Department of
Interior Secretary Sally Jewell vowed that President Obama would use executive
authority to create more national monuments to protect lands if Congress
doesn't pass legislation to do so. "If
Congress doesn't step up to act," Jewell said during a speech at the
National Press Club in Washington, "then the president will take
action."
Obama has used the
more than century-old Antiquities Act to establish national monuments nine
times, with six coming in the last year. The administration has said it would
use the law only if local communities can demonstrate there is significant
support for such action. Those moves
have invited backlash from House Republicans, contending those decisions are
best left to Congress.
Congress hasn't
approved a new national monument or park since 2010, with Republicans charging
that the White House is keeping too much federal land off limits to oil and gas
development. Republicans say the shale
energy boom could be replicated on federal lands, enhancing energy security and
bringing more revenue to the Treasury……To Read More…..
No comments:
Post a Comment