Protect Gold Butte
Only a few hours from the bright lights of Las Vegas is a wild desert landscape of spectacular geology and world class cultural and historic treasures which offer us a window into the past. Gold Butte – Nevada’s piece of the Grand Canyon – is beloved by Nevadans and visitors from throughout the country and the world who come to hike, camp, hunt, bike, ride ATVs on designated routes, climb, explore cultural and historical sites, and otherwise enjoy the great outdoors.
But Gold Butte is currently threatened by landscape degradation and vandalism of the region’s valuable cultural and historical resources. We need meaningful protections so that Americans can continue to experience this special place for generations to come.
Permanently protecting Gold Butte would:
1) Safeguard abundant cultural and historical resources, including rock art, caves, agave roasting pits and camp sites dating back at least 3,000 years, as well as Spanish and pioneer mining camps dating back to the 1700s.
2) Protect habitat for numerous wildlife species, including desert tortoise, desert bighorn sheep, the banded Gila monster, great horned owls and a great variety of reptiles, birds and mammals.
3) Enhance the region's status as an important destination for tourism, while conserving important resources from ongoing damage from unregulated activities.
I urge Congress and the Administration to take whatever steps necessary to ensure permanent protection for Gold Butte before it is too late. Now is the time to protect Gold Butte!
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