U.S. Interior Secretary On Bears Ears: "I'm Listening."

KUER 90.1 | By Judy Fahys

Published July 27, 2016 at 8:58 AM MDT

U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell heard from many tribal leaders about the coalition's Bears Ears proposal during her recent Utah visit. Here, she's sitting next to coalition co-chair Regina Lopez Whiteskunk.

Senator Mike Lee is hosting a field hearing in southeastern Utah today on the proposed Bears Ears National Monument, and Congressman Rob Bishop and Governor Gary Herbert are scheduled to testify. They oppose a tribal coalition's proposal to create the monument here, and they want to persuade the Obama administration that Utah doesn’t want it. But U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell heard different views when she visited the area earlier this month. KUER's Judy Fahys caught up with her after a listening session as members of the tribal coalition gathered in a meadow below Bears Ears Buttes.

Tags

Science & Environment Bears Ears National Monument

Judy Fahys

Judy Fahys has reported in Utah for two decades, covering politics, government and business before taking on environmental issues. She loves covering Utah, where petroleum-pipeline spills, the nation’s radioactive legacy and other types of pollution provide endless fodder for stories. Previously, she worked for the Salt Lake Tribune in Utah, and reported on the nation’s capital for States News Service and the Scripps League newspaper chain. She is a longtime member of the Society of Environmental Journalists and Investigative Reporters and Editors. She also spent an academic year as a research fellow in the Knight Science Journalism program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In her spare time, she enjoys being out in the environment, especially hiking, gardening and watercolor painting.

See stories by Judy Fahys