Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Credit: BLM
August 18, 2018 - Washington, DC -- On Friday, hours after Ryan Zinke was exposed for trying to sell off 1,600 illegally removed acres of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, the Department of the Interior reversed its decision after massive backlash. The attempt was more than just Zinke’s dirty scheme to illegally sell off public lands as some of the land slated for sale is adjacent to land owned by an avid Trump supporter and a current Republican lawmaker in Utah.
This attempt comes despite Zinke consistently stating that he would not sell off public lands -- including at his confirmation hearing.
In response, Sierra Club Our Wild America campaign Director Lena Moffitt released the following statement:
“Ryan Zinke can try to deny science, he can try to deny fact, but no matter how hard he tries, he will never be able to disregard the voices of the American people. Our public lands are for everyone to enjoy and explore, not just for Zinke and Donald Trump to sell to their friends for profit. No matter how many attempts, how desperately he tries to keep it out of the public’s eye, Ryan Zinke must never be able to exploit our public lands for private sale.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.
Source :Sierra Club
Related Information: Management Plans for Bears Ears, Grand Staircase Opens Door for Destructive Development Near Surrounding National Park Sites, NPCA Says
