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Grand Canyon Sierra Club Press Releases and Action AlertsSierra Club, Grand Canyon Chapter NEWS RELEASE, August 7, 2001Contacts: Download full report (70 KB download, pdf file) 75% of Arizonans Support National MonumentsPoll Released as Interior Secretary Norton Visits StateThree out of every four Arizonans support the creation of five new Bureau of Land Management national monuments established last year, according to a new poll released today by five environmental groups. Broad support for the newly protected areas cut across party lines, ages, location and gender. In contrast to the poll’s findings, Governor Jane Hull has recommended to Interior Secretary Gale Norton that these new monuments be open to development and their boundaries be changed. The poll was conducted in July by Phoenix-based Behavior Research Center and sampled registered voters throughout the state. Specifically, 79% of the poll respondents opposed removing any land from the Ironwood Forest National Monument, something the ASARCO mining company has proposed. The Ironwood Forest National Monument contains some of the densest stands of ironwood trees in the state and is also an important birthing ground for the last known viable population of desert bighorn sheep in Pima County. In Maricopa County, 90% of those polled want to protect the Sonoran Desert National Monument from an annual off-road vehicle race, an activity that was proposed in part of the monument. This monument contains 500,000 acres of the most biologically diverse desert ecosystem in North America only 25 air miles from the State Capitol. The poll also asked registered voters about President Bush’s proposal to open these public lands to energy development. Two-thirds of all Arizonans, including a majority of Republicans, wanted to keep new electric transmission lines and other energy developments out of these monuments. Interior Secretary Gale Norton wrote to Arizona Governor Jane Hull on March 28 of this year requesting information on “what role these Monuments should play in Arizona.” Governor Hull responded on April 6 with suggestions to alter the boundaries, prevent road closures, and to allow new power lines and mining. “There is overwhelming agreement that most Arizonans support these national monuments and want to see them carefully protected,” said Rob Smith, Sierra Club Southwest Representative. “The message to Secretary Norton and Governor Hull is: hands off our new monuments – they’re our gift to future generations.” “Support for the monuments cuts across party lines,” said Kathy Roediger of Republicans for Environmental Protection. “Republican President Teddy Roosevelt created many of our national monuments in Arizona, including the Grand Canyon, and these new monuments continue that tradition.” “Designation of these national monuments has been a significant conservation achievement for Arizona, providing natural areas protection that Arizonans have been asking for” said Carolyn Campbell, Executive Director of the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection. “These poll results are certainly no surprise.” “Arizona’s newest national monuments are national treasures. That is why the President invoked the Antiquities Act to protect them, “ said Pam Eaton, Four Corners Director for The Wilderness Society. “The people of Arizona have demonstrated time and again that they value these special places, believe they deserve protection as national monuments, and want to see them protected from threats like logging, off-road vehicle use, and mining.” “Gale Norton wanted local input, and here it is,” said Ted Zukoski, an attorney with the Land and Water Fund, which represents conservation groups concerned with the Sonoran Desert. “The message is clear: manage these lands to protect their tremendous natural values, not for off-road vehicle races, mining, powerlines, or other damaging uses.” Page updated: 08/07/01 Return to Press Releases and Action Alerts page Sierra Club, Grand Canyon Chapter, 202 E. McDowell Rd, Suite 277, Phoenix, AZ 85004, (602) 253-8633 |