Letter: Public supports national monuments

By Phoebe Sauter, Environment Nevada, Washington, D.C.

Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017 | 2 a.m.

As reported in in the Sun and elsewhere (“Thousands comment on Gold Butte National Monument,” July 11), President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke to review the designations of 27 national monuments.

This unprecedented attack could lead to drilling, mining and other harmful development on our public lands.

The process, however, included the opportunity for Americans to offer their opinions of the monuments. Over 2.7 million comments were submitted, the vast majority of which were in support of our national monuments.

It is clear that the Trump administration and Secretary Zinke are bowing to corporate interests instead of the American people. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., has worked hard advocating for our national monuments, but Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., signed onto a letter supporting these attacks.

It is vital that we continue to fight against these assaults on our precious lands — the Basin and Range and Gold Butte monuments, which protect our history, culture, ecosystems and endangered and threatened species. Thanks, Sen. Cortez Masto, for fighting to protect our monuments and all of our public lands.

We must continue to make our voices heard.