Last December, the President of the United States declared major area cuts to two national monuments in Utah: Bears Ears and Grand Staircase – Escalante.
A video from this New York Times article includes a video that summarizes the situation very well:
Basically, this is going to create a war between Native Americans and conservationists, and western conservatives and oil companies. Some Native American groups are already threatening lawsuit. They claim the area is vital for heritage and archaeological importance.
Other groups applaud the President’s action, using the Antiquities Act of 1906, which states that the President has the power to “declare by public proclamation historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest,” but only under the condition that the land be “confined to the smallest area compatible with proper care and management.” Conservatives claim that Presidents Clinton (who laid aside Grand Staircase-Escalante) and Obama (who laid aside Bear Ears) violated this condition, protecting more land than necessary. There is also debate on the extent of oil and gas under these newly unprotected lands, though the Salt Lake Tribune, a Utah Newspaper, assures that there is actually a fair amount below the land.
Utah senator Mike Lee (R) is among Trump’s supporters on the issue, and he is quoted in the New York Times article praising Trump for “be[ing] sympathetic to the fact that we’ve been mistreated.” He believes there should be a greater local voice in such issues, rather than an overarching federal declaration.
So, what do you think? Did the president take away too much land from the monuments, or didn’t he take enough? Personally, I am a fan of protected federal lands such as national parks and monuments. However, I do think there should be a limit on the area they cover. It is nice to preserve natural wonders and heritage, but like anything, there needs to be a balance. I am not expert on the environment or economy of Utah, but perhaps less protected land could lead to an increase in natural resources and thus benefit the local people.
Thus, at the moment, I am not alarmed at Trump’s decision. For now, I trust that he and his Secretary of the Interior, Ryan Zinke, thoroughly analyzed the decisions they’ve made, determining them best for the country. Once he starts inappropriately digging in to land that actually should be preserved (Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon), or just starts cutting too much land altogether, then I will change my mind.
I am definitely going to keep an eye out for this topic. Public land is our land, and we are entitled to know and have a say over what happens to it.
Below are sites from Bears Ears and Grand Staircase – Escalante, respectively.
