Washington, D.C. – Ahead of President Donald Trump’s visit to Utah where he is expected to revoke Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments, League of Conservation Voters President Gene Karpinski released the following statement:

“President Trump and Secretary Zinke’s move to revoke Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments is the largest attack on parks and public lands in our nation’s history. This unprecedented act goes beyond the administration’s legal authority and ignores millions of public comments as well as the hard work of tribal communities to protect sacred sites and archaeological treasures. By opening up these national monuments to oil, gas and coal speculators, the Trump administration is proving once again that they only care about padding the pockets of their polluter allies.

“An attack on one national park or monument is an attack on them all, threatening our outdoor recreation economy and undermining our nation’s commitment to protecting our natural heritage for future generations. We’ll be watching today to see how President Trump attempts to justify this extraordinary action, and the League of Conservation Voters will continue to stand with the overwhelming majority of people who support our parks and monuments every step of the way.”