CLiF Notes: A New Monument, New Threats, and the Public Speaks

Breaking News: President Biden designates Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument

Today, on the anniversary of Emmett Till’s birth, President Joe Biden designated the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument. We applaud President Biden for using his authority under the Antiquities Act to designate this new monument that will ensure the life and legacy of Emmett Till and his mother, civil rights icon Mamie Till-Mobley, will never be forgotten.

Take Action: Thank President Biden for designating Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument

In 1955, fourteen-year-old Emmett Till was brutally murdered by two white men who were unjustly acquitted. Despite the immense grief his mother faced, Mamie Till-Mobley made the bold decision to have an open-casket funeral, allowing the world to witness the horrific brutality inflicted upon her son. Her brave act brought international attention to racial violence and fueled the fight for civil rights.

We will continue to urge the Biden administration to honor the stories, legacies, and voices of local communities by designating and expanding more national monuments, such as the Site of the Springfield Race Massacre in Illinois, Historic Greenwood/Black Wall Street in Oklahoma, Molok Luyuk in California, and Great Bend of the Gila and Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon in Arizona.

Your Impact: Public Lands Rule has overwhelming support

More than 200,000 people officially registered comments on the Bureau of Land Management’s Public Lands Rule and 92% of them support the proposal to put conservation of public lands and waters on equal footing with extractive uses. This includes hundreds of companies, elected officials, community leaders, and land and wildlife advocates who weighed in with their support. 

While we celebrate the success of the Public Lands Rule comment period, we’re turning our efforts to fight new threats in Congress. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) and Representative John Curtis (R-UT) have introduced legislation that would require the Bureau of Land Management Director Tracy Stone-Manning to withdraw the rulemaking. The House Natural Resources Committee passed the House version of this bill, and we expect the House of Representatives to vote on it soon.

We are staying vigilant against this legislation, along with other attempts to prevent the Public Lands Rule from being implemented. 

Photo: Bob Wick

Threats to National Conservation Lands emerge in Congress

Congress is moving forward with the Fiscal Year 2024 budget process, and the House is proposing deep cuts to the Bureau of Land Management and National Conservation Lands at a time when there are record numbers of people visiting these spectacular lands.

The House proposal also includes language that undermines Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah and sets a terrible precedent for national monuments across the country. 

We are ramping up our advocacy campaigns against both of these damaging efforts and will need each and every one of you to help increase resources to care for National Conservation Lands and protect the country’s national monuments. More to come soon. 

Photo: Bob Wick

CLF priority campaign legislation moving forward

Earlier this month, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Public Lands Subcommittee held a hearing on more than a dozen public land, energy, and natural resources bills, including bills that support protection of the Dolores River Canyon in Colorado and the Owyhee Canyonlands in Oregon, provide wild and scenic designation for segments of the Gila River in New Mexico, and enhance protection of public lands in Colorado through the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Economy Act. 

We will continue to urge Congress to support these bills that have the support of local communities, protect vulnerable and valuable public lands and waters, safeguard the cultural continuity of Tribal Nations, and help rural economies thrive.

Photo: Gavin Noyes

We’re Looking for New Team Members! 

The Conservation Lands Foundation is currently seeking experienced and qualified candidates who love the outdoors as much as we do! We are hiring to fill two positions in the organization: Senior Development Director and Associate Program Director, Southwest. 

Senior Development Director

Oversees the fundraising team and operations, develops and implements fundraising strategies to achieve annual income and programmatic goals, and supervises two staff members.

Read the job description

Associate Program Director

Helps advance our work in Utah and Colorado by working collaboratively with regional and statewide conservation organizations, Friends groups, the Bureau of Land Management, and other partners.