Today I met with Scott Hinkle, the new Chief of Staff (COS) of Congressman Ruiz. It was obvious they want this Monument proposal effort to succeed. I spent 45 minutes with the COS explaining they were misled by the Proposing Coalition into believing all local officials were on board, they are not, and that mining could continue, but it is cost prohibitive under NPS rules, how their desire to stop energy develop through a National Monument designation is irrelevant because energy development cannot happen now under the 2016 DRECP, how a Monument designation adds ZERO acres to the 30x30 Plan ( conserve 30% of all gov. land by 2030), because the land is already counted as conserved due to the fact it is either Wilderness area or National Conservation Lands under the DRECP. I explained many other reasons why this proposal should not happen. The COS did not seem interested in most of the reasons. But in the end, he did agree to take the concerns up at the next meeting on the subject early next year. 

Our voice is being heard, many are opposing it, but the proponents are planting their feet firmly. All we can do is keep fighting.