Trump Slashes Two Utah Monuments by Over 90%

President Donald Trump signed executive orders on Monday that slashed the size of two national monuments in southern Utah by more than 90%, allowing for grazing, motorized recreation, logging, and other resource development in the region. The proclamations reduced Bears Ears National Monument to 121,100 acres from 1.36 million acres, and cut Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument to 181,500 acres from 1.87 million acres. Trump made the announcement at the White House alongside Utah Governor Spencer Cox and the state's two U.S. senators, Mike Lee and John Curtis.

The monuments were originally established by former Presidents Barack Obama (Bears Ears) in 2016 and Bill Clinton (Grand Staircase-Escalante) in 1996. Bears Ears is home to cultural and archaeological sites sacred to several Native American tribes, while Grand Staircase-Escalante is known for its colorful rock formations and numerous dinosaur fossils.

Trump's move has drawn criticism from environmental advocates and tribal representatives who have fought for years to protect the monuments. Earthjustice, an environmental law firm, announced plans to take legal action against the decision. Davina Smith-Idjesa, a citizen of the Navajo Nation and co-chair of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition, called the reduction 'heartbreaking' and accused federal officials of sidestepping their legal responsibility to consult with tribal nations.

The latest move comes as Trump and other Republicans have drastically reshaped the management of vast taxpayer-owned lands concentrated in western states. The executive orders may open the land formerly part of the monuments for sale or lease to oil, gas, mining, and logging companies within 60 days. According to Utah Governor Spencer Cox, this will not remove protections already in place but will make 'the monuments more manageable so that we have the resources necessary to continue to protect these antiquities.'

Environmental groups argue that the executive orders prioritize commercial gain over conservation and plan to challenge them in court. Scott Braden, executive director of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, stated that 'these two landscapes deserve to be protected for current and future generations of Utahns and Americans, not opened to exploitation.'

Trump's actions undo proclamations from his predecessors who deemed the sites worthy of preservation under the Antiquities Act. The combined size of both monuments is less than 303,000 acres (123,000 hectares), which is a greater reduction compared to his first term. Proponents of the reductions said the protective boundaries stretched too far and hindered mining for essential minerals.

According to Time, the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition—which includes the Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Pueblo of Zuni, and Ute Indian Tribe—said that the sites contain “thousands of sacred cultural sites and important areas of spiritual significance.” The coalition originally advocated for the designation of national monument status, which was granted by President Barack Obama in 2016. It then sued the Trump Administration in 2017 for attempting to resize the monument, though the case was suspended when President Joe Biden restored its original boundaries in 2021—and expanded the site by 12,000 additional acres.

Time also reported that Republican Sen. Mike Lee said in a statement on Monday: “For too long, presidents have weaponized monument designations to lock up millions of acres, close roads, restrict grazing, and cut rural communities off from lands their families have lived on and worked for generations.” Governor Spencer Cox wrote on X that 'the question has never been whether to protect Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments, but how to protect them best.' He continued: “We deeply value these natural, cultural, and scientific treasures. The historic landmarks and other nationally significant resources remain under federal protection, while allowing agencies to direct limited resources toward caring for these specific sites rather than millions of surrounding acres.”