Walden to administraton: Heed Malheur vote, drop monument

Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore, has written to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to urge her to heed the results a referendum overwhelmingly passed by voters in Malheur County on Tuesday in opposition to a potential large national monument designation on the Owyhee Canyonlands.

Walden also shared the news with President Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

The full text of Walden’s letter is as follows:

Dear Madam Secretary,

I’ve appreciated our discussions regarding the proposed Owyhee Canyonlands National Monument and your statements before the House Natural Resources Committee confirming that no one in your department is working on such a proposal. That information is comforting news to me and my constituents who believe, as you do, in building positive, cooperative partnerships when it comes to managing our public lands.

I also appreciated your commitment to me that if the Interior Department does engage on such a proposal, that you will let me and the Natural Resources Committee know at your earliest convenience. Nothing will erode public trust more than another “dark-of-night” monument designation that is created without a fair public process that includes the input of the citizens most affected by such an action.

Tuesday, the voters of Malheur County weighed in at the ballot box with their views regarding the proposal. Nearly 55% of eligible voters turned out in a special election and nearly 90% voted against the 2.5 million acre proposed monument.

Given the intense emotions regarding federal land management in Oregon, and across the West, I knew you would take interest in the strongly held opinions of the residents of this eastern Oregon county. The sooner you and the President can put this matter to rest, the sooner we can move forward in a positive direction.

Thank you for your interest in this matter and others related to prudent and productive improvements in federal land management.

Sincerely,

Greg Walden
U.S. Representative
Oregon’s 2nd District

cc: President Barack Obama
Secretary Tom Vilsack

At a hearing in the U.S. House last week, Secretary Jewell told Walden that she is not aware of any coordination between her department and the White House on a potential monument designation in Malheur County. She pledged to notify Walden and the House Natural Resources Committee if such a process were to begin.

Walden has strongly opposed the possible monument designation in Malheur County. He has repeatedly urged President Obama and top members of the Administration to back off the proposal to ease tensions in the rural West.