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Morning News

Babbitt: President Clinton to Finish What Teddy Roosevelt Started at Grand Canyon

Aired January 11, 2000 - 9:33 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: And speaking of President Clinton, he will use the majestic backdrop of the Grand Canyon, today, to designate three new national monuments. The California Coastal Monument will protect offshore rocks and islands. The president also plans to expand the Pinnacles National Monument, which is south of San Jose, California. And then the other new monuments are in Arizona, near Phoenix, and along the north rim of the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon-Parashant Monument would declare as much as a million acres off limits to mining and other commercial development.

The president is acting on a recommendation from Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt, who happens to be at the Grand Canyon, this morning, and joining us live.

Welcome, and thanks for joining us.

BRUCE BABBITT, INTERIOR SECRETARY: Kagan, good morning.

KAGAN: I know that this part of the world, northern Arizona, is very special to the Babbitt family; your family goes way back in this part of the state, so perhaps you can explain to us why it's important for the president to make this move today.

BABBITT: Well it's just a simple -- Teddy Roosevelt came out here a century ago, and he stood at the rim of this canyon and said every American ought to see this canyon, and you ought to leave it like it is for future generations. He made the first proclamation to establish the canyon, but the job has never been finished, and President Clinton is here in that tradition, this morning, to finish what Teddy Roosevelt started.

KAGAN: There are critics within Arizona, including Governor Jane Hall, who don't like this idea, who seem to suggest that the federal government is coming in and big-footing what should be a decision for Arizona. What do you say to those critics?

BABBITT: Well, some of the politicians are complaining, but three out of every four Arizonans, actually 78 percent of the -- exact, responded to a poll last week, and they said, we support President Clinton's proposal, because we want to leave our heritage for our kids, our grand kids and for all Americans to see. It's exactly what Teddy Roosevelt came here to do a century ago. KAGAN: The president is acting on an act, the Antiquities Act, I think, from 1904, 1906 in which he can do this unilaterally, without going to Congress. Is that how it should be done, or should it go through Congress and more people get a say?

BABBITT: Well, he's going to make an announcement here today, and my recommendation is that he use his executive authority as every president except two has done through the 20th century, And every monument created by a president, Congress has never revoked one. The American people expect this kind of leadership, the president is providing it. We've had hearings all over Arizona in the last year, and all I can say is there's a lot of public support for this, not only in Arizona but all over the country.

KAGAN: And finally, Mr. Babbitt, as you suggested, millions of people come to visit the Grand Canyon, but the way you visit is going to change coming up in the near future. When will it be that you can't even drive up to the south rim? How are those changes coming about?

BABBITT: Well, you know, there are five million people who come here every year, and sometimes it kind of looks like Times Square with all the automobiles. But what this administrations's going to do is put up a mass transit program. You'll be able to park your car out there at the boundary, get on the very latest light rail system and come in, and it will restore the peace and the quiet and the serenity that is such an important part of this canyon. It's going to be an even-better experience for every American, who, as Teddy Roosevelt said, ought to at least once in their lifetime see this extraordinary place.

KAGAN: Well, I can agree with that. I had the chance to camp at the bottom of the canyon for eight days, this summer, and it is a true national treasure that everyone should go see.

BABBITT: Well, I hope everyone will.

KAGAN: Bruce Babbitt, interior secretary. Yes, thank you very much for joining us from your home part, your home state, Arizona.

BABBITT: Thank you.

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