Tester calls to keep UMB as monument

Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester reiterated his support for the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument keeping its national monument status Friday in a video posted on YouTube and a letter to Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke.

In the one-minute-and-15-second-long video, Tester reads portions of the letter dated July 14.

"This region has largely remained unchanged since God made it," Tester said.

"Protecting it as a national monument will keep it that way for our kids and grandkids while also guaranteeing clean water and rich hunting and fishing opportunities," he added.  

In a portion of the letter not read in the video, Tester said removing the monument status of the Breaks would be "a job-killing step backwards in our responsibility to protect public lands - and a waste of taxpayer money to boot."

Last month Zinke said the monument designation is unlikely to be changed.

A press release from Tester's office said Tester has been contacted by nearly 700 Montanans concerned the Trump administration will use the review to roll back public access to the Breaks. A spokesperson said supporters of the monument wanted Tester to make sure Zinke knew they opposed changing the monument.

The Breaks was designated a national monument by President Bill Clinton in January 2001 using the Antiquities Act. The monument consists of 377,000 acres of federal land and has 40,000 acres of state land and 80,000 acres of private land within its boundaries. The land is known for its historic and cultural significance and rich biological diversity.

The state and private land is not directly impacted by the monument status, but is reserved to become part of the monument if the federal government obtains it from a willing seller.

The Breaks was one of 26 monuments named by the Interior Department in May for review after President Donald Trump signed an executive order instructing the department to review the designation or size of national monuments of 100,000 acres or more that were created or expanded after Jan 1, 1996.

During the review period, which ended July 10, people had the chance to weigh in on whether the monument should retain its designation and remain at its current size.

Zinke said the review was meant to give people who live near national monuments a voice in the process.

However, in the video and letter, Tester said there was a two-year review when extensive public input was offered before designated the Breaks a national monument.

In June, Tester along with Montana Gov. Steve Bullock publicly called on Zinke to allow the Breaks to keep its designation.

"Today, the area provides over 130,000 visitors per year providing an influx of approximately $10 million to the local economy," Bullock wrote in the letter to Zinke. "The local economy has come to depend on this."

A statement from Montana Republican Sen. Steve Daines last month said he shares the commitment Secretary Zinke has in listening carefully to the farmers, ranchers, sportsmen and community members impacted by local land decisions, Daines said, adding that, as a sportsman, he appreciates the special nature of the Upper Missouri River Breaks.

Montana Republican U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte issued a similar statement.

"I believe these designations need to be scrutinized and made with local support," he said. "It's important that any decision take into account the concerns and impact of the people living in that area."