THE BATTLE OVER LAND, 1976 TO THE PRESENT
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m e n t a l i s t s p o i n t e d o u t w i t h s o m e pleasure t h a t a D e m o c r a t i c presid e n t like C l i n t o n was already u n p o p u l a r in U t a h a n d h a d little t o lose b y exercising his o w n political m u s c l e , p a r t i c u l a r l y in o p p o s i t i o n t o Republican politicians w h o felt t h e y c o u l d dictate t h e state's a g e n d a in regard to federally m a n a g e d l a n d s . Kathleen A. M c G i n t y testified before t h e U n i t e d States H o u s e of Representatives S u b c o m m i t t e e o n N a t i o n a l Parks, Forests, a n d Lands C o m m i t t e e o n Resources o n 29 April 1997 a n d spoke of h e r belief in t h e i m p o r t a n c e of t h e d e c i s i o n in s e t t i n g a n a g e n d a of w i l d e r n e s s p r o t e c t i o n a n d l a n d - u s e policy. She said, I understand that different people have different views of the lands in the monument. For my part, I have never seen a place as beautiful, as wild, as close to the hand of God. The Earth's own history is openly told as nowhere else in the canyons and plateaus, slickrock and sandstone. The history of courageous, resourceful people graces the land. In a continent of rising noise, urbanization, and busy-ness, I think this remote, quiet, often austere federal land deserved protection. But I respect the views of others, including some of those here today, who saw other values in the land. For m y p a r t , I t h i n k t h a t e s t a b l i s h m e n t of t h e m o n u m e n t w a s o n e of t h e m o s t p r o f o u n d a n d a p p r o p r i a t e acts of l a n d s t e w a r d s h i p ever t a k e n in t h i s N a t i o n . It is a n u n d e r s t a t e m e n t t o say t h e l a n d s c o n t a i n objects of scientific o r historic interest, as t h e Antiquities Act r e q u i r e s . C o n s e r v a t i o n of t h e l a n d s h a s b e e n h o t l y d e b a t e d for d e c a d e s , a n d b y last year, t h e l a n d s w e r e in real j e o p a r d y . T h e P r e s i d e n t exercised his a u t h o r i t y , d e s p i t e p o t e n t i a l political risk, to assure their c o n t i n u e d p r o t e c t i o n . H e p r o t e c t e d t h e l a n d a n d t h e t r a d i t i o n a l uses of t h e land, s u c h as grazing a n d h u n t i n g , t h a t are central t o t h e area's r u r a l values a n d quality of life. I t h i n k t h e President d i d exactly t h e right thing. 3 0 U n i v e r s i t y of U t a h e c o n o m i s t R. T h a y n e R o b s o n b e l i e v e d t h e controversy over the m o n u m e n t to be particularly i m p o r t a n t because it "illustrates t h a t i m p o r t a n t s e g m e n t s of t h e U t a h c o m m u n i t y a n d n a t i o n a l interest g r o u p s have created a n e n v i r o n m e n t in w h i c h t h e d e m o c r a t i c t r a d i t i o n of c o m p r o m i s e t h a t p r o d u c e s rational decisions is impossible." 3 1 H e c o n t i n u e d , " T h e political a n d e c o n o m i c i n c e n -
