The Institute for Energy Research (IER) opposes today’s decision by President Obama to block off 1.65 million acres of land from energy development for the Bear’s Ears National Monument in Utah and Gold Butte National Monument in Nevada. IER spokesman Chris Warren issued the following statement:
“If this decision were in the interest of the American people, and not part of the president’s political agenda, then he would’ve done this years ago instead of in the eleventh hour of his presidency. These lands belong to the American people and should be used to their benefit, whether it’s for recreation or responsible energy development. The Obama administration clearly doesn’t have faith in the American people to be good stewards of their own lands.
“Fortunately, there is a path for the Trump administration to reset the Obama administration’s keep-it-in-the-ground agenda. According to a report by the Congressional Research Service, past presidents have reduced the size of national monuments. We encourage the Trump administration to take this first step and to ultimately work toward un-designating these areas altogether.”
