Update: Federal Legislation & Birthplace of Rivers "National Monument" Controversy

Although West Virginia Wilderness Coalition has actively engaged communications media and some mayors to speak in favor of the monument designation, other elected officials and citizens have objections: 

• Sportsmen’s rights would be eroded and that hunting would eventually be banned; 
• A plan for how the area will be managed will not be made until AFTER the designation; 
• The restrictions resulting from designation would bar elderly hunters from the open forest roads they need for hunting;
• U.S. Department of Commerce data from the National Monument designation of Mount St. Helens shows no greater job (or economic) growth in the region after Monument designation;
• Photographs of Cranberry Wilderness parking lots show they are over-full and the area cannot handle more tourist traffic; and 
• County Commissioners indicate few people support the Monument proposal; they say WVWC is not listening to the people of Pocahontas County.

This is a national designation that requires NO elected official to vote. The President of the United States can simply declare the Birthplace of Rivers to be a "National Monument."  President Obama will likely confer with West Virginia’s federal delegation first, however, so education of those officials is probably the best course of action (United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121).

 

In reaction to past and possible designations, H.R. 1459, the Ensuring Public Involvement in the Creation of National Monuments Act has been introduced by Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT). The bill would require public participation before a Presidentially declared National Monument is made official. 

Under a century-old law, the 1906 Antiquities Act, presidents can unilaterally designate National Monuments without any input or involvement of the American public, community leaders, or elected officials. This authority, enacted prior to the establishment of today's land management laws, was intended to be used in emergencies to protect historic artifacts and sites of scientific value from imminent threat and "confined to the smallest area" necessary.  

 

Since its establishment 108 years ago, the Antiquities Act has at times been misused for political purposes. In most circumstances of abuse, large-scale designation are intended to limit specific uses, activities, and access to vast areas of America's public lands. This has hindered viable uses of land that benefit local communities and support industries and livelihoods, including education, energy production, farming, ranching, mining, and recreation.  

 

H.R. 1459 would guarantee the American people an opportunity to participate in the decisions that impact their communities and ensures that the designation process is transparent through the application of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Most, if not all, major public land-use decisions are statutorily required to go through the NEPA process.

 

National Monument designations deserve public input from the people and communities who are directly impacted. To treat presidents differently and allow designations to be done in secret is anything but transparent.