Utah monuments shrink by 90%, and California recreationists are watching closely

Key Takeaways

• President Trump signed executive orders on July 13 that cut Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante by more than 90%.
• The combined monument footprint shrinks from the size of Connecticut to about the size of New York City.
• Valley of the Gods, rock climbing areas, Ancestral Puebloan ruins and unique fossil beds lose federal protection.
• Mining and oil and gas exploration could now open on millions of acres of former monument land.
• Retired monument paleontologist Alan Titus called it "a level of rollback I wasn't emotionally prepared for."

What the executive orders change

On July 13, President Donald Trump signed a pair of executive orders that reduced the combined footprint of Bears Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument by more than 90%. Before the cuts, the pair held land the size of Connecticut. Now the protected area is closer to the size of New York City.

During the signing, Trump justified the shrinking by saying smaller footprints would protect the most vital areas while unlocking the rest for additional uses. He claimed that under the old boundaries people "can't go hunting, can't go fishing, can't do anything." Deputy Interior Secretary Kate MacGregor responded, "That's exactly right, sir, so you are remedying that today."

Those who steward these lands disagree. Current and former federal employees and representatives of local Indigenous tribes said the comments were untrue and damaging.

Landmarks stripped of protection

Among the places removed from the monuments are Valley of the Gods, internationally recognized rock climbing routes, some of the densest ancient settlements in the country, and paleontological outcroppings found nowhere else. Valley of the Gods features sweeping sandstone towers formed more than 250 million years ago. The site is sacred to members of the Navajo Nation.

Bears Ears National Monument contains more than 100,000 Native American archaeological and cultural sites. Grand Staircase-Escalante is known for unique geological and paleontological resources. Alan Titus, who spent two decades as the monument paleontologist at Grand Staircase-Escalante, told SFGATE that "this is a level of rollback I wasn't emotionally prepared for, and it will fundamentally change how these places are managed."

Local California Context

Although the monuments are in Utah, they are popular destinations for California residents. Bay Area hikers, climbers and campers frequently visit Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante. The rollback means that millions of acres of public land that California visitors cherish could now be opened to mining, drilling and other development. Conservation groups in California have long urged federal officials to preserve these landscapes.

Background

Grand Staircase-Escalante was created by President Bill Clinton in 1996, and Bears Ears was designated by President Barack Obama in 2016. Both were celebrated for their cultural and scientific value. The executive orders arrived as the two monuments prepared to mark their 10th and 30th anniversaries.

Conclusion

The final boundaries will reshape the future of these public lands. For now, the legal protections are gone. People who care about public lands can follow the issue and voice their concerns to elected officials as management plans are updated.

Sources and Materials

• sfgate