Washington (October 9, 2021) –United States Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released the following statement on President Joseph R. Biden restoring protections for Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and Northeast Canyons and Seamounts National Monuments:

 

“We’re glad that President Biden overturned the Trump administration’s unlawful acts to slash and sell our national monuments. As we’ve maintained for years, no president should ever have been able to unilaterally reduce or eliminate a national monument. The Bears Ears National Monument is a sacred place for tribal nations, and President Biden has righted a broken promise and restored critical protections that will help preserve this site that is so culturally and spiritually important.  The President similarly reestablished the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, which has been referred to as the “science monument” for its unique geology and rich fossil history. Former President Trump tried to sell off these national treasures to the fossil fuel industry so that they could further plunder our public lands, but President Biden has ensured that these monuments will be protected from further exploitation. Today, the President also restored the historic Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument from Trump’s disingenuous attempt to score cheap political points. Trump was no friend of either the environment or the fishing industry – he would have happily opened our oceans to offshore drilling and jeopardized the waters that so many depend on for their livelihoods and putting our coastal communities at grave risk.  He cared so little for our hardworking fishing families that he left key government posts vacant for years at a time and he regularly proposed cutting funding for scientific research that the industry depends on.  However, today is more than a repudiation of past wrongs, it’s a step forward to protect our climate, honor our promises, and preserve our national treasures for generations to come.”