Governor Jay's Valentine's Day Note to President Barack

Back in December, Santa sent a message asking the President to give us a present by designating a National Monument in the San Juan Islands. Didn’t work then, so this Valentine’s Day, Governor Jay Inslee sent a message to the President with hopes that our wishes come true:


February 14, 2013

The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

I am writing to urge your support for the designation of a National Monument in Washington
State’s San Juan Islands. Such a designation enjoys overwhelming support from the local
community, and will afford important protections for these treasured natural resources.

While serving in the 112th Congress, I proudly co-sponsored legislation to permanently protect as
a National Conservation Area the lands in the San Juan Islands managed by the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM). The approximately 1,000 acres of BLM lands in the islands provide
important recreational opportunities, wildlife habitat and spectacular scenery to the residents of
those islands and to thousands of visitors each year.

Secretary of the Interior Salazar has been very helpful to the locally-driven effort to protect these
lands including a significant investment of his time and talents in two meetings with the local
community. That community, with the backing of the San Juan County Council, Senators
Cantwell and Murray, Representatives Larsen and DelBene, former Governor Christine
Gregoire, and over 150 local businesses, continues to drive this effort to protect these lands as a
National Conservation Area or, if congressional gridlock has obstructed that path, as a National
Monument.

I strongly support the permanent protection of these lands and urge you to consider using your
authority under the Antiquities Act of 1906 to designate a National Monument in the San Juan
Islands before Secretary Salazar leaves office.

Protecting these lands and involving the community in their management will be a lasting tribute
to Secretary Salazar’s work and will help preserve what makes the San Juan Islands a spectacular
part of our great state.

Your very truly,

Jay Inslee
Governor

You, too, can send your love note asking President Obama to designate a National Monument in the San Juan Islands before Secretary Salazar leaves office. Do it here: http://www.sanjuanislandsnca.org/act