Trimming Monument in Utah Pleases Republicans, Angers Tribes

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's recommendation to downsize the new Bears Ears National Monument in Utah was applauded by the state's top Republican leaders but marked a stinging setback for a coalition of Western tribes that pushed for protection of lands they consider sacred. Zinke, a former Republican congressman from Montana, said Monday he's committed to make sure Native American culture is preserved and vowed to push for Congress to approve legislation granting tribes legal authority to "co-manage" some of the Bears Ears site. He said he discussed the idea with the tribes and that they came away happy with the plan. "I have enormous respect for tribes," Zinke said. "This is working hand-to-hand with the tribes as I said I would do." Several tribal leaders balked at that characterization, saying they weren't briefed on the plan and consider the idea to be an attempt to temper their criticism. They joined environmental groups in vowing to file lawsuits if President Donald Trump accepts the recommendation and shrinks the monument. "This was really just a cynical effort to distract Indian country from the devastating blow of reducing the size of the monument," Natalie Landreth, an attorney at the Native American Rights Fund. "Bears Ears is not for sale. It's not up for trade." Noting the contentious nature of the monument designation, Zinke called on Congress to approve a land-management bill for Bears Ears and other federal lands. The Republican-controlled Congress has failed to approve a significant public lands bill in recent years, but Zinke said that was because of veto threats by Obama. Utah rancher Zeb Dalton was among monument critics who wanted Zinke to recommend rescinding the entire monument. He and other cattle ranchers fear that their grazing rights will be impacted even though the government had said the monument designation will allow grazing to continue. Dalton said he'll await the new boundaries to find out how much of his land is included. "Everybody says it needs to be protected; it's already protected," said Dalton, while adding. "I guess reducing the size is better than nothing."...more