Response to the House Committee on Natural Resources
View from Bluff, Utah, of Cottonwood Wash which was part of the original Bears Ears National Monument, but is now outside of protection. This area is now a target for energy development. Photo: Josh Ewing
December 19, 2017
Rob Bishop
Chairman
U.S. House of Representatives
Committee on Natural Resources
1324 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Chairman Bishop and the House Committee on Natural Resources,
I find it disingenuous that after unethically using taxpayers’ resources to call us liars, you would ask me to testify in front of a committee for a matter already decided by the administration and applauded by the Utah delegation just a week ago. A macabre celebration of the largest reduction in public lands in American history. It is clear the House Committee on Natural Resources, like many committees in this failed Orwellian government, is shackled to special interests of oil, gas, and mining and will seek to sell off our public lands at every turn and continue to weaken and denigrate Theodore Roosevelt’s Antiquities Act, which has preserved our treasured public lands for over 100 years.
The American people made it clear in public comments that they want to keep the monuments intact, but they were ignored by Secretary Zinke, your committee, and the administration. We have little hope that you are working in good faith with this invitation. Our positions are clear and public, and we encourage you to read them.
Sincerely,
Yvon Chouinard
Founder
Patagonia, Inc.
2017 Timeline of Events Related to the Protection of Bears Ears
January 11, 2017: Op-Ed to Governor Herbert of Utah, who sought to rescind Bears Ears National Monument.
January 17, 2017: Over 100 leaders of large and small businesses in the outdoor industry write an open letter in support of public lands.
February 7, 2017: Patagonia withdraws from the Outdoor Retailer trade show after Governor Herbert and Utah legislators sought to rescind Bear Ears National Monument in its entirety in an unprecedented action.
February 16, 2017: “We’re going to have to part ways,” Utah guv told Outdoor Retailer execs after Bears Ears “ultimatum.”
February 18, 2017: Gov. Herbert signs resolution urging shrinkage of monument.
February 23, 2017: Rose Marcario appeals to the business community on LinkedIn, “Fighting for public lands—a strong economy and our American way of life.”
March 6, 2017: Private letter to Zinke urging Protection of Bears Ears National Monument from Rose Marcario.
March 7, 2017: Patagonia makes a public appeal to Secretary Zinke through the film This is Bears Ears National Monument.
March 9, 2017: Yvon Chouinard writes op-ed in the Los Angeles Times, “If America’s public lands were a business, the GOP would be bungling the balance sheet.”
March 21, 2017: Rose Marcario writes a statement in defense of Bears Ears National Monument.
April 26, 2017: The Trump Administration begins its review of national monuments.
April 26, 2017: Rose Marcario makes a statement on President Trump’s national monuments executive order.
May 5, 2017: Yvon Chouinard and Rose Marcario write a letter to Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke.
June 12, 2017: Rose Marcario responds to Secretary Zinke’s 45-day interim report on Bears Ears National Monument.
June 29, 2017: “Over 1 Million Comments About the National Monument Review Are In. What Now?”
July 27, 2017: Thousands rally at the Outdoor Retailer show and march on the Utah State Capitol to oppose the monument review.
August 21, 2017: Patagonia releases its first television ad in its 45-year history to appeal to Secretary Zinke and bring awareness to the unprecedented review of national monuments undertaken by Secretary Zinke and the administration.
September 21, 2017: Rose Marcario places phone call to Secretary Zinke (call ignored).
October 31, 2017: “Trump’s ‘Review’ of Utah Monument Was Over Before It Started”
November 27, 2017: Former Zinke backers dismayed by department’s direction.
November 29, 2017: Senator Durbin: “Lack of transparency in national monuments review a disservice to Americans.”
December 4, 2017: Five American Indian tribes, furious over Trump shrinking Bears Ears on his trip to Utah, sue the president.
December 4, 2017: Patagonia responds to Trump’s executive order.
December 7, 2017: Patagonia sues Trump over Bears Ears Monument.
December 8, 2017: Uranium officials urged Trump officials to shrink Bears Ears National Monument.
December 11, 2017: Broad coalition sues to stop the Trump administration’s unlawful dismemberment of the Bears Ears National Monument.
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