Clouds over a red rock vista in Hurricane, Utah...

Wasatch Property Management

Why Southern Utah is a Retirement Paradise

Retirement in southern Utah offers plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities. Find out all that this region has to offer.

Utah leaders thank Haaland for her tour of monuments, but send a warning to the president