|
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Ben Toma filed a lawsuit Monday against President Joe Biden over his decision to designate Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument. The lawmakers claim the designation is an unlawful "land grab" that exceeds the authority granted to the President by the Antiquities Act.
Since President Theodore Roosevelt first invoked the Antiquities Act to establish Grand Canyon National Monument in 1908, every single challenge to a president’s authority under the Antiquities Act has failed at the Supreme Court and in lower courts. Last year, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by the state of Utah and several counties aiming to reverse Biden's expansions of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in that state. In November, Petersen and Toma attempted to persuade the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn this decision in an attempt to lay the groundwork for their case against Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni National Monument.
“The designation of Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni will safeguard one of Arizona's most important water supplies, continue to support strong economic activity in communities across the state, and preserve a cultural and natural treasure for future generations,” said Christian Slater, a spokesperson for Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs. “Opposition to this designation goes against the best interests of all Arizonans and ignores the shared benefits of recognizing this land.”
American the Beautiful for All Coalition releases 2024 policy agenda
The America the Beautiful for All coalition announced its 2024 national policy agenda yesterday. In 2024, the coalition will prioritize advocating for significant conservation and equity legislation, including the Environmental Justice for All Act, the National Outdoor Opportunity Act, and the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, among other public lands legislation. The coalition, established in 2022, is led by a committee of representatives from wildlife and ocean groups, health networks, Indigenous communities, communities of color, and others. The coalition focuses on advancing the 30x30 initiative and emphasizing diversity in conservation efforts.
|
Public lands are owned by all of us, and it’s important that we all have a chance to use them.”
