Leader of the Halt the Dolores Monument group that is based in the West End but spreads regionally, Sean Pond is continuing his work. Since February when discovering a proposed national monument along the Dolores River, he’s been an activist for the opposition. Pond told the Forum Monday his group is relieved that the “Chevron deference” had been struck down by the Supreme Court, 6-3.
Since 1984 until last Friday, the Chevron deference meant that judges had to refer to ruling federal agencies, like the BLM, to interpret statutes that were unclear. Now, federal agencies will not have that authority going forward, and that power will fall into into the hands of the court system.
The Chevron deference has been politically controversial, with Democrats tending to support it and Republicans generally opposing it. Pond’s opinion is that it “gives a significant amount of power back to the people.”
Experts, as well as Pond, agree that in the future the U.S. will see more litigation, with corporations challenging agencies and asking judges to make decisions.
The Scientific American reported Monday that the Supreme Court’s decision would likely impact the energy industry in the U.S., specifically as it relates to power plant emissions, vehicle emissions, transmission lines and more.
Pond told the Forum he knew the results of the Chevron deference ending wouldn’t be immediate, but would be seen in the next few years.
Pond has no speaking engagements for Halt the Dolores Monument in the near future, but the Grand Junction public meeting happens in early August. He said he’s nearly ready to announce the keynote speakers, who are well-known.
He said though the West End has received Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet for listening sessions and public comment, and while those senators have said they were undecided on the monument issue, locals cannot relax. Pond said he knows people in the West End are back to working, paying bills and raising kids, but all should know that the advocacy is still pushing to establish a monument locally.
“It’s not a time to sit idle,” he said, especially when the proponents have “stepped on the gas” with paid advertisements and are amply funded with money.
Pond encourages the opposition to keep writing letters and emails to elected officials, and to also remember that the sitting president of the U.S. can designate a local monument by simply signing it into existence.
Pond told the Forum he does have a meeting in a few weeks with the “Trump transition team,” and his intention is to make sure the Dolores Monument issue is on the former president’s radar. Pond will also be traveling to Washington, D.C., but has not had dates confirmed at this time.
His plan is to submit a petition to officials in D.C. when the three counties — San Miguel, Dolores and Montezuma — sign the national conservation agreement, something he said he believes may happen soon.
