Trump cuts size of Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments
Action reduces protections for two Utah monuments considered sacred by many tribal nations
President Donald Trump signed proclamations July 13 reducing the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in southern Utah by about 90%, reversing protections established by previous Democratic administrations, according to reporting from The Associated Press. Bears Ears, created in 2016 at the request of tribal nations, contains ancestral villages, and ceremonial and burial sites, while Grand Staircase-Escalante includes archaeological sites and large coal reserves.
Davina Smith-Idjesa, a citizen of the Navajo Nation and co-chair of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition, said the decision was "heartbreaking" and criticized the federal government for not consulting affected tribal nations, according to the Associated Press reporting. Utah officials supported the action, saying the monuments extended beyond what was needed to protect cultural resources. Trump said the move returns the land to the public, while opponents said it could increase development on culturally significant landscapes.
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