Trump Slashes Two Utah National Monuments by Nearly 90 Percent
US President Donald Trump has signed orders dramatically reducing the size of two major national monuments in southern Utah by more than 90 percent
President of the United States Donald Trump has signed orders reducing the area of two national monuments in southern Utah by more than 90 percent. This was reported by Reuters.
The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument has been reduced from 1.87 million acres (756,762 hectares) to 181,500 acres (73,450 hectares). Bears Ears National Monument has been cut from 1.36 million acres (550,372 hectares) to 121,100 acres (49,007 hectares).
The White House administration stated that adjusting the boundaries will allow federal lands to be used for “higher-priority tasks.” The order on Bears Ears notes that the region contains resources “critical to energy independence and national security.”
The environmental organisation Earthjustice announced it would take legal action “to protect these priceless landscapes.” Representatives of indigenous peoples also criticised the decision, noting that it was made without consultation with the tribes, violating US obligations under existing treaties.
Bears Ears National Monument was established by former President Barack Obama in 2016. Named after two rock formations resembling a bear’s head on the horizon, the monument contains numerous cultural and archaeological sites sacred to several Native American tribes.
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument was created in 1996 by former President Bill Clinton. Over the past two decades, its colourful rock formations have yielded numerous dinosaur fossils.
Senator Martin Heinrich of neighbouring New Mexico criticised the president’s actions, stating that existing protections preserve wildlife habitats, safeguard areas important to tribes, and support local economies based on tourism.
A number of conservative politicians from Utah welcomed the decision, arguing that federal restrictions hinder regional development.