Following reports that President Trump intends to move forward with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s recommendations to shrink at least two national monuments, League of Conservation Voters President Gene Karpinski released the following statement:

“The Trump administration has once again demonstrated their disregard for the people of this country by their willingness to ignore the nearly 2.8 million public comments urging Trump and Zinke to keep our cherished parks safe. National monuments like Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante provide economic, educational, and recreational benefits to the communities surrounding them, as well as being ecological and cultural wonders. But the Trump administration is shamefully selling out our parks and monuments as a gift for their allies in the fossil fuel industry.

“If President Trump moves forward with these recommendations, he will exceed his constitutional and statutory authority. LCV will continue to fight to protect our public lands and waters every step of the way.”

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