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President Biden is expected to issue a proclamation today confirming the original boundaries of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in Utah. According to The White House, Biden will reinstate and slightly expand the original 1.35 million acre boundaries of Bears Ears, and restore the original 1.87 million acre boundaries of Grand Staircase-Escalante. He is also expected to restore protections for Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, an expanse of sea canyons and underwater mountains off the New England coast.
In 2017, President Trump attempted to slash the boundaries of the Utah monuments by 85 and 50 percent, respectively. That attempt was an unprecedented decision that was contested in the courts. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland advised President Biden to restore the original boundaries of the monuments in June. By issuing a new proclamation using his authority under the Antiquities Act, President Biden will remove any legal uncertainty and restore protections to more than two million acres of national public lands.
In anticipation of the announcement, the Center for Western Priorities Executive Director Jennifer Rokala thanked President Biden for listening to Indigenous tribes and the American people and encouraged him to keep going, saying, "Now the real work starts. This announcement is only a downpayment on President Biden’s America the Beautiful initiative. Scientists warn that we only have a few years to protect 30 percent of the planet’s land and water in order to address the intertwined climate and nature crises. We hope that this proclamation is the first step toward reaching the president’s 30×30 goal. There are many more landscapes across America worthy of protection. Now President Biden has the opportunity to define his legacy as one of America’s great conservation leaders. I hope he’ll take it.”
National parks and monuments have become the backbone of the economy in Southern Utah. In the 25 years since Grand Staircase-Escalante was first protected, it has transformed the region into a hub for outdoor recreation. Interest in Bears Ears has similarly skyrocketed, ironically due to President Trump’s attempts to remove land protections. With full monument status back in place, Congress and the Interior Department need to manage and fund these landscapes to handle the growing crowds, so they’re properly protected for future generations.
The decision to restore Bears Ears is particularly meaningful to the the Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe, Ute Indian Tribe, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and Pueblo of Zuni as the region is the ancestral homeland of all five tribal nations. “For us, the monument never went away. We will always return to these lands to manage and care for our sacred sites, waters, and medicines,” said Shaun Chapoose, a longtime elected Ute tribal leader. “The Monument represents a historic opportunity for the federal government to learn and incorporate our tribal land management practices that we developed over centuries and are needed more now than ever.”
A bill to end non-competitive leasing
Colorado Senator John Hickenlooper introduced a bill yesterday that would end the practice of ripping off taxpayers by leasing public lands for under $2 an acre. Non-competitive leasing is a big problem. It allows oil and gas companies to lock up public lands, that could be managed for other purposes like wildlife habitat or recreation, for decades. And non-competitive leases are less likely to be drilled, so oil and gas companies only pay negligible rental fees.
The Center for Western Priorities Executive Director Jennifer Rokala cheered Hickenlooper's bill in a statement yesterday, saying, “As the Congressional budget reconciliation process continues, eliminating noncompetitive leasing and incorporating other oil and gas reforms—which carry huge financial benefits for taxpayers—must be a priority.”
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The historical connection between Indigenous peoples and Bears Ears is undeniable; our Native American ancestors sustained themselves on the landscape since time immemorial, and evidence of their rich lives is everywhere one looks.”
