Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement on President Trump’s executive order instructing the Department of Interior to review national monument designations protected under the Antiquities Act:
“No president has ever called into question any national monument protected under the Antiquities Act until President Trump. His unprecedented executive order threatens decades’ worth of conservation efforts and could potentially revoke designations to places that have significant cultural and historical value – sites like Nevada’s own Gold Butte, and Basin and Range National Monument. The Trump administration fails to acknowledge how vital national monuments and public lands are to our economy. Nevada’s outdoor recreation economy is critical to the state’s economic growth, giving a much-needed boost to our rural communities.
“The Antiquities Act has given presidents the authority to preserve our natural history so that every American, present and future, has the opportunity just as I did growing up to learn about and enjoy our public lands. Nevadans have consistently expressed their support for our monuments and the Antiquities Act and want to see these areas protected for the next generation. I will continue to fight for and protect Nevada’s public lands against President Trump’s continued attacks against our environment, communities, and way of life.”