Letter: Bears Ears area used by native peop..

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Supporting the initiative to revoke protection over Bears Ears National Monument in order to open up new areas for potential energy extraction or ranching is not as important as protecting tribal interests.

The land is already in use. As well as being a sacred site for many different tribes, the land is used regularly for ceremonies and food collection. This land is not empty space, regional tribes tend to the land and find inherent value in its existence.

The U.S. government has a shameful history of repeatedly going back on agreements with native peoples, and we as Utahns have the opportunity to support the right thing this time.

Former President Barack Obama made a promise to protect Bears Ears just last year, and to go back on that promise now would be a slap in the face to so many native people.

Sylvie Henry

Salt Lake City

Letter: Bears Ears area used by native peoples