Time to protect Gold Butte land

By Grace Larsen, Las Vegas

Tuesday, April 26, 2016 | 2 a.m.

In his recent letter to President Barack Obama, Sen. Dean Heller wrote that “nearly everyone agrees Gold Butte is a national treasure,” then continued to discourage its permanent protection as a national monument. Heller backed his stance by writing that he “strongly believes in working in a collaborative nature” and that designation of any national monument in Nevada “ought to be considered in the public Congressional process.” Yet, in the same letter he touted the presidential designation of Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument.

I’ve explored the red sandstone formations and scrambled over jumbo granite boulders found in Gold Butte. I love taking visitors there to show them the thousands of ancient petroglyphs. I’ve also seen the damage to these petroglyphs and to wildlife habitat in Gold Butte. Heller has had years to permanently protect Gold Butte, and we can’t continue to wait. Now is the time for Obama to permanently protect Gold Butte as a national monument.