Trump Administration Moves to Strip Protections from National Monuments After Congress Refused
Administration attempts to do by executive action what House and Senate will not
WASHINGTON, DC — The Trump administration today issued two presidential proclamations to eliminate protections for Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments. The move comes weeks after a failed effort by Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-UT-02) to repeal Grand Staircase’s management plan collapsed in Congress.
Following is a statement from Bobby McEnaney, director of land conservation at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):
“The votes to do this in Congress were never there, so now they are trying to force it through by executive action. This is a reckless and disrespectful attack on some of America’s most cherished public lands. The administration is attempting to unravel years of public support, scientific consensus, and collaborative stewardship. Gutting protections for Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears isn’t just illegal—it’s immoral. We won’t stand by and allow this unprecedented attack on America's shared history, common values, and natural and cultural heritage.”
Background:
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument was established in 1996 and protects some of the most scientifically and culturally significant resources on the Colorado Plateau, including ancestral Tribal lands, world-class paleontological sites, and habitat for imperiled wildlife. The current management plan was finalized by BLM in 2024 after extensive consultation with Tribal Nations, the State of Utah, local governments, ranchers, outfitters, and the public.
The Bears Ears National Monument was first created in 2016. Established to protect significant cultural resources and landscapes in southeastern Utah, Bears Ears is notable for its co-stewardship model, in which five Tribal Nations formally participate in the co-management of the monument.
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NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Established in 1970, NRDC uses science, policy, law and people power to confront the climate crisis, protect public health and safeguard nature. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Beijing and Delhi (an office of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd).