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Letter: Continue conservation efforts

By Risa Nagel, SEATTLE
Published: September 23, 2016, 6:00am

In response to the Sept. 16 Associated Press story “Obama: Oceans key to protecting planet from climate change,” I am thrilled that President Obama created the first marine national monument. He is building an unparalleled legacy of conservation.

But he can be doing more. As writer Kevin Freking alludes, it only takes Obama one stroke of his pen to protect huge swaths of important land. By using the Antiquities Act, established by Teddy Roosevelt, the original conservationist, Obama can sidestep our gridlocked Congress and champion meaningful environmental protection.

For instance, there has been talk of safeguarding 1.7 million acres surrounding the Grand Canyon, in order to prevent more than 3,000 uranium mining claims from becoming radioactive waste lands, essentially preventing another Hanford (http://tinyurl.com/jrlpxxf).

Though pushback has been directed by none other than the Koch brothers, their opposition is precisely what makes this a perfect opportunity for Obama to continue his conservation streak. Unlike fishing off the Atlantic coast, mining around the Grand Canyon is not carried out by struggling industries — just runaway billionaires, who can certainly afford to mine far away from one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

I urge the president to roll with his monument momentum by protecting the Grand Canyon, and to continue preserving our country’s beautiful lands, waters, and special places.

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