On Thursday, the Department of Interior turned in their final report to the president regarding national monuments. Contrary to President Trumps liking the Secretary requested that the administration keep and maintain all of the national monuments and make no reductions in size.
Perhaps Zinke was influenced by the widespread criticism he received from conservationist that invested millions of dollars in advertisements against him and the review.
One of the major opponents to Trump’s executive order was Patagonia, a sports gear and outdoor clothing line. Patagonia created their first TV ad in the company’s history, only to advise the Interior Secretary to stay true to his ‘roots.’ The company was afraid that Zinke would make unnecessary cuts to these federally protected lands. The clothing company targeted the administration and their inspection saying that this order is a ‘threat’ to America’s public land.
In a statement, Patagonia President and CEO Rose Marcario said she hopes that Zinke the former Montana Representative “remembers his roots and his words and protect these national treasures.”
Patagonia’s ad, which calls out Zinke telling him to “do the right thing,” has been running statewide in Utah, Nevada, and Sec. Zinke’s home state of Montana where other protected lands were in question. The clothing line, which has never even used TV advertising to promote their products, invested $700,000 for the ad to protect federal lands.
“This is not about politics or partisanship – it’s about standing up for places that belong to future generations,” the company said in a press release.
Bear Ears, a national monument in Utah, was a major park in question for the DOI. Former President Barack Obama proclaimed the 1.5 million acre land as federally protected land in 2016. In June, Zinke gave an initial interim report of his progress to the President. The Secretary alluded that the monument needed to be scaled back saying it must be the ‘right size.’
“There is no doubt that it is drop-dead gorgeous country and that it merits some degree of protection, but designating a monument that – including state land- encompasses almost 1.5 million-acres where multiple-use management is hindered or prohibited is not the best use of the land and is not in accordance with the intention of the Antiquities Act,” Zinke said in June.
But recent meetings with local leaders and horseback rides through the land combined with tough criticism from the media seem to have changed his mind on reducing the size of the national parks.
The 120-day review evaluated 27 monuments, which equates to 265 million acres, but his results may not be to the President’s liking. Patagonia has yet to respond to Zinke’s report. The President will review the report, but it does not necessarily mean he will abide by the DOI’s recommendations.
