A Mohave County supervisor on Wednesday spoke against a proposed national monument spanning over 1 million acres of land surrounding the Grand Canyon.

Chairman of the Mohave County Board of Supervisors Travis Lingenfelter testified before a U.S. House natural resources subcommittee, claiming such a monument would impact future economic growth in northern Arizona.

According to Lingenfelter, 90% of the proposed Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni National Monument land is already under Bureau of Land Management coverage.  

Stephanie Smith/Grand Canyon Trust

Map outlining area that would be covered under the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni National Monument proposition.

He pointed out that 42% of the state is owned by the federal government. 

“Designating another 1.1 million acres as a national monument will further reduce private ownership and harm hardworking rural Americans within Arizona, and within Mohave County," said Lingenfelter.

The monument was proposed by the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition to protect native lands and preserve the canyon’s landscape.

→ Interior Secretary meets with Grand Canyon tribal coalition over proposed monument