Congressman Hurd:
Thank you for responding to my concerns about President Trump’s proclamations reducing Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments. I understand that these were presidential actions and did not receive a congressional vote.
However, your response did not answer the central question: Do you personally support or oppose these reductions, and why?
As chairman of the House Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs, you said the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute tribes would have a voice through your leadership. Did you consult the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe – one of the five Bears Ears Coalition tribes – before or after the proclamation? Will you determine whether meaningful government-to-government consultation occurred before the Bears Ears Commission was terminated and make those findings public?
Do you support continued formal participation by the five tribal nations in managing Bears Ears? How is terminating the commission consistent with tribal sovereignty, the federal trust responsibility, and the relationship your subcommittee oversees?
As a member of the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee, will you seek disclosure of mining claims, lease applications, companies, or projects that may benefit from the reductions? What activities may now be permitted, and what protections have been lost?
Finally, what action will you take? Will you support oversight, seek agency information, protect tribal involvement, or pause ground-disturbing approvals pending consultation and legal review?
Congress’ lack of a vote does not prevent committee leaders from taking a position or conducting oversight. I respectfully request answers.
Carla Hendrickson
Mancos
