Effort to overturn Grand Staircase-Escalante plan loses fast-track path
Tribal coalition says proposal to overturn Grand Staircase-Escalante management plan would threaten cultural sites and undermine co-stewardship efforts
Sen. Mike Lee and Rep. Celeste Maloy's effort to overturn a 2025 management plan for Utah's Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument missed the deadline for expedited consideration under the Congressional Review Act, according to reporting from Utah News Dispatch. Lee and Maloy had proposed reversing the Biden-era plan for the 1.9 million-acre monument, arguing it imposed excessive restrictions. In a joint statement, the lawmakers said they are evaluating next steps and remain committed to "restoring our community's voice in the monument's future."
A coalition of Native American tribes said the proposal would have had "devastating effects for the monument and for our peoples." Autumn Gillard, coordinator for the Grand Staircase-Escalante Inter-Tribal Coalition who is Southern Paiute, said the current plan established a framework for tribal co-stewardship, and protects cultural sites vulnerable to looting and vandalism. Future legislation would likely require 60 votes in the Senate to overcome a filibuster, according to Utah News Dispatch.
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