Washington, D.C. – In anticipation of Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell’s meeting in Utah on protections for the Bears Ears region today, LCV President Gene Karpinski issued the following statement:

“We are thrilled that Secretary Sally Jewell and other senior members of the administration will be going to hear from Utahans about the urgent need to permanently protect the Bears Ears region of southeast Utah. The Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition has been working for years with other local stakeholders to protect this remarkable landscape for future generations to enjoy. We hope that after hearing the overwhelming support from local tribes, small businesses, outdoor recreation groups, LCV members and countless others, that President Obama moves quickly to permanently protect this precious place by designating it as a national monument.”

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