Senate Joint Resolution No. 2–Committee on
Natural Resources

 

FILE NUMBER..........

 

SENATE Joint RESOLUTION—Expressing opposition to the designation of a national monument by the President of the United States without obtaining the approval of each state and local government in which the national monument is located.

 

   Whereas, The provisions of 16 U.S.C. §§ 431, 432 and 433,

 commonly referred to as the Antiquities Act of 1906, authorize the

 President of the United States to designate national monuments without

 the approval of Congress or any state or local government in which the

 national monument is located; and

   Whereas, As part of designating a national monument pursuant to

 those provisions, the President of the United States may reserve parcels of

 public land to ensure the appropriate care and management of the national

 monument, and the reservation of that public land must be confined to the

 smallest area compatible with that care and management; and

   Whereas, The designation of a national monument is often a subject of

 controversy because the public lands that are included within the

 designation are withdrawn from the public domain, thereby restricting

 activities such as mining, ranching and recreation which provide an

 economic benefit to state and local governments in which the national

 monument is located; and

   Whereas, Decisions concerning the use and management of public

 lands within a state should be decided by the residents of that state acting

 through their state and local representatives; and

   Whereas, The unilateral designation of a national monument by the

 President of the United States does not create beneficial partnerships

 between states and the Federal Government concerning the management

 of public lands within those states, instead, such a designation serves to

 create enmity and to limit the ability of a state to manage its water

 resources and the ability of state and local governments to develop plans

 for conservation or otherwise participate in managing those public lands;

 now, therefore,

be it

   Resolved by the Senate and Assembly of the State of Nevada,

 Jointly, That the Legislature of the State of Nevada hereby opposes the

 designation of a national monument by the President of the United States

 without obtaining the approval of each state and local government in

 which the national monument is located; and be it further

   Resolved, That the President of the United States is hereby urged to

 refrain from designating a national monument or from withdrawing public

 lands from the public domain to create a national monument without

 obtaining such approval; and be it further

   Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and transmit a copy

 of this resolution to the President of the United States, the Vice President

 of the United States as the presiding officer of the Senate, the Speaker of

 the House of Representatives and each member of the Nevada

 Congressional Delegation; and be it further

   Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon passage.

 

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