** Utah county calls on Biden to restore Bears Ears
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Wednesday, December 2, 2020
Indian Creek in Bears Ears National Monument. Photo by Bob Wick, BLM ([link removed])
Utah's San Juan County Commission voted 2-1 in support of a resolution ([link removed]) declaring the Trump administration's actions to shrink Bears Ears National Monument "illegal." The resolution further requests that President-elect Biden direct his administration to prioritize the restoration ([link removed]) of the monument to its original size when it was designated by President Obama in 2016. In 2017, the Trump administration drastically reduced the size of the monument, leading to multiple legal challenges that are still pending.
The Bears Ears Intertribal Coalition led the efforts in 2016 to designate the monument to protect the area's cultural resources, including the estimated ([link removed]) 10,000 cultural artifacts belonging to the Navajo, Hopi & Zuni tribes. Both San Juan County commissioners who voted in favor of the resolution, Kenneth Maryboy and Willie Greyeyes, are members of the Navajo Nation.
Efforts to reduce the size of the monument were backed by ([link removed]) all members of Utah’s congressional delegation, a majority of the Utah Legislature, Governor Gary Herbert, and by the members of the San Juan County Commission before Maryboy and Greyeyes were elected to provide a voice on matters that directly impact tribal interests.
Quick hits
** Opinion: End the taxpayer giveaway to oil and gas and raise royalty rates on federal lands
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New York Times ([link removed])
** U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service proposes protections for whitebark pine trees, a grizzly bear favorite
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Montana Public Radio ([link removed]) | Washington Post ([link removed])
** Utah commission passes resolution calling on Biden to restore Bears Ears National Monument
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Deseret News ([link removed]) | KSL ([link removed])
** Opinion: Tom Udall is the best pick for Nevada to lead the Interior Department
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Nevada Independent ([link removed])
** Trump administration scrambles at the 11th hour to allow mining sector to receive expedited permit review
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E&E News ([link removed])
** Biden's shortlist for key environmental posts emphasizes environmental justice
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Reuters ([link removed])
** Historic photos of iconic features and landscapes before they became national parks
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Atlas Obscura ([link removed])
** Opinion: A reset is not enough—Biden must rebuild better after Trump
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High Country News ([link removed])
Quote of the day
Photography has the power to inspire change in terms of how we treat our environment, and for this reason, has never been more critical. As the world faces unprecedented challenges around climate change, I cannot think of a more pressing time to photograph our impact on the natural environment.”
—Bob Ahern ([link removed]) , Getty Images’ Director of Archive Photography
Picture this
** @Interior ([link removed])
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'Tis the season for head-butting—if you follow the bighorn sheep battles @YellowstoneNPS ([link removed]) , that is. Pic courtesy of Kate Ochsman
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