CONTACT: Anna Peterson, 612-735-2402 anna@conservationcommunications.org DATE: February 12, 2018 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 100 Outdoor Industry Companies Send Letter to Colorado Congressional Delegation Focus on Outdoor Retailer Show moving to Colorado, national monuments, and continuing to protect public lands Denver, CO -- Over 100 large and small outdoor industry companies from across the country sent a letter to the full Colorado Congressional Delegation today asking them to work to protect America’s irreplaceable public lands, and help to confirm that moving the Outdoor Retailer show to Colorado was the right decision. After holding the Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City for 20 years, the industry decided change locations due to ongoing efforts by some of Utah’s elected officials to undermine public lands protections – the very places on which recreationists and the outdoor economy depend. The move to Denver makes good sense – Colorado has a rich tradition of keeping its national parks, national monuments, wilderness areas, and other public lands protected and accessible. The letter thanks the Colorado delegation for bringing the Outdoor Retailer show to Denver, and for the warm welcome companies received. Molly Cuffe, Director of Global Communications for Smartwool, a Steamboat Springs, Colorado based company, said, “One of the highlights of holding the show in Denver is knowing how Colorado residents treasure public lands recreation. We’re thankful that some among the Colorado delegation have been strong public lands supporters, recognizing that the protection of our public lands fuels our growing recreation economy.” According to the Outdoor Industry Association, nearly three out of four Coloradans participate in outdoor recreation each year, generating more than $28 billion in consumer spending. Companies that signed the letter note that while a number of the Colorado delegation members are true champions for public lands, a majority have supported recent actions by Congress and the Trump Administration which threaten to unravel protections for public lands across the country. These actions include a series of votes taken on issues including expanding energy development on lands that deserve protection, undermining national monument protections, and opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling. Annelise Loevlie, CEO of Golden-based, Icelantic Skis, said, "We are proud to be based in Colorado and we're thrilled to now have the Outdoor Retailer show in our home state. Our congressional delegation's votes should reflect the love Coloradans have for our public lands. We want the Outdoor Retailer show to be in a state that not only defends our bedrock conservation laws, but that expands protection for our public lands." Upcoming threats to public lands include legislation that would gut the Antiquities Act of 1906 by adding barriers to the designation of national monuments by presidential proclamation. “Changing the Antiquities Act, a law that been used by presidents of both political parties since Teddy Roosevelt not only threatens our heritage, it goes against what makes America great,” Jim Bartschi, President of Scott Fly Rod Company based in Montrose, Colorado. Shelley Dunbar, co-owner of Sea to Summit and Neptune Mountaineering said, “Outdoor Retailer, our industry’s largest trade show, chose to move to Denver because our Colorado delegation said they would stand up for our public lands. Some of the delegation’s anti-public lands actions are of serious concern, as they run counter to the fundamental reasons why we moved the show from Utah to Colorado. We hope their future votes will safeguard America’s irreplaceable public lands, confirming that moving the Outdoor Retailer show to Colorado was the right decision.” ### Background on Threats to National Monuments On December 4, 2017, the President of the United States signed proclamations significantly reducing the boundaries of the Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments. The proclamations reduced the boundaries of the monuments to three units within the bounds of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and two units within the bounds of the Bears Ears National Monument. The BLM is moving forward with creating land use plans for these two monuments as well as lands excised from the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in the Kanab Field Office of the BLM. Comments on the land use plans are due March 19, 2018, or 15 days after the public meetings (to be announced), whichever is later.