Show Clinton Expands e National Monuments Monuments' By Clint Hunter Staff Writer Hes He's done it again Dont Don't worry this has nothing to do with an intern President Clinton has upset Northern Ari Arizona ona locals as well as many Western States Republicans by creating the Grand National Monument on Jan J J tho The monument over a million acres large borders the Grand Canyon The American Antiquities Act of 1906 J allows President Clinton to do so The Act gives the President authority to turn any land controlled by the US U.S. government that is of historic historic historic his his- or scientific f c interest into a National Monument In 1996 President Clinton used the Antiquities Act to establish the Grand Staircase-Escalante Staircase National Monument in southern Utah This land nearly acres was owned by the State Slate and was designated designated designated as school trust land The land was to be leased for mining Leases were estimated to make from million to 1 11 1 billion dollars according to state slate geologists This f. f money was to go to the public school system No mining contracts could be bese beset beset se set up after the e land became Na National a w W 3 Monument k In Jn a recent press release Senator Bob Bennett said this concerning concerning concerning concern concern- ing the creation of the the Grand National Monument As Ashe Ashe C he did in 96 the president has ignored the opinions of officials and citi citizens ens most connected with this Grand Canyon National Monument land Hes He's literally taken the public out of public lands Secretary of the Interior Bru Bruce e Babbitt held two vo large public meetings meetings meetings meet meet- ings in Northern Arizona He held nearly sixty other meetings with locals to discuss the issue This was f iki i J t no spur o of the moment decision zM e v J 11 t it r Locals are upset because they Y i i 1 Y v.-t- v. use t the h e l land an for or amma animal I gra grazing graing mg u l. l fV V Jf According to President Clinton's proclamation the Bureau Bureau- of of- Land Management will continue 4 to issue gra grazing ing leases Water stater lI ter rights will be honored So what 1 4 will change V Less vehicles no mining more y restrictions to help the area look the same a hundred years from now And is it worth protecting V s a Here is a short description found V in the Grand Canyon V W National Monument J Fact Sheet k Deep canyons mountains and andr f r lonely buttes testify to the power of geological forces and provide colorful vistas Beyond the phe- phe Grand Par Canyon Canyon shant National Monument geological resources the monument contains countless biological archaeological and historical historical historical his his- resources Indeed a land landworth landworth landworth worth protecting Some criticize e the President and the Antiquities Act But the facts are simple turning the land into a National Monument only protects it A couple weeks ago my wife and I J visited Arches National Park It was Inspiring to look ook at th the Balanced B Balc alc Rock and Delicate Arch Would II they still be there if they weren't protected protected protected pro pro- by the government More Afore than likely monuments there would be named Broken Arch Fallen Rock and Oops Did I l do That While I 1 could criticize e the President for a lot this is something he should be applauded j for r. r Many J were worried and concerned with the Presidents President's decision They were thinking about today and not twenty thirty or a hundred years from now Sometimes public opinion needs to tobe tobe tobe be set aside for the public good The public is not always right |