Page 2 - atoday

A2 UP FRONT
Thursday 29 december 2016
Obama names Utah, Nevada monuments despite GOP opposition

BRADY McCOMBS servationists said both sites idency has tempered the Council on Environmental ing, fishing and other recre-
Associated Press were at risk of looting and excitement of tribal leaders Quality, said the Antiquities ation, they said.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Presi- vandalism. and conservationists, with Act that allows a president Members of Utah’s all-GOP
dent Barack Obama desig- congressional delegation
nated two national monu- had backed a plan to pro-
ments Wednesday at sites tect about 1.4 million acres
in Utah and Nevada that at Bears Ears, while open-
have become key flash- ing up other areas of the
points over use of public state for development.
land in the U.S. West, mark- The boundaries of the mon-
ing the administration’s lat- ument are roughly based
est move to protect envi- on that plan and signifi-
ronmentally sensitive areas cantly smaller than what
in its final days. a coalition of tribes had
The Bears Ears National sought. But Navajo Nation
Monument in Utah will cov- President ?Russell Begaye
er 1.35 million acres in the called it an exciting day for
Four Corners region, the his tribe and people of all
White House said. In a vic- cultures.
tory for Native American “We have always looked to
tribes and conservationists, Bears Ears as a place of ref-
the designation protects uge, as a place where we
land that is considered sa- can gather herbs and me-
cred and is home to an dicinal plants, and a place
estimated 100,000 archae- of prayer and sacredness,”
ological sites, including an- This July 15, 2016, file photo, U.S. The “Moonhouse” in McLoyd Canyon, near Blanding, Utah, is Begaye said. “The rocks,
cient cliff dwellings. shown during U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell tour. the winds, the land — they
It’s a blow for state Repub- Associated Press are living, breathing things
lican leaders and many ru- that deserve timely and
ral residents who fear it will “Today’s actions will help some worrying he could try to create monuments does lasting protection.”
add another layer of un- protect this cultural legacy to reverse or reduce some not give a president author- The Navajo Nation is one
necessary federal control and will ensure that future of Obama’s expansive ity to undo a designation, of five tribes that will get an
and close the area to ener- generations are able to en- land protections. a rule the courts have up- elected official on a first-of-
gy development and rec- joy and appreciate these Utah’s Republican senators held. She acknowledged its-kind tribal commission for
reation, a common refrain scenic and historic land- vowed to work toward just that Congress could take the Bears Ears monument.
in the battle over use of the scapes,” Obama said in a that. “This arrogant act by action, though. The panel will provide fed-
American West’s vast open statement. a lame duck president will Opponents agree the area eral land managers with
spaces. His administration has not stand,” U.S. Sen. Mike is a natural treasure worth tribal expertise and histori-
In Nevada, a 300,000-acre rushed to safeguard vul- Lee tweeted about Bears preserving but worried that cal knowledge about the
Gold Butte National Monu- nerable areas ahead of Ears. Sen. Orrin Hatch said the designation would cre- area, federal officials said.
ment outside Las Vegas President-elect Donald Obama showed “an aston- ate restrictions on oil and Tucked between exist-
would protect a scenic and Trump’s inauguration. It ishing and egregious abuse gas development as well ing national parks and the
ecologically fragile area has blocked new mining of executive power” and residents’ ability to camp, Navajo reservation, the
near where rancher Cliv- claims outside Yellowstone that “far-left special inter- bike, hike and gather proposed monument fea-
en Bundy led in an armed National Park and new oil est groups matter more to wood. New mining or en- tures stunning vistas at ev-
standoff with government drilling in the Arctic Ocean. him than the people who ergy development will be ery turn, with a mix of cliffs,
agents in 2014. It includes Obama’s creation and have lived on and cared banned, but existing op- plateaus, towering rock
rock art, artifacts, rare fos- expansion of monuments for Utah’s lands for genera- erations won’t be affected, formations, rivers and can-
sils and recently discovered covers more acreage than tions.” federal officials said. Wood yons across wide expanses
dinosaur tracks. any other president. Christy Goldfuss, managing and plant gathering is still covered by sagebrush and
The White House and con- But Trump’s upcoming pres- director of the White House allowed as well as hunt- juniper trees. q

Trump inaugural to include prayers from prosperity preachers

RACHEL ZOLL who spread the prosperity gospel will pray to God at the inaugural Rev. Franklin Graham, son of the
AP Religion Writer will be included in the ceremony. “that He would richly bless our evangelist Billy Graham; Roman
Two preachers who teach that While the faith movement is extraordinary home, the United Catholic Cardinal Timothy Dolan
God will make the faithful rich are widely popular, many Christians States of America.” Anthony Pinn, of New York; the Rev. Samuel Ro-
among the religious leaders cho- consider it heretical. Ministers in a Rice University religious studies driguez, head of the National His-
sen to offer prayers at President- the tradition often hold up their professor, described the prosper- panic Christian Leadership Con-
elect Donald Trump’s swearing- own wealth as evidence their ity gospel “as a way to religiously ference, an evangelical group;
in, the inaugural committee said teachings work. Trump had cam- rationalize material acquisition.” and the Rabbi Marvin Hier, found-
Wednesday. paigned in part on his record as He said participating in the inau- er of the Simon Wiesenthal Center,
Prosperity gospel preachers Paula a wealthy real estate developer gural gives the preachers a new which conducts education about
White, a friend of Trump’s, and and businessman. The Senate Fi- kind of prominence. the Holocaust and speaks out
Bishop Wayne T. Jackson, whose nance Committee had investigat- “You’ve got millions of people who against anti-Semitism and bias.
Detroit church hosted the Repub- ed White and five other prosper- will see them perform,” Pinn said. The Wiesenthal Center had pre-
lican in September, will be among ity preachers over their spending, “There’s a tremendous amount of viously criticized Trump, accus-
six faith leaders selected to partic- but the inquiry ended in 2011 with benefit that goes along with that.” ing him of casting suspicion on all
ipate in the Jan. 20 inauguration. no penalty for the televangelists. The four other religious leaders Muslims in his remarks on terrorism.
It will be the first time preachers White said in a statement that she included in the inaugural are the q