Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities


** As mining threat looms, poll confirms Utah voters want monuments protected
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Friday, September 11, 2026
Bears Ears National Monument - Moon House. Photo by Bob Wick, BLM ([link removed]) .

A majority of Utahns support restoring protections for Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments, according to a new poll commissioned by the Grand Canyon Trust. ([link removed]) The poll was conducted by New Bridge Strategy and surveyed 500 registered voters.

President Donald Trump slashed the size of both monuments by roughly 90 percent in July and eliminated the Bears Ears Commission ([link removed]) , which guided the management of Bears Ears and consisted of representatives from the Hopi, Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute, Zuni, and the Ute Indian Tribes. Roughly 3 million acres of public lands that now fall outside the monument boundaries are open for new mining claims starting today.

The poll results also show that a majority of Utah voters think Native American Tribes should have a strong role in public land management ([link removed]) and support a president’s ability to designate national monuments. “These findings demonstrate broad public recognition that Tribal nations must remain meaningfully involved in stewardship and co-management of their ancestral lands,” Davina Smith-Idjesa, co-chair of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition and a member of the Navajo Nation, said in a press conference Wednesday ([link removed]\) .

Autumn Gillard, a member of the Southern Paiute Tribe and coordinator of the Grand Staircase-Escalante Inter-Tribal Coalition, agreed, saying ([link removed]) , “When Tribal voices are excluded, land management decisions lose generations of understanding that cannot be replaced by a short study or an administrative review.”

Maroon Bells fees to increase as county prepares to take over management

The Pitkin Board of County Commissioners on Wednesday approved a special use permit to take over management of the Maroon Bells Scenic Area from the U.S. Forest Service in 2027. ([link removed]) Forest Service officials justified the decision by stating that the funding available to manage the Maroon Bells Scenic Area has “not kept pace with the rising costs of sustainably operating and maintaining the area.” The special use permit would allow Pitkin County to run everything from day-to-day operations like staffing and maintenance but would still require raising visitor fees to help “support operational expenses.” The county wants to increase the day-use fee at the Maroon Bells from $10 to $30, while campground fees and wilderness permit trailhead parking would more than double. Will Roush, the executive director of Wilderness Workshop, said of the decision
([link removed]) , “Transferring essential public lands management functions to counties and private contractors without any Forest Service public process is a dangerous precedent, and everyone who cares about our public lands should be concerned about what this means for their future stewardship and accessibility.” To learn more, read our Westwise blog post ([link removed]) about this issue.


** Quick hits
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Why the federal government is losing its war on fire

RE:PUBLIC ([link removed])

Maroon Bells visitation fees to increase as county prepares to take over management

Denver7 News ([link removed])

Poll: Majority of Utah voters want protections for Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante to be restored

Salt Lake Tribune ([link removed]) | Utah News Dispatch ([link removed]) | Inside Climate News ([link removed]) | Native News Online ([link removed]) | Fox13 Now ([link removed]) | Grand Canyon Trust ([link removed]) [poll results]

If Colorado River compact heads to the Supreme Court, 'everybody loses,' experts say

KUNC ([link removed])

Moab-Arches shuttle officially launches as agencies begin measuring impact

Salt Lake Tribune ([link removed])

New Mexico sues federal government for refusing to reimburse state for $61 million in wildfire costs

SourceNM ([link removed])

Opinion: Trump's attacks on the environment are out of touch with America

TIME ([link removed])

Lawsuit says BLM Colorado oil and gas lease sales ignored critical wildlife corridors

Colorado Newsline ([link removed]) | Colorado Sun ([link removed])


** Quote of the day
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” This president labels his policies 'America first,' but on public lands and national parks he’s simply put America last. As someone who was in those rooms making the case, I could not be more disappointed. And it doesn’t need to be this way.”

—Benji Backer, founder and CEO of United By Nature, TIME ([link removed])


** Picture This
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@nationalparkservice ([link removed])
The National Park Service is honored to formally recognize the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial as an Affiliated Area of the National Park System.

This week, as the nation marks 25 years since September 11, 2001, this designation recognizes the enduring national significance of this place of remembrance and honors the 184 people who lost their lives at the Pentagon and aboard American Airlines Flight 77.

The two-acre outdoor memorial, which opened in 2008, is a solemn place of reflection and remembrance. The memorial features 184 illuminated units, each dedicated to an individual who was killed on September 11, 2001. Together, they create a lasting tribute to the lives lost and the families, friends, and communities forever changed that day.

NPS Photos

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