Yesterday, President Obama, in the face of broad opposition from local communities and elected officials, unilaterally expanded the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in southwest Oregon and northern California. Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) issued the following statement:

“The local communities did not vote for this and do not support it. When they fought to prevent it, the president looked the other way. He didn't listen or care. It's clear this decision was self-serving. It was made to dignify national special interests rather than the people impacted. Our committee will fight to make local voices heard and undo the damage created by the president's unrelenting abuse of power."

Background: A recent study from the Nature Conservancy and a 2014 environmental assessment from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management identified the areas being considered for the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument’s expansion at high risk to wildfire and in need of active management.

On November 1, 2016, Chairman Bishop, along with other members of the committee, sent a letter to President Obama, outlining local opposition to the monument designation and cautioning against further restricting land management activities in the area.