STATE OF NEW JERSEY
218th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2018 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman NANCY J. PINKIN
District 18 (Middlesex)
Assemblyman ROBERT J. KARABINCHAK
District 18 (Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Opposes any reduction in size of, or level of protection afforded to, any currently designated national monument.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Assembly Resolution opposing any reduction in the size of, or level of protection afforded to, any currently designated national monument in the United States.
Whereas, For over 100 years, United States presidents have exercised the authority granted by the Antiquities Act of 1906 (Antiquities Act) to designate as national monuments hundreds of thousands of acres of historic landmarks, structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest, in order to preserve the rich cultural and ecological legacies of this nation, and to protect the designated areas from mining, oil drilling, and other forms of desecration; and
Whereas, As the effects of climate change become more apparent across the nation, the designation of national monuments has become an increasingly important tool for conservation; and
Whereas, On April 26, 2017, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Secretary of the Interior, Ryan Zinke, to conduct a review of all presidential designations and expansions of designations made under the Antiquities Act since January 1, 1996, where the designation covers more than 100,000 acres; and
Whereas, Pursuant to President Trump’s executive order, Secretary Zinke released an interim report which, in part, recommended that the size of the recently-designated Bears Ears National Monument (BENM) be reduced, with the specific details of the reduction to follow in a final report to be released later this year; and
Whereas, Secretary Zinke’s review is not limited to the BENM, and it appears that additional recommendations will be made in the secretary’s final report which will call for the reduction in size of up to 24 other invaluable national monuments, such as the Grand Staircase-Escalante, located about 200 miles from the BENM; and
Whereas, It is imperative that national monuments be protected in order to preserve the rich cultural and ecological legacy and the natural resources of this great nation for many generations to come, and it is therefore altogether fitting and proper for this House to oppose any changes in the designations of the many invaluable national monuments in the United States; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House respectfully urges the President of the United States and the Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior to refrain from supporting or implementing any reduction in the size of, or level of protection afforded to, any currently designated national monument in the United States.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the President of the United States, the Secretary of the Interior, and every member of Congress elected from the State of New Jersey.
STATEMENT
This resolution respectfully urges the President of the United States and the Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior to refrain from supporting or implementing any reduction in the size of, or level of protection afforded to, any currently designated national monument in the United States.
On April 26, 2017, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Secretary of the Interior, Ryan Zinke, to conduct a review of all presidential designations and expansions of designations made under the Antiquities Act of 1906 since January 1, 1996, where the designation covers more than 100,000 acres. Pursuant to President Trump’s executive order, Secretary Zinke released an interim report which, in part, recommended that the size of the recently-designated Bears Ears National Monument be reduced, with the specific details of the reduction to follow in a final report to be released later this year. Secretary Zinke’s review is not limited to the Bears Ears National Monument, and it appears that additional recommendations will be made in the secretary’s final report which will call for the reduction in size of up to 24 other invaluable national monuments.
It is imperative that national monuments be protected in order to preserve the rich cultural and ecological legacy of this great nation for many generations to come. It is for this reason that this resolution opposes any changes in federal policy concerning national monuments which may result in less protection of these important, and often vulnerable, areas.