Natural Trails & Waters Coaliton Press Release
March 21, 2002

Contact:
Julie Sherman, Sierra Club (480) 966-2389 (602) 758-8878 cell

Daniel Patterson, Desert Ecologist, CBD, Center for Biological Diversity

(520) 623-5252 520 906-2159 cell

Kristen Brengel, Natural Trails and Waters Coalition, 202-429-2694

Republicans for Environmental Protection

A bill introduced by Arizona Congressional Representative Bob Stump would undercut protections for Agua Fria National Monument, restrict the ability of the local Bureau of Land Management (BLM) office to create an effective management plan, and undermine Presidential authority to create or expand monuments.

This bill, H.R. 4076, the Agua Fria National Monument Technical Corrections Act, would make changes that are much more than technicalities. The bill's provisions would:

• Allow all uses of monument lands now prohibited by the monument proclamation, such as new mining, and development;
• Open all designated "trails" to vehicle use, and permit the BLM to open any part of the monument to cross-country vehicle travel for "any purpose;"
• Prohibit any removal of grazing, and declare ranching and recreation to be monument values, contrary to the original proclamation and the Antiquities Act;
• Restrict presidential powers by prohibiting the President from using the Antiquities Act to expand the monument;
• Grant a new 400-foot or larger right-of-way along about 20 miles of Interstate 17;
• Require monument plans be created and implemented under the advisement of an 8 member committee appointed by the Secretary of Interior; and
• Give away current water rights maintaining the flow of the Agua Fria River through the monument.

According to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), this monument contains one of the most significant systems of prehistoric cultural sites in the American Southwest. Monument designation helps protect the more than 450 known sites, which were being heavily damaged by looting and other human activity prior to designation.

This incredible archaeological richness is intertwined, both physically and culturally, with the beautiful and unique landscape: free-flowing desert streams, riparian forests, and semi-desert grasslands.

The monument was created to protect the cultural history and archaeological resources of this area, as well as the Agua Fria River, grasslands, riparian forests and sensitive species like the pronghorn, black hawk, desert tortoise and lowland leopard frog. All these resources are threatened by the increased human impacts H.R. 4076 would allow.

"Agua Fria National Monument was created to serve as a small sanctuary to protect these

cultural and environmental resources, and any change in legislation that threatens that protection cannot help but be short-sighted," says John Giacobbe, President of the Arizona Archaeological Council. "We need to allow the Bureau of Land Management to manage this monument in a

way that will preserve and protect these archaeological sites for all of us to enjoy and learn from. That was the motivation behind making this area into a National Monument, and most Arizonans agree that any change to that designation would be a mistake."

"Agua Fria is a national treasure," says Julie Sherman, Sierra Club conservation organizer. "This bill would undermine all the protections currently in place to preserve these natural and cultural values."

"Representative Stump is out of touch with Arizonans on this issue," states Kathy Roediger of Republicans for Environmental Protection. "A poll done last year shows 75% of Arizonans support Agua Fria and Arizona’s other new national monuments; and 71% oppose removing monument lands and allowing mining or development."

"Agua Fria National Monument was designated to protect wildlife and cultural resources, not become a playground for dirt bikes and other off-road vehicles," said Kristen Brengel of the Natural Trails and Waters Coalition, over 90 groups working to protect public lands and waters from off-road vehicle abuse. "This legislation intensifies the threats to this fragile landscape and circumvents the open public process before it has even begun."

"Bob Stump is dealing anti-environmental cards under the table to industry and Gov. Hull," said Daniel Patterson, Desert Ecologist. "Stump's bill would set dangerous precedents for all Monuments, but he is trying to sugar coat this bitter pill with misleading hype."

For a copy of H.R. 4076 or the 2001 poll on Arizona monuments, contact Julie Sherman at 602-254-0361 or e-mail julie.sherman@sierraclub.org.

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