When President Donald Trumpshrunkthe Bears Ears National Monument in December 2017 , Rep. Deb Haaland ( D - New Mexico ) did n’t yet have a fundament in Congress . But the issue was personal to her then — and it remains personal today .
“ It ’s my ancestral homeland , ” Haaland told Earther of the national repository located in southeast Utah . “ It ’s a spiritual place . It ’s an important topographic point . ”
Now , she can finally do something about itas one of the first Native American women in Congress . On Wednesday , Haaland introduced abillwith Rep. Ruben Gallego ( D - Arizona ) to restore and expand the boundaries of the interior repository , which cornet cut of meat by more than 80 percent . Former President Barack Obama specify by 1.35 million acres when hecreatedthe monument in 2016 , but the five tribe with theBears Ears Inter - Tribal Coalitionthat helped work on its designation originally want 1.9 million acres . That ’s the acreage this new bill proposes .
“ The Hopi Tribe appreciates Representatives Gallego and Haaland ’s cause to protect the sanctified landscape that is Bears Ears , ” said the Hopi Tribe , one of the coalition ’s five tribe , in a program line . “ It is supporting to see Congress working towards safeguard our most cherished landscape instead of tear down them . ”
Utah Rep. John Curtis , whose district the monument sit around in , isreportedly pissedsince he champion the memorial ’s removal . He , however , can lie easily : While Haaland ask the bill to pass the House — it ’s already catch more than 70 co - supporter — it ’s unlikely to become law . That requires a partner bill in the Senate and , at long last , a theme song from the president .
The goal , though , is to keep is to keep the press on in every way potential . The bank bill follows a series of case whichsprang upshortly after the re - designation pass off and are still cook their way through the courts .
“ Just because there is a chairwoman in office who basically has attacked public lands does n’t think we should n’t keep trying , ” Haaland suppose . “ We ca n’t shake off up our hand and not do anything . We have to do whatever we can do . ”
The inter - tribal coalition supports the bill , as do environmental group like the Sierra Club and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance . Tribal sovereigntyand the tribute of ethnic artifacts anddino fossilsare key issues here , but so is the protection of public lands . The Trump administration hasalready openedformer Bears Ears shoot down to U and gold mining land claims . And fogey fuel reserves could be next . Last March , the New York Times unearthed email showingthat oil and gas played a key role in the Trump administration ’s decision to strip the land of its protections .
Rep. Raul Grijalva ( D - Arizona ) , who chairs the House Natural Resources Committee where this bill was introduced , iscallingfor an investigating into the Trump administration ’s decisiveness to downsize Bears Ears . He believe industry ’s interest in extraction drive this monument reducing .
“ I stand to be proven wrong,”Grijalva tell local NPR affiliate KUER . “ That ’s why we have superintendence . That ’s why we have those investigations . ”
Haaland feels similarly . She does n’t desire to see these soil “ auctioned off . ” And she for sure does n’t desire to see the base that ’s induce climate modification — i.e. crude oil and gas boring — break the pristine landscape painting of the region .
“ The fogy fuel industry interrupt a place like Bears Ears will not help us , ” she said . “ In fact , it would stymie our ability to fight clime variety . ”
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