Bill Text: AZ SCM1001 | 2015 | Fifty-second Legislature 1st Regular | Enrolled
Bill Title: National monument designation; opposition
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2015-03-30 - Transmitted to Secretary Of State [SCM1001 Detail]
Download: Arizona-2015-SCM1001-Enrolled.html
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Senate Engrossed |
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State of Arizona Senate Fifty-second Legislature First Regular Session 2015
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SENATE CONCURRENT MEMORIAL 1001 |
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A CONCURRENT MEMORIAL
urging the congress of the United states to oppose the designation of the Grand Canyon watershed national monument in northern Arizona.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
To the President and the Congress of the United States:
Your memorialist respectfully represents:
Whereas, Arizonans value the Grand Canyon as a national and world treasure and as an economic engine; and
Whereas, there is no threat to the Grand Canyon National Park and its surrounding lands; and
Whereas, existing laws and regulations, including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, the Archaeological Resources Protection Act and many others, ensure the protection and responsible use of the Grand Canyon National Park and its surrounding lands; and
Whereas, as of 2012, Arizona had the third highest total designated wilderness acreage in the United States with 4.5 million acres. Additionally, another 5.8 million acres were affected by special land use designations, including national monuments; and
Whereas, only three members of the eleven-member Arizona congressional delegation and others have requested that the President of the United States use his authority under the Antiquities Act to designate an estimated 1.7 million acres in northern Arizona as the Grand Canyon Watershed National Monument; and
Whereas, this proposed designation would almost double the amount of acreage designated as national monuments in Arizona and would be the nation's second largest national monument after the neighboring Grand Staircase‑Escalante National Monument in southern Utah, which is over 1.8 million acres; and
Whereas, the federal government granted lands at statehood to the State of Arizona to be held in trust to provide a source of income for schools and other beneficiaries; and
Whereas, the proposed monument designation would severely impact thousands of acres of state trust lands locked up within its boundaries and deny their beneficial use to the trust; and
Whereas, this taking of state trust lands within the proposed national monument without just compensation would be a breach of the sacred trust between the State of Arizona and the federal government that was agreed on in this state's enabling act and harms Arizona's school children; and
Whereas, withdrawal of this vast amount of lands from multiple-use management eliminates or restricts reasonable and thoughtful use of these natural resources for multiple purposes, such as recreation, grazing, mining, energy development and forestry; and
Whereas, multiple-use management of these lands by the United States Bureau of Land Management and the United States Forest Service is based on resource management plans that were developed with public input and have framed the use of these lands since the passage of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act in 1976; and
Whereas, responsible use of natural resources provides a substantial economic benefit to northern Arizona and there is no reason to eliminate this benefit for a nonexistent threat; and
Whereas, the conservation of wildlife resources across Arizona is the trust responsibility of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission; and
Whereas, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission voted to oppose the proposed Grand Canyon Watershed National Monument on May 11, 2012 and its analysis found that monument designation can lead to restrictions on proactive wildlife management, including hunting and fishing access; and
Whereas, national monument designation requires a very narrow management regime and could severely restrict forest management activities, such as scientifically established fire management, erosion control and invasive species treatments; and
Whereas, in addition, Arizona's proper management of state forest lands, which includes selective logging, has made for a healthy and prolific environment for naturally occurring habitat and has proven effective in preventing habitat loss, as has occurred on federally managed forest lands, through wildfire; and
Whereas, consideration of the effects on the customs, cultures and economic well-being of our local communities as well as important historic and cultural aspects of our local heritage; and
Whereas, the cost benefit of this proposal must be considered; and
Whereas, while a minority caucus of three of the eleven-member Arizona congressional delegation and a small, yet vocal, group of others advocate to transfer state resources to the federal government, the State of Arizona desires to uphold the congressional designation of the multiple-use policy as per the Federal Land Management Policy Act as being best for our citizens and Arizona's economy.
Wherefore your memorialist, the Senate of the State of Arizona, the House of Representatives concurring, prays:
1. That the President of the United States does not designate the Grand Canyon Watershed National Monument in northern Arizona.
2. That the United States Congress oppose the designation of the Grand Canyon Watershed National Monument in northern Arizona.
3. That any new monuments, including the proposed Grand Canyon Watershed National Monument, have express state and congressional approval before they are so designated by the President.
4. That the Governor and the Attorney General of the State of Arizona take appropriate actions to implement this Memorial.
5. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona transmit copies of this Memorial to the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, each Member of Congress from the State of Arizona, the Secretary of the Interior, the Governor of the State of Arizona and the Attorney General of the State of Arizona.
PASSED BY THE HOUSE MARCH 25, 2015.
PASSED BY THE SENATE MARCH 3, 2015.
FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE MARCH 30, 2015.
