THANK YOU AD

On Sunday, November 13, via an ad in the Denver Post, over 100 Colorado mountain community local elected officials thanked President Biden, Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper, Representative Neguse, and Governor Polis for their leadership to permanently protect Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument!

THANK YOU LETTER

On November 10, 2022, The Mountain Pact sent a letter signed by 106 Colorado mountain community county commissioners, mayors, and council members thanking the Biden administration for designating Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument to protect Camp Hale, the Tenmile Range and its rich history while helping communities that depend on outdoor recreation and sustainable public lands succeed. They also thanked the administration for initiating consideration of a 20-year withdrawal of the Thompson Divide area from new oil and gas leasing and mining. 

November 10, 2022

The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Biden, 

The over one hundred local elected officials from Colorado listed below thank you for designating Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument to protect Camp Hale, the Tenmile Range and its rich history while helping our communities that depend on outdoor recreation and sustainable public lands succeed. We also thank you for initiating consideration of a 20-year withdrawal of the Thompson Divide area from new oil and gas leasing and mining. 

This designation of a Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument protects a unique piece of mountain history that will bring awareness to visitors about the societal contributions that mountain communities provide.

In World War II, the Army found its soldiers were not adequately trained in mountain warfare and so Camp Hale was formed to equip soldiers for high-altitude, low temperature operations, and those who trained there helped improve outcomes later in the war. It was at Camp Hale that the famed 10th Mountain Division was founded. Many of those 10th Mountain Division ski troops came home to Colorado after the war to build our skiing and outdoor recreation economy.

This national monument designation will help our western communities thrive by preserving and enhancing our public lands and historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest. The Tenmile Range is a scientific and geographically interesting and beautiful area for outdoor recreation. The most hiked peak above 14,000 feet in Colorado, Quandary Peak, is located in the Tenmile Range.

Bringing additional resources to the Tenmile Range will help preserve the scientific importance of the area and make it more resilient so that future generations can enjoy it as much as those of today. Establishing these areas as a Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument will bring great benefits to our Western mountain communities and will be a great step forward to providing our communities with a bright future while honoring the past.

We face serious challenges as we deal with the effects that our changing climate has on our communities through wildfires, drought, flooding, and intense weather. The time to invest further in enhancing our public lands is now; we appreciate you taking this forward-looking action and encourage you to designate more national monuments soon.

Thank you,

  1. Mayor Torre, City of Aspen, Colorado

  2. Mayor Pro Tem Ward Hauenstein, City of Aspen, Colorado

  3. Council Member John Doyle, City of Aspen, Colorado

  4. Council Member Rachael Richards, City of Aspen, Colorado

  5. Council Member Skippy Mesirow, City of Aspen, Colorado

  6. Mayor Sarah Smith Hymes, Town of Avon, Colorado

  7. Mayor Pro-tem Amy Cramer Phillips, Town of Avon, Colorado

  8. Council Member Scott Prince, Town of Avon, Colorado

  9. Council Member Tamara Underwood, Town of Avon, Colorado

  10. Council Member Glenn Drummond, Town of Basalt, Colorado

  11. Council Member Elyse Hottel, Town of Basalt, Colorado

  12. Council Member Angela Anderson, Town of Basalt, Colorado

  13. Council Member David Knight, Town of Basalt, Colorado

  14. Council Member Dieter Schindler, Town of Basalt, Colorado

  15. Mayor Aaron Brockett, City of Boulder, Colorado

  16. Mayor Pro Tem Rachel Friend, City of Boulder, Colorado

  17. Council Member Matt Benjamin, City of Boulder, Colorado

  18. Council Member Junie Joseph, City of Boulder, Colorado

  19. Mayor Eric Mamula, Town of Breckenridge, Colorado

  20. Mayor Pro Tem Kelly Owens, Town of Breckenridge, Colorado

  21. Council Member Todd Rankin, Town of Breckenridge, Colorado

  22. Council Member Carol Saade, Town of Breckenridge, Colorado

  23. Council Member Jay Beckerman, Town of Breckenridge, Colorado

  24. Council Member Dick Carleton, Town of Breckenridge, Colorado

  25. Council Member Jeffrey Bergeron, Town of Breckenridge, Colorado

  26. Mayor Ben Bohmfalk, Town of Carbondale, Colorado

  27. Town Trustee Colin Laird, Town of Carbondale, Colorado

  28. Town Trustee Chris Hassig, Town of Carbondale, Colorado

  29. County Commissioner and Commander, United States Navy (Retired) Keith Baker, Chaffee County, Colorado

  30. Council Member Gabi Prochaska, Town of Crested Butte, Colorado

  31. Council Member Mallika Magner, Town of Crested Butte, Colorado

  32. Council Member Beth Goldstone, Town of Crested Butte, Colorado

  33. Mayor Carolyn Skowyra, Town of Dillon, Colorado

  34. Mayor Pro Tem Brad Bailey, Town of Dillon, Colorado

  35. Council Member Kyle Hendricks, Town of Dillon, Colorado

  36. Council Member John Woods, Town of Dillon, Colorado

  37. Council Member Renee Imamura, Town of Dillon, Colorado

  38. Council Member Dana Christiansen, Town of Dillon, Colorado

  39. Council Member Tony Scalise, Town of Dillon, Colorado

  40. Mayor Barbara Noseworthy, City of Durango, Colorado

  41. County Commissioner Kathy Chandler-Henry, Eagle County, Colorado

  42. County Commissioner Matt Scherr, Eagle County, Colorado

  43. County Commissioner Jeanne McQueeney, Eagle County, Colorado

  44. Mayor of Fort Collins Jeni Arndt, City of Fort Collins, Colorado

  45. Mayor Hunter Mortensen, Town of Frisco, Colorado

  46. Council Member Jessica Burley, Town of Frisco, Colorado

  47. Council Member Lisa Holenko, Town of Frisco, Colorado

  48. Council Member Andrew J. Aerenson, Town of Frisco, Colorado

  49. Council Member Elizabeth Skrzypczak-Adrian, Town of Frisco, Colorado

  50. Mayor Jonathan Godes, City of Glenwood Springs, Colorado

  51. Council Member Shelley Kaup, City of Glenwood Springs, Colorado

  52. Council Member Paula Stepp, City of Glenwood Springs, Colorado

  53. Council Member Marco Dehm, City of Glenwood Springs, Colorado

  54. Council Member Ingrid Wussow, City of Glenwood Springs, Colorado

  55. County Commissioner Jonathan D. Houck, Gunnison County, Colorado

  56. County Commissioner Liz Smith, Gunnison County, Colorado

  57. County Commissioner Roland Mason, Gunnison County, Colorado

  58. County Commissioner Kayla Marcella, Lake County, Colorado

  59. County Commissioner Marsha Porter-Norton, La Plata County, Colorado

  60. County Commissioner Matt S. Salka, La Plata County, Colorado

  61. Mayor Joan Peck, City of Longmont, Colorado

  62. Council Member Susie Hidalgo-Fahring, City of Longmont, Colorado

  63. Council Member Marcia Martin, City of Longmont, Colorado

  64. Council Member Patrick Berry, Town of Mountain Village, Colorado

  65. Mayor Mason Osgood, Town of Ophir, Colorado

  66. Council Member Peggy Lindsey, City of Ouray, Colorado

  67. Council Member Dave Knutson, Town of Paonia, Colorado

  68. County Commissioner Greg Poschman, Pitkin County, Colorado

  69. County Commissioner Kelly McNicholas Kury, Pitkin County, Colorado

  70. County Commissioner Francie Jacober, Pitkin County, Colorado

  71. Mayor John I. Clark, Town of Ridgway, Colorado

  72. Council Member Beth Lakin, Town of Ridgway, Colorado

  73. Council Member Polly Enochs, Town of Ridgway, Colorado

  74. Council Member Terence Schuyler, Town of Ridgway, Colorado

  75. Council Member Kevin Grambley, Town of Ridgway, Colorado

  76. County Commissioner Beth Melton, Routt County, Colorado

  77. County Commissioner Tim Corrigan, Routt County, Colorado

  78. Mayor Dan Shore, City of Salida, Colorado

  79. Council Member Harald Kasper, City of Salida, Colorado

  80. Council Member Justin Critelli, City of Salida, Colorado

  81. Council Member Mike Pollock, City of Salida, Colorado

  82. Council Member Dominique Naccarato, City of Salida, Colorado

  83. Council Member Jane Templeton, City of Salida, Colorado

  84. Council Member Alisa Pappenfort, City of Salida, Colorado

  85. Former Mayor P.T. Wood, City of Salida, Colorado

  86. County Commissioner Hilary Cooper, San Miguel County, Colorado

  87. County Commissioner Lance Waring, San Miguel County, Colorado

  88. Mayor Shane Fuhrman, Town of Silverton, Colorado

  89. Mayor Bill Madsen, Town of Snowmass Village, Colorado

  90. Council Member Alyssa Shenk, Town of Snowmass Village, Colorado

  91. Council Member Bob Sirkus, Town of Snowmass Village, Colorado

  92. County Commissioner Josh Blanchard, Summit County, Colorado

  93. Commissioner Tamara Pogue, Summit County, Colorado

  94. County Commissioner Elisabeth Lawrence, Summit County, Colorado

  95. Former County Commissioner Karn Stiegelmeier, Summit County, Colorado

  96. Mayor DeLanie Young, Town of Telluride, Colorado

  97. Council Member J.Meehan Fee, Town of Telluride, Colorado

  98. Council Member Lars Carlson,  Town of Telluride, Colorado

  99. Former Council Member and Mayor Pro Tem Todd Brown, Town of Telluride, Colorado

  100. Mayor Kim Langmaid, Town of Vail, Colorado

  101. Council Member Jen Mason, Town of Vail, Colorado

  102. Council Member Kevin Foley, Town of Vail, Colorado

  103. Council Member Travis Coggin, Town of Vail, Colorado

  104. Council Member Barry Davis, Town of Vail, Colorado

  105. Council Member Jonathan Staufer, Town of Vail, Colorado

  106. Council Member Pete Seibert, Town of Vail, Colorado

CC: Vice President Kamala Harris
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack
Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland
Senator Michael Bennet
Senator John Hickenlooper
Congressman Joe Neguse
Governor Jared Polis 

FULL LETTER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Colorado and Western Local Elected Officials Celebrate the Designation of a Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument

DURANGO, CO -- Today President Biden designated Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument in Colorado - his first monument. The Mountain Pact, an organization that works with hundreds of local elected officials in nearly 100 communities across the Western U.S., released the below statements from area local elected officials in response to the designation. 

Kathy Chandler-Henry, Eagle County, Colorado Commissioner said, “We are thrilled with the new monument designation for Camp Hale-Continental Divide in Eagle County. This monument will honor the service of our veterans from the 10th Mountain Division who trained at Camp Hale and the Tenmile Range, served our nation with distinction in World War II and returned home to help found Colorado’s outdoor recreation economy. This national historic landscape will receive the protections it deserves through this monument designation, assuring it will be enjoyed and serve as a place of respect for generations to come.” 

Summit County, Colorado Commissioner Elisabeth Lawrence said: “The designation of a Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument is an important tribute that celebrates mountain communities’ role in helping the entire nation through World War II with the help of the 10th Mountain Division Ski Troops that trained at Camp Hale and the surrounding Ten Mile Range. Establishing these areas as a National Monument will bring great benefits to our Western mountain communities and is an important step towards providing our Western communities with a bright future while honoring the past.”

Mayor of Vail, Colorado, Kim Langmaid said, “The Vail community is very excited about this designation. Camp Hale is a prominent cultural landscape that connects with our ski history. We also appreciate the President’s recognition of the diverse local stakeholders who support the designation, and the ecological restoration of the Eagle River headwaters and surrounding mountain wetlands.”

Mayor of Frisco, Colorado, Hunter Mortensen said, “The mountains between the historic Camp Hale and the peaks of the Tenmile Mountain Range are a vital part of our community. The creation of the Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument shows a commitment to protect our public lands. This designation not only shows our commitment to our rich history and the lands that have lasting impact on our collective story, but also to all of the groups that came together to make a public lands plan that gave everyone a voice. Today is a day to celebrate our lands, our history, and our future.”

Mayor of Breckenridge, Colorado, Eric Mamula said, ”With the designation of Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument, President Biden has protected the Tenmile Range - a scientific and geographically interesting and beautiful area our visitors and community members love. In fact, the most hiked peak above 14,000 feet in Colorado, Quandary Peak, is located in the Tenmile Range. Bringing additional resources to the Tenmile Range will help preserve the scientific importance of the area and make it more resilient so that future generations can enjoy it as much as those of today.” 

Mayor of Avon, Colorado, Sarah Smith-Hymes said, “Camp Hale has long been a touchstone for veterans and the surrounding mountain communities, a stirring reminder of the contribution our local landscape made to the battle for freedom in World War II. Future generations will thank all who worked so hard to preserve this unique public asset. This designation honors the legacy of the Tenth Mountain Division, protects the headwaters and wetlands that feed the Eagle River – the primary water supply for Eagle County and a tributary of the Colorado River -  and recognizes the value of outdoor recreation to our local and state economy. It’s a great day for all of us!”

Greg Poschman, Pitkin County Commissioner and 10th Mountain Division descendant said, “President Biden’s designation of the Camp Hale-Continental Divide is a unique and powerful tribute to those who served our country in World War II, then came home to lead our outdoor preservation ethic, and to build America’s skiing and outdoor recreation economy. For Coloradans and for all Americans, these are the sources of our clean air and pure water, and they are the wellspring of our inspiration, identity and history. These iconic areas are most worthy of conservation. We thank President Biden for taking action to protect this important place. We also ask President Biden to go “all in” for all the public lands designations in The CORE Act on which we have all worked so hard for the past decade. This would send a strong message that our President is “all in” to support Colorado!”

Clark County, Nevada Commissioner Justin Jones said, “Having Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument designated today is exciting and encouraging. Our community is happy to see President Biden start to designate national monuments and encourage him to use his authority again, soon, to designate an Avi Kwa Ame a national monument. Public lands are more vital to our health and well-being than we ever thought. The full Clark County Commission has passed a supportive resolution and joined the overwhelming local support for the establishment of Avi Kwa Ame as a national monument.”

Anna Peterson, Executive Director of The Mountain Pact, and granddaughter-in-law of a 10th Mountain Division Trainer, said, “We are beyond thrilled that President Biden has designated the Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument! This designation honors Colorado’s military legacy and the history of Colorado’s 10th Mountain Division, a unique and powerful tribute to those who have served our country. The Antiquities Act conserves vital places so our stories can be told and experiences can be shared for generations to come. We celebrate today and tomorrow we will continue to urge President Biden to use his authority under the Antiquities Act to protect more places with cultural and scientific significance as national monuments. Places like Avi Kwa Ame in Nevada and Castner Range in Texas have overwhelming local support; we need more protected public lands, including national monuments that build upon ongoing and often-untold stories of the true history of the United States.”

###

Background: 

There is overwhelming support across Colorado for this designation - 

Boosting Colorado’s Rural Economies - 

  • Protected public lands are an important part of Colorado’s identity and a driver of the state’s tourism and outdoor recreation economy. 

  • The Bureau of Economic Analysis found that in 2020, outdoor recreation contributed $9.6 billion to Colorado’s economy. Additionally, the ski industry alone generates $4.8 billion in annual economic output and supports more than 46,000 jobs.

The Antiquities Act-

  • In 1906, Congress passed the Antiquities Act, which created the first national historic preservation policy for the United States and ensured that the president can designate national monuments to protect natural, cultural, and historic sites, as well as waters and lands of great scientific value. Historically, presidents from both parties have used the Antiquities Act to designate national monuments an equal number of times.

  • Since the act was passed, 18 presidents - nine Democratic and nine Republican - have designated 158 national monuments across the country. Presidents have exercised their authority under the Antiquities Act to create many iconic monuments including the Statue of Liberty, Bears Ears, Grand Canyon, Giant Sequoia, Muir Woods, Great Sand Dunes, Chimney Rock, among others.

  • The Biden administration can achieve its goal of protecting more nature by using the Antiquities Act to create new national monuments. Community-led solutions, like locally-led national monument efforts, can protect archeological, historical, and cultural resources; ensure more equitable access to nature; address the climate crisis; restore America’s biodiversity and wildlife; and begin to reckon with historic and present injustices. With an evenly split Senate, Congress is unlikely to move on its own to protect public lands so we are counting on the administration to move swiftly to use its authority to conserve vital places for our communities.

More From The Mountain Pact on National Monuments - 

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