Key facts
- President Donald Trump announced he will scale back the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah.
- The combined area of the two monuments was reduced from over 3.2 million acres to less than 303,000 acres.
- This action reverses decisions made by President Joe Biden to restore the monuments' original sizes.
- Proponents of the reduction cited the need for resource development and mining, while opponents raised concerns about environmental protection and tribal co-stewardship.
- There is a history of presidents diminishing national monuments, though environmental groups argue the Antiquities Act does not allow for such reductions.
President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he will scale back the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah, undoing actions taken by his predecessors and his successor, President Joe Biden. This move, which reduces the combined area of the two monuments by approximately 90%, from over 3.2 million acres to less than 303,000 acres, aims to allow for resource development.
Trump's decision mirrors similar actions he took during his first term, which were largely reversed by President Biden. The frequent changes to monument designations highlight how public land management has become a contentious political issue. Biden had previously restored the original sizes of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante, citing their cultural and historical significance, and had also established 10 new national monuments.
Supporters of the reductions, including Utah officials, argue that the original boundaries were too expansive and hindered access to essential minerals and state land management. Governor Spencer Cox stated that the remaining lands are still protected under federal and state law. However, conservationists and members of local tribal nations expressed concern that the order would permit mining and disrespect the cultural heritage of the sites, particularly Bears Ears, which is jointly managed by tribal nations and federal agencies.
The legality of shrinking national monuments is debated, with environmental groups contending that the Antiquities Act permits creation but not elimination of such designations. Nevertheless, historical precedent shows that presidents have issued proclamations diminishing monuments since 1912. Notable examples include actions by Woodrow Wilson, Harry Truman, and Dwight Eisenhower, who reduced the sizes of several monuments, some of which have since become national parks.
National monuments, unlike national parks established by Congress, are typically created by presidential proclamation and protected by agencies like the National Park Service or Bureau of Land Management. These designations offer broad protections against activities such as drilling, mining, and new construction.