Conservation Groups Urge Rejection of Bill Limiting Presidential Power to Designate National Monuments in House Hearing

Conservation groups and the oil and gas industry are publicly sparring over a series of public lands bills set to be debated at a House hearing. A coalition of nearly 70 conservation groups is urging the House Natural Resources Committee to reject legislation that would limit the president’s ability to designate national monuments. The bill, H.R. 5499, would amend the Antiquities Act of 1906 to require congressional approval of presidential monument designations. The groups have written a letter to Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark) and Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Meeks), expressing their strong opposition to HR.5499.