The original editorial piece is by the Las Vegas Sun. To read the original piece click here. National monuments, including Nevada’s own Gold Butte and Avi Kwa Ame, are under attack, again. President Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum have launched a sweeping review of federal lands, setting the stage for yet another attempt by Trump to dismantle protections for some of America’s most cherished landscapes and sacred historic sites. We have seen this playbook before. In 2017, Trump slashed the boundaries of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah, the largest rollback of public land protections in U.S. history. It was a blatant giveaway to fossil fuel and ranching interests, and it sparked immediate public outrage. Conservationists, Native American tribes, outdoor recreation businesses and Western communities pushed back fiercely, leading President Joe Biden to restore the monuments upon taking office in 2021. Biden’s administration went further, using the Antiquities Act — a law signed by Teddy Roosevelt in 1906 to safeguard America’s historic and natural treasures — to increase the number of national monument designations across the country, including in Nevada, northern Arizona and southern Utah. These efforts recognized the importance of places like Avi Kwa Ame in Southern Nevada and Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni in Arizona, both of which protect critical habitat while honoring the deep cultural ties of Indigenous people to the desert landscape of the Southwest U.S. These weren’t arbitrary decisions; they were the result of decades of advocacy by local communities and tribes determined to protect lands that hold historic, cultural, ecological, geological and aesthetic significance. But now, Trump and Burgum want to undo that progress. Their review, which echoes the attacks of Trump’s first term, threatens to shrink or eliminate these monuments altogether. It’s not just an assault on conservation, but also an insult to the millions of Americans who treasure these lands. For more than a century, presidents from both parties have used the Antiquities Act to protect some of America’s most iconic places. Grand Canyon, Arches, Zion and Olympic national parks all began as national monuments. Americans with otherwise conservative politics, including hunters, fishermen and other outdoor sportsmen, such as former President George W. Bush, have often led the charge to protect America’s natural beauty. They recognize that conservation is not a partisan issue, it’s an American value, and protecting “America the beautiful” requires protecting our clear, spacious skies, majestic mountains and shining seas. Trump and Burgum claim that an unspecified “energy crisis” justifies rolling back protections to allow for more drilling and mining. But with a few exceptions related to minerals needed for next-gen energy storage, the facts don’t support that. The United States is already producing oil at record levels and Nevada’s national monuments contain little to no viable fossil fuel reserves. As Jocelyn Torres, chief conservation officer of the Conservation Lands Foundation, said in a statement Friday: “With roughly 85% of (Bureau of Land Management) lands already available for energy production and Nevada’s monuments having little to no oil and gas potential, it’s crystal clear that these recent orders targeting the 15% of public lands that are protected for the public’s use have nothing to do with the nation’s energy portfolio and instead are sneaky attacks to sell off our public lands.” Moreover, this latest assault on public lands ignores one simple truth: most Americans, and especially Westerners, overwhelmingly support national monuments. Colorado College’s Conservation in the West poll has tracked public opinion on this issue for over a decade. In 2024, it found that 85% of Western voters support creating new national parks, monuments and wildlife refuges. Even among Republicans, there is strong support for preserving these lands, with more than 60% of Republicans expressing support. Many Nevada families also rely on public lands, as outdoor recreation, tourism and conservation-related jobs contribute billions to the Western economy. Removing protections doesn’t just threaten landscapes; it threatens livelihoods. “It is an unequivocal fact that national monuments improve local economies,” said Mandi Elliott, executive director of the Nevada Outdoor Business Coalition. “By threatening the newly appointed national monuments, the rural communities surrounding them are also being threatened.” Trump and Burgum’s attack on national monuments is a test of our values, of our commitment to future generations and of our willingness to fight for the lands that define our national character. We must meet this challenge head-on. Nevadans, Westerners and all Americans who cherish their public lands must make their voices heard. Call your representatives. Write letters. Show up at town halls. Let Trump, Burgum and every member of Congress know that these lands belong to the American people, not politicians looking to line the pockets of their donors. As Mathilda Guerrero Miller of Indigenous Voices of Nevada so powerfully stated: “This is not merely a policy issue — it’s a moral imperative to safeguard our shared heritage.” America’s public lands are not up for sale. They are our birthright. And we must fight to protect them — now, and always.

Washington, D.C. — Today, President Joe Biden announced steps to protect Southern Nevada’s Amargosa Valley, the heart of the Amargosa River watershed and a gateway to Death Valley National Park.  This action by the President is in response to requests from Tribes, the local community, and our Friends Grassroots Network partners, the Amargosa Conservancy and Indigenous Voices Nevada, who have been fighting irresponsible development in the area threatening groundwater supplies. The Department of the Interior is initiating consideration of a 20-year withdrawal of the Amargosa Valley area from all extractive uses, subject to valid existing rights. The Bureau of Land Management submitted a withdrawal petition and application to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. The approval of the petition and publication in the Federal Register initiates a two-year segregation that will prohibit new mining claims and the issuance of new federal mineral leases on approximately 308,890 acres in the Amargosa Valley area. The Federal Register notice, published today, initiates a 90-day public comment period on the proposed withdrawal. The Bureau of Land Management will prepare an environmental analysis and establish a public process to inform whether the lands should be withdrawn for a period of up to 20 years. Below is a statement from Chris Hill, Chief Executive Officer of the Conservation Lands Foundation, in response to: “We applaud President Biden for initiating this important step towards protecting critical habitat and water supply in Nevada’s Amargosa Valley, and thank Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen for championing and elevating this effort. We also applaud the BLM for listening to Nevadans and taking action to protect this sensitive arid desert landscape, and look forward to participating in the public process alongside our Friends Grassroots Network partners. The groundwater in Nevada's Amargosa Valley sustains the largest oasis remaining in the Mojave Desert home to 26 endemic species, including the critically endangered Devils Hole pupfish, making enhanced protections for this landscape warranted and needed.” ####

Washington, D.C. - Yesterday, the House Committee on Natural Resources advanced an amended version of the Northern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act, a legislative package introduced by Nevada Representative Mark Amodei. This amended version, changed without public input, removes all conservation provisions from the legislation—provisions that were the result of years of collaboration and compromise among Nevadans. The Conservation Lands Foundation, the only nonprofit organization solely dedicated to protecting public access to and safeguarding the lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), strongly opposes this amended version of Representative Amodei’s legislation which drastically changes the original legislation developed and agreed upon by Nevada stakeholders. Jocelyn Torres, the Conservation Lands Foundation’s Chief Conservation Officer, issued the following statement in opposition to this last-minute change: “The House Natural Resource Committee’s unwarranted amendment to the Northern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act dismisses the thoughtfully negotiated agreements at the county level and erodes the trust and consensus built by local stakeholders. “For decades, Nevada has been a model of bipartisan success in bringing stakeholders together to advance legislation that supports economic development and the protection of cherished outdoor spaces. The amendment - added at the very end of a long legislative process - breaks from this tradition and undermines years of collaboration and good-faith negotiations by Nevadans. “The Conservation Lands Foundation remains steadfast in our support for the original legislative package that contained community-driven solutions for Northern Nevada, including the protection of cherished outdoor spaces like the Ruby Mountains. Conservation and development can and must go hand in hand to ensure a thriving future for all Nevadans. We urge Congress to reject the ANS to H.R. 3173 The Northern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act, and instead advance the original legislation that reflects Nevada’s proud history of fostering locally-driven solutions for both economic growth and conservation.” ###

Las Vegas, NV - As the only non-profit organization solely focused on protecting the public’s access to lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the Conservation Lands Foundation applauds the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s advancement of two Nevada public lands bills that prioritize conservation, recreation and cultural heritage. Statement from Jocelyn Torres, Chief Conservation Officer for the Conservation Lands Foundation based in Nevada: “The Conservation Lands Foundation applauds Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen’s leadership in crafting legislation with community members and Tribal Nations that advance significant land solutions for the state. The Southern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act and the Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act protects wildlife habitat, access to outdoor recreation and Nevada’s unique landscapes, and convey lands of significant importance to Indigenous communities.  “We celebrate the expansion of Red Rock Canyon and Sloan Canyon National Conservation Areas and the proposed designation of five new National Conservation Areas in Northern Nevada, including the Massacre Rim Dark Sky, Smoke Creek and the Pah Rah. We are committed to supporting Nevada’s Senators in passing these two community-focused bills through Congress. “Conserving America’s public lands is a key strategy to ensure the future for wildlife and the health of our communities. The historic protections these bills will bring are a positive step forward. We thank Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen for advancing conservation and outdoor recreation priorities.” ###

CONSERVATION LANDS FOUNDATION APPLAUDS NEVADA SENATOR CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO FOR REINTRODUCING THE SOUTHERN NEVADA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION ACT Las Vegas, N.V. - On June 5, 2024, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto re-introduced the Southern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act , a bill that protects nearly two million acres of public lands in Southern Nevada. The Conservation Lands Foundation applauds the re-introduction of the largest public land conservation legislation in the history of Nevada. “Conserving America’s public lands is a key strategy to ensure the future for wildlife and the health of our communities and address the climate, biodiversity and public health crises. The Southern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act will play a critical role in safeguarding Nevada’s future by permanently protecting areas within the Desert National Wildlife Refuge as Wilderness and expanding protections for Red Rock Canyon and Sloan Canyon National Conservation Areas. We thank Senator Cortez Masto for striking the right balance and advancing conservation priorities for the region and the nation,” said Jocelyn Torres, Interim Co-Executive Director at the Conservation Lands Foundation. “The legislation would add to Senator Cortez Masto’s already strong conservation record, which includes securing designations for Avi Kwa Ame National Monument, Pistone-Black Mountain and Numunaa Nobe National Conservation Areas, and several Wilderness areas,” said Torres. ####