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When former
president Barack Obama established Bears Ears National
Monument in 2016, it was almost 1.5 million protected acres of
gorgeous, wild, historic land. Many
Indigenous tribes can trace their ancestry back to that very
region, which has remained sacred to them to this day.
You can literally see the history in archaeological
artifacts found there, from ancient pottery shards to
thousand-year-old rock paintings of bighorn sheep — a species
that still roams there today. Over 75 other species
of wildlife depend on the land, including elk, mule
deer, and even the threatened spotted owl.
But less than a year after this
environmentally and culturally significant gesture, a certain disgraced ex-president slashed Bears
Ears National Monument by nearly 85%. This
opened the area up to uranium mining, oil drilling,
and other fossil fuel extraction that rips apart and poisons
the land. It also made it impossible for agencies in
charge of the monument to create infrastructure like paths,
signs, and parking that would allow people to visit without
degrading the natural landscape. ATVs, motorcycles,
and campers are ripping through sacred tribal sites.
People are pocketing artifacts. Foot traffic is
trampling important fossil sites. Human excrement is
everywhere as people come to visit for the day but
find no bathrooms or outhouses have been built.
If Bears Ears was expanded to
its original acreage, the entire area would be afforded
federal protection and maintenance. All of this devastation
would stop, and the natural and cultural beauty would once
again be protected for generations to come. Tell Joe Biden and Secretary of the Interior Deb
Haaland to take action immediately, and expand Bears Ears
National Monument's size and protections!
Thank you,
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Lauren
The Care2 Petitions Team
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P.S. For the
tribes whose ancestry and culture are at stake, for the
wildlife that call it home, and for the environment as a
whole, Bears Ears National Monument must be protected. Sign the petition. |
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