All articles tagged with #antiquities act
President Trump signed an executive order that reduces Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears monuments in Utah by about 90% (from roughly 3 million acres to 300,000), aiming to open land to energy development. Utah Governor Spencer Cox praised the move as aligning with the Antiquities Act, while Native groups criticized it for erasing cultural sites. The sites were designated as monuments by Clinton in 1996 and Obama in 2016.
President Trump signed two executive orders to reduce nearly 3 million acres of protected land in Utah—1.69 million acres from Grand Staircase-Escalante and 1.24 million from Bears Ears—drawing criticism from environmental groups who label the move illegal and pledging legal challenges, while Utah officials praise the decision. The reductions come after Obama had restored Bears Ears and re-expanded Grand Staircase-Escalante, and legal questions linger about whether the Antiquities Act allows shrinking monuments.
The Justice Department issued a legal opinion stating that Presidents, including Donald Trump, have the authority to revoke national monument designations made by previous presidents, challenging a long-standing interpretation of the Antiquities Act and potentially enabling the removal of protected lands for resource development. This stance has faced criticism from environmental groups.
The Department of Justice issued an opinion suggesting President Trump has the authority to review and potentially eliminate national monuments, reversing a previous stance that only Congress could do so. This move aligns with efforts by the Trump administration to reduce protected areas for resource extraction and development, sparking criticism from conservation groups and legal experts who emphasize the longstanding legal protections of these sites. The opinion signals possible future actions to diminish or remove national monuments, despite ongoing legal and public opposition.
The Justice Department under Trump has issued an opinion stating that presidents have the authority to cancel national monument designations, reversing a 1938 determination, with recent examples including monuments in California designated by Biden. This move is part of a broader debate over land protections and resource extraction, with critics arguing it threatens environmental and cultural sites.