COMMENTARY: Trump administration’s review of national monuments could set a dangerous precedent
Last week we traveled nearly 1,000 miles to attend the “Western Businesses for National Monuments” roundtable discussions in Montana.
We felt it was critical, as did restaurateurs, brewery owners, outdoor gear manufacturers, expedition guides, hotel owners and more who came from California, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada and Montana. All of us were there to discuss how losing national monument protections might affect small businesses who rely on tourism and outdoor enthusiasts visiting protected public lands.
We have been worried about this for months, since April when President Donald Trump issued an executive order instructing the Department of the Interior to “review” 27 national monuments for possible reduction in size or complete removal. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s final recommendations are due next week. While some monuments have been “pardoned,” 22 national monuments remain in the cross-hairs and decisions to remove protections on any one of them could threaten jobs, business plans and gateway economies in the Western states.
Our aim in Montana was to connect with other local businesses and share our stories of innovation and job-creation fueled by public lands. As we listened to each other, the big takeaway was unequivocal: The monument review is a dangerous path and threatens future economic development. Small businesses in gateway communities across the West would be severely hurt by a loss of national monument protections.
The protected public lands connection to business prosperity is verifiable. According to the 2017 Outdoor Industry Association’s Outdoor Recreation Economy report, the five Western states represented at the roundtables benefit from an outdoor economy supporting 1.18 million jobs, $149.6 billion in consumer spending, $49.92 billion in wages and salaries along with $10.2 billion in state and local tax revenue.
In Nevada, two new national monuments, Basin and Range and Gold Butte, have sparked a great deal of optimism in small-business owners outside of Las Vegas. For example, in the immediate surrounding area within 50 miles of Basin and Range, two hours north of the throngs at the Strip, there are no fewer than 25 businesses ready to provide needed food, lodging or automotive services for monument visitors. As Nevada becomes as known for its outdoors as for its casinos — aided significantly by the attraction of monument designations — small business throughout the state will increasingly benefit and make a huge contribution to our state economy.
However, the review process threatens monuments and instills a sense of uncertainty in communities across the West — and that’s exactly the opposite of what businesses need to plan, develop and grow. How can a business make investments based on a monument that is in limbo and may be downsized or even vanish? How do you hire new employees if you are unsure about the attraction that brings people and business to town? Even changing one monument based on the political environment sets a precedent, opening the door to continually reviewing and changing monuments and ongoing uncertainty.
We know Secretary Zinke grew up enjoying public lands in Montana. We gathered in his home state to get his attention, make an impact and send this strong message: reducing or eliminating any of America’s national monuments is bad for jobs and bad for business. Our hope is that by bringing together businesses that benefit directly from our national monuments, we’ve helped Secretary Zinke to realize fully just how much protected public lands, parks and monuments support local business.
For western small businesses, monuments are like the goose that lays the golden eggs. Who would want to tamper with that?
Peter Guzman is president of the Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce. Norberto Madrigal is vice president of the Latin Chamber.
