Trump administration finalizes plans to shrink Bears Ears, Grand Staircase monuments

The Trump administration has finalized plans to dramatically shrink the scope of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments despite an ongoing legal challenge from environmentalists and Native American tribes. Officials said during a call with reporters that the finalized plans were similar to previous proposals but contained some "tweaks," including that cattle will not graze on a large portion the Escalante River. "We are advancing our goal to restore trust and be a good neighbor," said Casey Hammond, the acting assistant secretary for land and minerals management. President Trump in 2017 issued proclamations to shrink the size of both Utah monuments. The administration decided to shrink Bears Ears by 85 percent and Grand Staircase by about half. Hammond told reporters Thursday that Trump's 2017 proclamations "return certain lands to multiple use, removing them from the boundaries of the national monument" but that the new decisions "do not authorize the transfer of any lands out of federal ownership." Critics have expressed concern that the plans for Bears Ears would open certain lands for development. "This president is willing to inflict lasting damage on our country to benefit his industry boosters, and anyone who invests a dollar in drilling or digging in the newly opened areas should be prepared to lose their bet against public opinion and the strength of our legal system,” said House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.)...MORE