Hi John,

I only need a moment of your time to take action for a magical place in Oregon - the Owyhee Canyonlands. If there ever was a time to act for the Owyhee, it is now. Can you take a second to send a message to your senators? We need protection for the Owyhee before it’s too late.

There’s a reason we’ve prioritized our fight for the permanent protection of the Owyhee this year. It’s Oregon’s last great unprotected natural treasure and 73% of Oregonians support an Owyhee Canyonlands National Monument. 

Now the clock is ticking, as we near the end of President Biden’s presidency and await for Donald Trump to assume office and a Republican dominated U.S. House and Senate. Before the election, there were two paths to achieve protection for the Owyhee Canyonlands: passing Senator Wyden’s Malheur Community Empowerment for the Owyhee Act (S 1890), or a national monument designation. With the election results, it will be much harder - if not impossible - to pass Senator Wyden’s bill. Congress has already failed to act on Senator Wyden’s bill before, and they will do it again. Now is the time to get President Biden to designate a national monument for the Owyhee before he steps out of office. Send a message to Senators Wyden and Merkley now to urge them to go into full monument mode!

Why take action now? Yesterday there was a hearing with the committee of Natural Resources on Representative Bentz’s bill (HB 10082), which was developed to be an alternative to Senator Wyden’s bill. Representative Bentz’s bill does not center the long-term ecological health of the Owyhee, neglecting to investigate livestock land use in the Canyonlands, and burdening the Burns Paiute Tribe with financial obligations. That’s why OLCV opposes Bentz’s bill and is continuing to push for a national monument. We urge you to take action now, since our Senators will already be discussing the Owyhee Canyonlands. Let’s show them that a national monument designation has our full support!

Thank you for supporting the permanent protection of the Owyhee Canyonlands.

Sincerely,

Eliza Walton
OLCV Coalition Director

P.S.: To get more involved and show more support for the protection of the Owyhee Canyonlands, sign up to write a letter to the editor here! Our organizing team will be in touch with you shortly.