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Local organizers say national‑monument campaign is grassroots, tribal‑focused and advancing outreach
Summary
A volunteer organizer presented the county with outreach progress on a proposed national monument, saying the effort emphasizes tribal consultation, local business support and multi‑year planning, and described meetings with regional agencies and elected officials.
A volunteer organizer updating the Inyo County Board said the campaign to pursue a federal national monument designation is continuing as a grassroots, multi‑year effort focused on tribal consultation and local outreach.
The organizer (name not provided in the meeting transcript) said the effort is locally based: organizers have an office in Shoshone, have conducted business outreach across gateway communities and are engaging tribal partners. "We are local. We're engaging at the local level," the organizer said, describing presentations to school districts, chambers of commerce and community organizations.
Nut graf: Organizers said the campaign is not a short process: they are working with about five tribes, seeking letters of support from local businesses and coordinating with state and federal agencies, and expect legislation or formal steps only after broad, documented community and tribal consensus.
The organizer listed recent outreach: presentations to the Bishop Chamber of Commerce and Big Pine groups; support letters from local businesses and community services districts; preliminary contacts with the State Lands Commission and California Department of Fish and Wildlife; and planned meetings with Caltrans District 9. Organizers said they are planning summer outreach in Owens Valley and continuing tribal consultation to assess tribal needs and decision processes.
Speakers at the meeting urged the campaign to continue inclusive outreach and to provide clear information about what federal designation would mean on private lands and existing rights. One landowner pressed for access to legal counsel to explain future impacts on private property rights; the organizer and county officials reiterated that the proposal covers federal lands and not private property and offered follow‑up conversations.
Ending: Organizers said the campaign will continue community meetings and tribal consultation over the coming months and asked residents to follow updates and provide input when restoration and access plans are developed for trail and habitat stewardship.
