FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, September 18, 2017
Media Contact:
Jaina Moan, Executive Director, Friends of Gold Butte, jaina@friendsofgoldbutte.org / 702-208-8377
STATEMENT: Friends of Gold Butte Responds to Recommended Reductions of Gold Butte National Monument
LAS VEGAS – In response to the Department of Interior report, leaked by the Washington Post, that included recommended reductions to the Gold Butte National Monument boundary, Jaina Moan of the Friends of Gold Butte released the following statement in response:
“The vague recommendations for Gold Butte National Monument are a disappointing conclusion to a sham review process that has lacked transparency since the beginning. Secretary Zinke visited Nevada for less than 2 days. He canceled a meeting with supporters and refused to reschedule it. His review did not consider the opinions of thousands of people who expressed support for Gold Butte National Monument and the years of work that went into protecting this region, nor did it consider the millions of public comments that the Interior Department received in support of all monuments.
Nevadans fought for decades to achieve a protected designation for the natural and cultural resources in Gold Butte. Now we are still in limbo over the fate of this monument. Any reductions to the Gold Butte National Monument made through an Executive Order would be illegal. We will remain vigilant in protecting the boundaries of Nevada’s newest monument. The President does not have the authority to modify boundaries, and we are ready to challenge this matter in court.”
ABOUT THE MONUMENTS REVIEW: Earlier this year, President Trump and Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced an executive order directing the Department of the Interior to review public lands that have been protected under the Antiquities Act since 1996. Nevada’s National Monuments, Gold Butte and Basin & Range, are part of this review. Nationally, more than 2.7 million comments (more than 90,000 on Gold Butte and Basin & Range specifically) poured in during the Interior Department’s 60-day comment period – a record-breaking response. More than 98 percent of all comments received expressed support for maintaining or expanding national monuments. Although the results of the review were due August 24th, President Trump and Secretary Zinke have yet to publicly announce the results of those finding to the American people
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