Western Local Elected Officials Call on President Biden to Meet His America the Beautiful Goals, Make More National Monuments

On December 8, 2021, The Mountain Pact sent a letter to the Biden administration signed by over 115 Western U.S. state legislators, county commissioners, mayors, and council members from all eleven Western states. The letter thanks the administration for taking climate action and protecting our public lands through programs like the historic America the Beautiful initiative. The letter applauds the administration’s restoration of Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and Northeast Canyons and Seamounts national monuments and urges the President to use the Antiquities Act to protect more lands as national monuments.

December 8, 2021

Dear President Biden and Honorable Secretary of the Department of Interior Deb Haaland,

Thank you for your commitment to taking climate action and protecting our public lands through programs like the historic America the Beautiful initiative. Public lands are an integral part of the fabric of our mountain communities and a major driver of our local economies. We also thank you for your decision to restore protections to Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante, Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine national monuments.

As local elected officials, we are tasked with finding creative solutions to the many challenges that come with the ever-increasing popularity of our public lands; our growing infrastructure needs; lack of access to parks and open space by historically under-served communities; as well as the devastating and expensive impacts of climate change. With these reasons in mind, we ask you to use the Antiquities Act to protect more of our public lands by designating them as national monuments.

Overcrowding and Infrastructure Needs: The COVID pandemic has shown us that access to public lands is more vital to our health and well-being than we ever thought as more and more people have gravitated to the outdoors close to home and ever-increasing numbers of visitors recreate on the public lands near our communities. Adding more protected lands through parks and public land, as well as funding to manage these lands would improve access and lessen overcrowding. 

Increased Access for an Outdoors for All: We applaud the America the Beautiful initiative that includes goals to create a more inclusive and equitable vision of nature conservation that better reflects our country’s values and expands access to the outdoors for all. By uniting local governments, private landowners, Native American Tribes and Tribal communities, as well as historically underserved communities, this initiative will bring us all together to advance a shared vision of a better America. To do this, we need more protected public lands, including as national monuments, that build upon ongoing and often-untold stories of the true history of the United States. 

Climate Impacts: Increased drought, wildfires, flooding, dust on snow events, and record-setting temperatures have caused astronomical expenses for our communities and have negatively impacted our public health, land, water, and air quality and quantity while harming our agriculture, economies, and quality of life. Fossil fuel extraction on public lands generates 25% of our country’s climate change causing emissions. Yet, science has shown that conserving nature can provide over one-third of the cost-effective climate mitigation needed through 2030 to hold warming below 2°C. We urge you to use your authority under the Antiquities Act to designate new national monuments, which would protect more lands from oil and gas drilling and could help reduce climate impacts that are greatly harming our communities. 

Economic Benefits of Protected Lands to Mountain Communities:  Economic research shows that employment and personal income grew significantly faster in rural counties with conserved, restored, and protected public lands than rural counties with fewer protected and conserved areas. Conserved public lands, including wilderness areas, wildlife refuges, national conservation lands, and national monuments, are the backbone of the rapidly growing outdoor recreation economy, generating $788 billion in consumer spending nationally and supporting 5.2 million jobs. They are the foundation of our strong tourism economies and make our communities a very attractive place for businesses and their employees to locate.

With an evenly split Congress with a lot on its plate that is unlikely to move on its own to protect public lands, we are counting on the administration to move swiftly to use its authority under the Antiquities Act to protect more natural, cultural, and historic sites, as well as waters and lands of great scientific value. 

The Antiquities Act conserves vital places so our stories can be told and experiences can be shared for generations to come. Please take action to protect more of our great public lands as national monuments through the use of the Antiquities Act to truly accomplish the America the Beautiful Initiative. 

Sincerely, 

Mayor Paul Deasy, City of Flagstaff, Arizona
Council Member Adam Shimoni, City of Flagstaff, Arizona
Mayor Pro Tem Devin Middlebrook, City of South Lake Tahoe, California
Council Member Cody Bass, City of South Lake Tahoe, California
Mayor Torre, City of Aspen, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem Ward Hauenstein, City of Aspen, Colorado
Council Member Rachel Richards, City of Aspen, Colorado
Mayor Sarah Smith Hymes, Town of Avon, Colorado
Mayor Bill Kane, Town of Basalt, Colorado
Council Member Elyse Hottel, Town of Basalt, Colorado
Council Member Bill Infante, Town of Basalt, Colorado
Council Member David Knight, Town of Basalt, Colorado
Council Member Ryan Slack, Town of Basalt, Colorado
Council Member Gary Tennenbaum, Town of Basalt, Colorado
Council Member Glenn Drummond, Town of Basalt, Colorado
Mayor Aaron Brockett, City of Boulder, Colorado
Council Member Mark Wallach City of Boulder, Colorado
Council Member Matt Benjamin, City of Boulder, Colorado
Council Member Dick Carleton, Town of Breckenridge, Colorado
Mayor Eric Mamula, Town of Breckenridge, Colorado
Mayor Dan Richardson, Town of Carbondale, Colorado
Town Trustee Luis Yllanes, Town of Carbondale, Colorado
County Commissioner Keith Baker, Chaffee County, Colorado
Council Member Beth Goldstone, Town of Crested Butte, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem Barbara Noseworthy, City of Durango, Colorado
Council Member Jessika Buell, City of Durango, Colorado
Council Member Melissa Youssef, City of Durango, Colorado
County Commissioner Matt Scherr, Eagle County, Colorado
County Commissioner Kathy Chandler-Henry, Eagle County, Colorado
Mayor Hunter Mortensen, Town of Frisco, Colorado
Council Member Melissa Sherburne, Town of Frisco, Colorado
Mayor Jonathan Godes, City of Glenwood Springs, Colorado
County Commissioner Jonathan Houck, Gunnison County, Colorado
Former Council Member Polly Christensen, City of Longmont, Colorado
Council Member Marcia Martin, City of Longmont, Colorado
Council Member Susie Hidalgo-Fahring, City of Longmont, Colorado
Council Member Patrick Berry, Town of Mountain Village, Colorado
Mayor Corinne Platt, Town of Ophir, Colorado
Council Member Peggy Lindsey, City of Ouray, Colorado
County Commissioner Jake Niece, Ouray County, Colorado
County Commissioner Lynn Padgett, Ouray County, Colorado
County Commissioner Greg Poschman, Pitkin County, Colorado
County Commissioner Steve Child, Pitkin County, Colorado
County Commissioner Kelly McNicholas Kury, Pitkin County, Colorado
County Commissioner Francie Jacober, Pitkin County,  Colorado
Mayor John Clark, Town of Ridgway, Colorado
Council Member Terry Schuyler, Town of Ridgway, Colorado
Council Member Kevin Grambley, Town of Ridgway, Colorado
County Commissioner Tim Corrigan, Routt County, Colorado
County Commissioner Beth Melton, Routt County, Colorado
Former Mayor P.T. Wood, City of Salida, Colorado
Mayor Dan Shore, City of Salida, Colorado
Council Member Harald Kasper, City of Salida, Colorado
County Commissioner Lance Waring, San Miguel County, Colorado
County Commissioner Hilary Cooper, San Miguel County, Colorado
Mayor Shane Fuhrman, Town of Silverton, Colorado
Mayor Bill Madsen, Snowmass Village, Colorado
County Commissioner Josh Blanchard, Summit County, Colorado
County Commissioner Tamara Pogue, Summit County, Colorado
County Commissioner Elisabeth Lawrence, Summit County, Colorado
Former County Commissioner Karn Stiegelmeier, Summit County, Colorado
Mayor DeLanie Young, Town of Telluride, Colorado
Former Mayor Pro Tem Todd Brown, Town of Telluride, Colorado
Council Member Lars Carlson, Town of Telluride, Colorado
Council Member Adrienne Christy, Town of Telluride, Colorado
Council Member Geneva Shaunette, Town of Telluride, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem Kim Langmaid, Town of Vail, Colorado
Council Member Travis Coggin, Town of Vail, Colorado
Council Member Brian Stockmar, Town of Vail, Colorado
Mayor Hyrum Johnson, City of Driggs, Idaho
County Commissioner Angenie McCleary, Blaine County, Ketchum, Idaho
President of City Council Kaz Thea, City of Hailey, Idaho
Mayor Shelby Rognstad, City of Sandpoint, Idaho
County Commissioner Michael Whitfield, Teton County, Idaho
County Commissioner Cindy Riegel, Teton County, Idaho
County Commissioner Juanita Vero, Missoula County, Montana
County Commissioner David Strohmaier, Missoula County, Montana
County Commissioner Josh Slotnick, Missoula County, Montana
Mayor John Muhlfeld, City of Whitefish, Montana
County Commissioner Tick Segerblom, Clark County, Nevada
County Commissioner Justin Jones, Clark County, Nevada
Council Member Devon Reese, City of Reno, Nevada 
Assemblymember Nevada Legislature Howard Watts, Las Vegas, Nevada
Assemblymember Nevada Legislature Sandra Jauregui, Las Vegas, Nevada
Assemblymember Nevada Legislature Lesley Cohen, Henderson, Nevada
Mayor Pro Tem Kasandra A. Gandara, City of Las Cruces, New Mexico
Council Member Gill Sorg, City of Las Cruces, New Mexico
Council Member Gabe Vasquez, City of Las Cruces, New Mexico
County Commissioner Hank Hughes, Santa Fe County, New Mexico
County Commissioner Anna Hansen, Santa Fe County, New Mexico
Mayor Alan Webber, City of Santa Fe, New Mexico
Council Member Renee Villarreal, City of Santa Fe, New Mexico
Council Member Darien Fernandez, Town of Taos, New Mexico
Council Member Tonya Graham, City of Ashland, Oregon
Council Member Stefani Seffinger, City of Ashland, Oregon
Council Member Melanie Kebler, City of Bend, Oregon
Council Member Barb Campbell, City of Bend, Oregon
Mayor Harris Sondak, Town of Alta, Utah
Council Member Margaret Bourke, Town of Alta, Utah
Council Member Harry Holland, Town of Castle Valley, Utah
Council Member Pamela Gibson, Town of Castle Valley, Utah
Council Member Tory Hill, Town of Castle Valley, Utah
County Attorney Christina Sloan, Grand County, Utah
County Commissioner Jacques Hadler, Grand County, Utah
County Commissioner Sarah Stock, Grand County, Utah
County Commissioner Kevin Walker, Grand County, Utah
County Commissioner Gabriel Woytek, Grand County, Utah
Council Member Rani Derasary, City of Moab, Utah
Council Member Kalen Jones, City of Moab, Utah
Council Member Tawny Knuteson-Boyd, City of Moab, Utah
Mayor Andy Beerman, Park City, Utah
County Council Chair Glenn Wright, Summit County, Utah
Mayor Seth Fleetwood, City of Bellingham, Washington
Council Member Michael Lilliquist, City of Bellingham, Washington
Mayor Carl J. Florea, City of Leavenworth, Washington
Council Member Jessica Sell Chambers, Town of Jackson, Wyoming