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The Women of Bears Ears, who describe themselves as "Indigenous women who support our families and communities in the protections of ancestral lands," are calling on President Biden to protect their ancestral homelands and restore protections for Bears Ears National Monument in Utah.
Over the weekend, the women published an opinion piece in the New York Times in which they describe in detail and with passionate resolve the cultural significance of Bears Ears. They ask Interior Secretary Haaland to listen to their voices as she and others in the administration evaluate former President Trump's 2017 decision to slash the size of Bears Ears by 85% and open it up to fossil fuel development and other extractive activities. Secretary Haaland promised "bold thinking" on indigenous issues ahead of the first meeting of the reconstituted White House Council on Native American Affairs last week.
In addition to describing their personal and historic connection to the lands contained within the original boundaries of the monument designated by former President Obama, the women call out vocal opponents of Bears Ears, including Utah Senator Mike Lee, who recently said the designation makes local communities "impoverished" and threatens livelihoods. In response to the Senator's comments, the Women of Bears Ears say, “Whose livelihoods? Our lands have been exploited and destroyed. Our homes were burned. Our elders and our children were killed. We were removed from our home ground. The history of the Long Walk remains. Our ancestors footprints remain. What livelihood?”
The Women of Bears Ears' words are a powerful force to be reckoned with, warning decision-makers at all levels that "we need to be consulted and asked for our consent before planning and developing, digging, buying and selling, leasing, drilling, fracking, mining and foresting" and that restoring the boundaries of Bears Ears National Monument is akin to a relative in need of protection.
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As our elected officials think about this hearing and the process the administration is undertaking to consider updates to the onshore oil and gas leasing program, it is important to reflect that this is a system that has operated decade after decade without sensible updates or a thorough review. It is simply a matter of good governance to examine how the federal leasing system is operating and, in particular, how it is or isn’t benefiting our taxpayers and wildlife. Every program needs a check-up every so often and this hearing provides an important opportunity for Congress to do just that.
