The top Colorado Democrats asked the president to create a new national monument in the state.
In a letter to Biden, the state's two Democratic senators, Democratic governor and Democratic congressman who represent the area requested that Biden create a national monument. Camp Hale was the location of the 10th Mountain Division during World War II. The state's ski industry was founded by many of the soldiers who came back to Colorado.
The role that it played in preparing the 10th Mountain Division for some of the most difficult moments of World War II make it the ideal candidate for a national monument.
Presidents can create national monuments if they want to preserve land that is scenic or historically significant. In his term, Biden hasn't created a national monument, but he did restore land that was cut by Trump. Monuments can be controversial, especially in the West, when they impede energy or other types of development or lock up lands that ranchers and farmers depended on.
Preserving Camp Hale is part of a larger bill that has been stuck in congress for several years. The legislation is objecting to by many Colorado Republicans because it would bar development of critical mineral and energy resources.
The Democrats wrote a letter asking Biden to designate his first national monument. A lot of the Tenmile range would be included in the monument. The letter asks Biden to use his power to protect the Thompson Divide from energy exploration and to increase restrictions on exploration in national forests in western Colorado.
More of Colorado's open spaces will be preserved for future generations if you take these steps.
Lauren Boebert, whose western Colorado district would be home to most of the new limits on energy exploration under the proposal, did not support additional preservation for Camp Hale. Boebert said in a statement that he doesn't support the efforts of extremists who want to hijack this historic place.
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