This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
I am writing because of my concern over losing our newly minted Bears Ears National Monument. Some people believe that former President Barack Obama's designation of Bears Ears as a national monument was federal overreach. However, what Obama did was honor a seven-year-long process of intertribal negotiation with five Native American tribes and many other groups based in Utah.
Others believe that only Utah politicians know how to best care for our public lands. However, from what I've witnessed, our state government has proven time and time again that it is not interested in preserving our public lands for the good of the environment or for natural recreation. And I've seen little evidence that it plans to respect or preserve sacred tribal land.
I fear that overturning this monument designation will leave the area vulnerable to real estate development or oil/natural gas extraction. Too many people, myself included, honor this land for its sacred history and its natural beauty to let this happen. As a Utah constituent, I urge those who represent me to actually represent me.
Payton Schiff
Salt Lake City