Speakers came from across the region, from as far away as Yuma and southern Utah, to give their voices on this proposal to designate 1.1 million acres of land around Grand Canyon National Park as a monument.

While there have been efforts to create a Grand Canyon National Monument in the past, none of them, like the most recent tribal-led effort, have garnered the attention it deserves.

In April, a coalition of tribes began asking the Biden administration to build a new memorial.

Havasupai Tribal Councilman Stuart Chavez was among the many who spoke at the assembled committee of federal officials.

The panel heard comments included Laura Daniel Davis, Assistant Chief of Staff for Land and Mineral Administration, and Homer Wilkes, Under Secretary for Natural Resources and the Environment.

Chavez said federal officials are listening to the tribes and hopes that the protection of the culturally significant lands that the tribes have asked for each year may finally be achieved.

“I really hope they understand where we come from, as indigenous people and as stewards of the place, especially considering this is our ancestral home. And we want them to respect that,” Chavez told the Arizona Daily Sun.I [told the panel]If we weren’t kicked out of our house, we would still be there. ”

However, not everyone who gathered supported the tribe’s proposal. In particular, residents of Fredonia and Mojave County voiced their opposition to the memorial.

Colorado Mayor Howard Ream was among those who expressed opposition and concern. Liam said he believes the proposed memorial poses a near-existence threat to small communities like Colorado, robbing them of growth opportunities and further isolating them from the rest of the state.

“Why should it be designated as a national monument?” [the area] Should it be properly managed? It’s well managed,” Ream said. “It really limits our ability to grow and be a healthy community. It’s a huge impact on us.”

Mojave County Superintendent Travis Lingenfelter also said residents of Mojave County and the Arizona Strip have felt left out of the debate.

The meeting was held to allow Home Secretary Deb Haaland to visit the area in May to meet with tribal leaders, locally elected officials and local residents to hear their vision for the monument.

Mr. Chavez and other leaders met with Mr. Harland during that visit, and Mr. Harland said he saw this week’s visit and meeting as a good sign that the memorial proposal could move forward.

“I think being able to keep repeating our message over and over again is at least laying some sort of foundation.” [for success]. At this point, I have my fingers crossed. I think they’ve done their due diligence, and we’ve done our due diligence, so I’m very hopeful that things will actually develop,” Chavez said.

Those who spoke out in support of the memorial proposal included members of the Coconino County Board of Supervisors and several local leaders, including Flagstaff Mayor Becky Daggett. Both groups passed resolutions supporting the proposal.

Tribal coalitions promoting the construction of the monument include the Havasupai, Hopi, Hualapai, Kaibab Paiute, Las Vegas Paiute Tribe Band, Moapa Paiute Tribe Band, Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, Navajo Nation, and the San Francisco Paiute Tribe. Includes representatives of the leadership of the Juan Southern Paiute. Tribes, Yavapai Apache Tribe, Zuni Pueblo, Colorado River Indian Tribe.

Proponents argue that designation as a national monument would prevent the issuance of new mining claims while preserving existing uses such as hiking, hunting, fishing, grazing and camping. .

Uranium mining is of particular concern to tribal and environmental groups and has long been controversial. New mining claims around the Grand Canyon are now on hold after the Obama administration implemented a moratorium in 2012.