Sooner and keep to their schedules unfortunately we will be interrupted around 10 30 four votes well try to get to as much testimony before that beginning with Opening Statements. The subcommittee on federal lands meets with hr 4550 the ground my the grand deer case cosponsored by the entire utah congressional delegation. The Antiquities Act of 1906 provides six provides the president to designate National Monuments on federal lands containing historic or prehistoric structures or other objects of historic or scientific interest. Also National Monuments quote mac to be confined to the smallest area compatible with proper care and management to be protected. Congressman stevens asked if they could ever be used like the Forest Reserve bill in response the congressman stated certainly not. The object is entirely different it is to preserve these old objects of special interest in the southwest while the Forest Reserve bill preserves the forest and water courses. President roosevelt this to declare 1200 acres around the devils tower in wyoming is a National Monuments since this time president s have broadly interpreted to expand the size and justifications for National Monument designation. 1996 president clinton in a breathtaking abuse of this law unilaterally declared 1. 7 million acres blm management land in southern utah as the Grand StaircaseNational Monument without any consultation with the utah delegation including democratic representatives in his district of where they were located or the governor who was one of our Witnesses Today. One week before the announcement the administration assured the year senator they would not do this declaration with no such action contemplated. Clinton drafted the order and secret consultation with leftist environmental groups and later learned to take future Resource Development impossible it devastated the state of utah and the local communities and cost the Public School system hundreds of millions of dollars of future revenue deprive local families of highpaying local jobs to raise permits from these lands. To put this into perspective Hurricane Harvey inflicted 200 billion of damage when it slammed into texas this year. The low end conservative estimate is 223 billion just from Economic Activity from Mineral Development alone. The administration only discover their designation included 176,000 acres of land set aside for support of the Public Schools the day before they made the announcement. No one person should have the authority to lock up millions of acres of land with a stroke of a pen. By giving congress authority over public lands the constitution guarantees all focus will be heard when the decision affecting millions of acres of land is made. The people expect their government to listen to those affected and not just outofstate special Interest Groups. They have every right to demand congress reassert its role on their behalf. This seeks to write the wrong to do it the constitutional way to open hearings and congressional action. To create the six National Park the escalon tape park and that is historically important pioneer trail and has three distinct monuments Grand Staircase, and escalante comprised of local officials to oversee the Management Plan and a National Park we have a distinguished panel of witnesses and i am looking forward to their testimony i ranking recognize the Ranking Member. We will hear testimony on the grand their case escalante enhancement act representative stuart introduced to look at those recently designated by President Trump to create a new National Park. Under normal circumstances legislation established a new National Park with bright lung dash bipartisan support but with a proposed bill are not normal. In 1996 president clinton designated the Grand Staircase escalante National Monument for 20 years communities have grown and diversified and thrived. This is the story we will hear from the owner of one canon outdoor and she will also tell us how last weeks announcement to repeal the Grand Staircase escalante to replace it with three monuments can hurt the business and livelihood of others. President trump based his action without Legal Authority on a review conducted by the secretary which we have yet to see. During this review receiving 2. 8 million Public Comments in favor of moving all National Monuments. Ultimately they advised the president to alter the existing National Monuments this recommendation was based on a visit to eight National Monuments and surrounding communities as we hear from Witnesses Today the secretary refused to meet with Small Business owners who live in those communities that depend on the National Monuments and public land it is unfortunate tax dollars were wasted on a report to justify the action beyond the scope of the president s authority under the Antiquities Act. Only congress can shrink the National Monuments which is why last weeks proclamation is already challenged in court. Some question the timing of the bill just two days after the president made his proclamation. I have maps with the state of utah that confirms there was an agreement and i asking animus consent to put those in the record as part of this hearing. Without objection. Reality is congress has acted on numerous occasions to ratify from the clinton designation legislation to exchange liens with 20 million were appropriated with the mining claims finally to point out there is not a witness on blm or National Park service this is troubling since they are creating a National Park managed by the unelected board of those of state and local government additionally to have a purpose that is contradictory to the 1916 act under the circumstances the review is appropriate and necessary inconsistent. Hundreds of letters from local businesses and Community Organizations have poured in the last couple of days and i ask unanimous consent to enter these that we would consider these as we examine this bill. Without objection. I yield back. We now recognize the chairman of the national committee. If it is okay with you without i do have an Opening Statement but can we hear from congressman stewart force first . Be met without objection now the congressman from utah to my to my colleagues and he Ranking Members thank you for letting me speak to you. About a bill that is extremely important to my district. The Grand Staircase escalante enhancement act as already stated over 20 years ago president clinton stood in the state of arizona, not utah with the stroke of a pen using the Antiquities Act declared 2 million acres of land in a new time as the Grand Staircase monument i am pleased that secretary lovett who was a governor at this time will in lightness into that deception we were subject to the federal government upon promised it would create a boom of tourism but over two decades later there has been some increasing tourism but not to economically sustain these communities. In 2015 the county had to declare a state of emergency based on declining and moment in the schools they are dying because families could not stay in the county and they could not stay because there were so few jobs left of sustaining a family. Tourism alone cannot sustain these communities. I support tourism and i am proud of my stay i would love for everyone in the country to enjoy this beautiful state but this is a matter of common sense. Name me a job you can sustain a family may to october ask Business Owners how much do you pay your employees . Waitresses . Those that make the beds in hotels . It is not enough to raise a family. Some say this threatens business that is silly how is creating a National Park endangering tourism . The intent is to do the opposite to foster and increased tourism. The situation has been forced on residents with a misguided step of policy reminding is washington has a bad habit to draft policy without giving local communities a seat at the table i was reminded this morning of common elites in hollywood and corporate ceos being dishonest many couldnt find this area on the map if they had to think of never been to utah or had a conversation with anyone that has been impacted. I spent five years in an effort to strike a balance while also providing access through the local economy. The key to success is finding Creative Solutions that benefit both the tourism while preserving our culture and this act does that to create three new separate National Monuments increase a new National Park. I will take a moment to explain the bill first it creates three National Monuments preserving over 1 million acres of federal land while allowing access for hunting and trapping and fishing also creates a management counsel of officials locally this is unprecedented to give local leaders a voice and a seat at the table this is a county that 93 is controlled by the federal government why would anybody object giving the local community a voice how it is managed . Finally the road it is only fitting that utah preserve this area. Lastly the legislation creates the six park it is a win for conservation and activist in the local communities to increase tourism giving a muchneeded boost to the local economy giving them a voice in their own backyard. In addition to provide Infrastructure Spending to make Resources Available such as trails and restrooms and roads. I love utah i could live anywhere in the world but i chose to live in utah because i love to hike and ski and i want to preserve that. This gives us an opportunity to do that. It truly is a winwin situation i urge calling symbol sides support that. I yield back. Any questions . Thank you for your testimony. We will do a round of questions. Congressman stewart did you say 93 of the land is held by the federal government . Be my guest. 96 is federally owned. Off the tax rolls. Exactly. What impact does this designation have on the 90 to percent of the land in the county the federal government holds . Can you imagine being a locally elected official to be responsible for roads and schools everything the Community Needs to survive but having 93 of your tax base taken out from underneath you . It is incredibly difficult and you will hear from locally elected officials that leave them coming to washington d. C. Constantly begging for help as they dont have the authority or the ability to manage their own affairs. Because it is off the tax rolls they should be giving them tax revenues from that was there any productive activity prior . You make yes there was and that. What was supported . We used to have a thriving commuter industry it has been decimated because of these policies. We had Mineral Development that is completely taken off the table. So they were held by the federal government they were still able to be put to productive use for the remaining community. Exactly right. So now it made impossible by the way to make an important point they didnt know they had the multiple use but they still manage that in such a way it was pristine enough to still be designated as a monument it is not Like Washington d. C. Said what a mess we need to save them they managed it very well. It was still pristine enough to be a National Monument. They are not smart enough to do this we need someone in washington d. C. To do that for them. I wish they will state where the federal government old 1 would consider what would happen to their communities of the federal government took over 93 of their land, then imposed her coney and restrictions to prevent these lands to be put to any productive activity. I feel like i am standing up for the little guy, the families who just want to keep their Families Together instead their kids say i would love to ranch with you but we cant because the permits have been taken i will move to the city instead. In this process of taking that 93 of the land with productive use i assume they were fully consulted by the federal government, hearings held in maximum input from the local community . I appreciate your sarcasm. Of course that was not the case which is one of the primary objections. If people felt they had a voice it wasnt like they had an opportunity to make their input be heard if the decision the other way they would accept that they understand they cant decide everything all they are asking for is give us a chance to tell you what this is done to our community and families. Perhaps that is why the constitution gives to congress and not the President Authority over public lands though decisions like this that affect the likelihood of families across the west, to be done in the open with full hearings and consultation of the local communities and voted upon by all representatives of the people after open deliberations not by a single individual with a stroke of the pen acting in secrecy and worse, misleading the local representatives of the community of his ultimate intent. I will say thank you for saying that and i agree. In light of the fact we will be called for votes and a panel that has travel the distance to be here i will yield my time to the representative. Thank you. Thank you Ranking Member. And congressman stewart or your service and your representation of your community. But i want to make sure i understand the bill that you present to us. Can you confirm the bill does not peel the 900,000 blm acres of wilderness study areas . Within the original Grand Staircase there was 900,000 acres of blm wilderness study areas. Will they be maintained . This bill codifies the president s action of last week some of those reside within the National Park and they will be managed as a National Park. We are talking about the monuments. It doesnt repeal. Section 13 is quite ambiguou ambiguous. We would be happy to work with you to clarify that. So you say those 900,000 acres will remain wilderness study acres . I dont want to say misunderstanding i mean generally that the assumption that it repeals any protections on that is not true. They are still federally owned lands and federally managed like before. So your answer is those 900,000 acres will remain as wilderness study acres . Thats true. There will be approximately 677,000 acres of federal public land your bill would potentially open up a 677,000 acres of federal public land formally turned the use of the land no longer within the Grand Staircase you will open those up to oil potentially gas or coal leasing as well as mining . So you understand now we open these to the development . These would be managed like any other federal land if they are local and there is no resources or Gas Resources at this point i dont think anyone speculates there are, they would be subject to all protections. Now you are potentially opening up. I appreciate you bringing up that point because that is one of the things we want to do. I am not hiding that. Of course we are trying to do that for the local community to make these Resources Available so they can have opportunities taken from them. I yield back. To any other members have questions for mr. Stewart . Thank you for bringing this bill you may remain and participate. We know after the second panel to come forward. And the chairman recognizes you now i will do my Opening Statement now as history teacher to go through the history of the grandstand staircase as the memo told the president that monuments proposed by the president do not require approval because it does not require action there was a six series of memos asking president clinton to do something for his Reelection Campaign to help overcome the negative use mom views of clinton designation of a new monument would have a compelling reason to enthusiastic support the administration the opposition comes from those that are unlikely to support the administration under any circumstance so in 1982 finishing third in utah obviously this was easy pickings. March 19, 1996 once again