When I was 10 years old, I witnessed my grandfather, Cesar Chavez, fasting to demand a ban for pesticide use on table grapes. The pesticides poisoned the soil and posed serious health impacts to the farmworkers who tended the land.
At this early age it ignited in me a passion to ensure that our communities and our environment are protected and have access to clean air and fresh water.
Today this connection has led me to advocate for legislation that will mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis that my community is experiencing first hand. From frequent heavy pollution days and increasing concern over access to clean drinking water, it’s high time for comprehensive legislation that will address these important issues.
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This piece originally appeared as an op-ed in the Arizona Daily Sun on October 28, 2021. By Viviana Reyes 10/28/2021
I was born and raised in Arizona. I grew up in Phoenix, and like many Arizonans, my family visited the Grand Canyon time and time again. The first time I saw it, it took my breath away. The contrasting shades of vermillion and coral — I felt as if I was standing in a picture-perfect postcard. When I took my daughter for the first time, she became enamored with the starry night skies. The Grand Canyon is a magical place, but if not properly protected, it could be destroyed beyond repair.
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This piece originally appeared as an op-ed in the Tucson Sentinel on September 22, 2021.
By Arizona State Representative Alma Hernandez | 09/22/2021, 1:37 p.m. MST
Rep. Alma Hernandez is a Democrat from LD 3 in the Arizona House of Representatives.
41,000 jobs for Arizonans, more than $58 million in investments for the state, and improvements to the Grand Canyon, Tucson Mountain Park, Coronado National Forest, and communities statewide: the impact of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the early 20th century was long-lasting for our state. The work of the original CCC provided economic benefits during the Great Depression while building long-lasting and crucial upgrades to improve our access to nature.
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This piece originally appeared as an op-ed in the Salt Lake Tribune on July 21, 2021.
By Utah Legislative Quad Caucus: Representative Sandra Hollins, Representative Karen Kwan, Representative Ashlee Matthews, Representative Angela Romero, Representative Mark Wheatley, Senator Luz Escamilla, Senator Jani Iwamoto | 07/21/2021, 9:59 p.m. MDT
The federal Bureau of Land Management manages almost 42% of our state — 22.8 million acres of public lands. And, whether it is the sprawling desert lowlands, the spectacular snow-capped peaks of Utah or the breathtaking red-rock canyons, these lands arouse intense demands from hunters, anglers, recreationists, businesses and local governments — not to mention the flora and fauna that depend on these places for survival.
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This piece originally appeared as an op-ed in the Daily Camera on July 1, 2021.
By Bianca McGrath-Martinez, HECHO Program Manager | 07/01/2021 at 11:32 a.m.
Our communities rely on public lands for clean air and water, and for opportunities to connect with the land. Our identities are intertwined with the health of our public lands, and when properly stewarded, we are the beneficiaries. But a growing crisis of abandoned oil and gas wells on federal public lands threatens our clean air and water.
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This piece originally appeared as an op-ed in the Arizona Capitol Times on March 12, 2021.
By Sandy Bahr, Director for the Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon Chapter and Amber Wilson Reimondo, Energy Program Director at the Grand Canyon Trust | 03/12/2021 12:00 AM MST
The Grand Canyon Protection Act was recently introduced by U.S. Rep. Raύl Grijalva and passed in the House and has been introduced in the Senate by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. The bills will permanently protect about 1 million acres of public lands surrounding Grand Canyon from the harmful and lasting damage of new uranium mining.
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This piece originally appeared as an op-ed in the Arizona Mirror on February 12, 2021.
By Arizona Councilmember for District 5, David Luna | 02/12/2021 2:00 PM MST
Last month, President Joe Biden took bold action via executive order to fix our broken oil and gas leasing system, as well as to protect wildlife habitat, clean water, and conserve 30% of our land and waters by 2030. On behalf of a community that is impacted by oil and gas development, and that experiences health challenges as a result of climate change impacts, I support the measures the president took to pause oil and gas leasing on federal public lands, and protecting our lands and waters.
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This piece originally appeared as an op-ed in the Santa Fe New Mexican on October 31, 2020.
By HECHO National Advisory Board Member, and former San Miguel County Commissioner, Rock Ulibarri — 10/31/2020 12:00 AM MDT
Currently, all of New Mexico’s residents are in drought — 2,060,000 people. Over 46 percent of the state is in extreme drought, with more than 30 percent in severe drought (drought.gov/drought/states/new-mexico). We know a decrease in rainfall and snow has increasing implications for our water supply. The unreliable Rio Grande has put farmers at risk.
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This piece originally appeared as an op-ed in the Arizona Daily Sun on October 23, 2020.
By HECHO National Advisory Board Member, and Coconino County Treasurer, Elizabeth Archuleta — 10/23/2020 12:00 AM MDT
Arizona has been home to five generations of my family. I am the fourth generation and am proud of our long history of protecting public lands and natural treasures.
As a six term Coconino County Supervisor, I have worked to continue that tradition as an elected leader. I have consistently supported and fought for protection of Northern Arizona’s lands, so that future generations can enjoy and benefit from them as we have. When it comes to banning uranium mining at the Grand Canyon, we need our federally elected leaders in Washington D.C. to join hands to protect our state’s most iconic and cherished natural landmark. Protection of the Grand Canyon is not a partisan issue, it is a “bread and butter” issue.
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This piece originally appeared as an op-ed in the Las Vegas Sun Times on September 30, 2020.
By HECHO National Advisory Board Member, and Nevada State Senator, Moises “Mo” Denis — 09/30/2020 2:00 AM MDT
Growing up, I was shaped by my time outdoors, hiking and camping with my family. Now, I’ve made it a priority to keep myself and my children connected to the outdoors, both for recreation and as a place of respite and rejuvenation from the fast pace of life.
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