PARK CITY, Utah--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Backcountry.com, LLC (“Backcountry”), one of the largest online specialty retailers of outdoor gear and apparel, today released a statement from its CEO, Jonathan Nielsen, regarding the United States Department of the Interior’s review of the monument designations of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante in Utah.
Nielsen commented, “Spending time outside is at the heart of our business and is central to the lives of our customers and employees alike; public lands are the setting to many special moments. These public lands are a vital part of who we are, and we need to cherish and protect them. Generations before us have had the foresight to protect these places, and now it’s our turn. As a Utah-based company, we’ve shared some of our best outdoor adventures with family and friends in two of the National Monuments currently under review by the recent Executive Order: the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments.
“Bears Ears contains the complex cliff dwellings and petroglyphs of Grand Gulch, in addition to over 100,000 other archaeological and cultural sites. One of the world’s premier climbing destinations, Indian Creek, lies within its boundaries. Likewise, the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is a place of incomparable beauty and one of our favorite places in the state. We have canyoneered through the tributaries of the Escalante, gazed up at the sheer red walls while hiking through the Buckskin Gulch, and gained perspective seeing the geological layers of the White and Vermillion Cliffs on the horizon. These places are unparalleled in their unique beauty.
“We continue to partner with The Nature Conservancy to support their work at the Canyonlands Research Center (CRC) located at Dugout Ranch in the newly formed Bears Ears National Monument. The CRC provides a research facility for scientists to develop solutions for land management within the changing climate on the Colorado Plateau.
“Your involvement is also critical. Now is the time to make your voice heard on the importance of preserving our public lands. The Department of the Interior has created a forum for public comment on the Monument designation. No matter your opinion, please express it and make your voice heard.”
Comments may be submitted online at http://www.regulations.gov by entering “DOI-2017-0002” in the Search bar and clicking “Search,” or by mail to Monument Review, MS-1530, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240." The deadline for comments relating to Bears Ears National Monument is May 26, 2017. Comments relating to all other National Monuments must be submitted before July 10, 2017.
About Backcountry
Backcountry.com is the premier online specialty retailer of outdoor gear for snow sports, hiking and camping, paddling, biking, climbing, fly fishing, and more. We also carry a wide selection of premium apparel, both technical and casual. The quality and breadth of our products, the knowledge and empowered service of our Gearheads, the lightning-fast speed of our fulfillment, and the shared gear knowledge of our community enable our customers to get outside and pursue their passions. The Backcountry.com family of companies includes CompetitiveCyclist.com, MotoSport.com, Bergfreunde.de, and SteepandCheap.com.