A group of United States Senators expressed strong opposition to presidential proclamations issued on July 13, 2026, that stripped protections from the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in southern Utah.
In a letter sent to the President on August 4, 2026, the senators argued that the actions attempt to remove nearly three million acres from monument protection. They stated that these decisions place irreplaceable cultural, historic, scientific, ecological, and recreational resources at risk of loss and destruction.
The senators noted that Grand Staircase-Escalante, established in 1996, contains world-class paleontological resources and serves as the ancestral and current homelands of multiple Tribal Nations. They highlighted that the area includes striking geologic formations, unique plants and animals, and landscapes that support local outdoor recreation economies.
Regarding Bears Ears, the letter stated that the monument was established in 2016 as America's first truly tribally-driven national monument, led by five sovereign Tribal Nations. The senators expressed concern that the new proclamation disbanded the Bears Ears Commission, which they described as a model of collaborative management between the federal government and sovereign Tribal Nations.
The letter emphasized that the monuments are sacred sites for several Tribal Nations, including the Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Pueblo of Zuni, Ute Indian Tribe, and the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians. The senators stated that the Department of the Interior had previously committed to meeting with the Bears Ears Commission regarding potential changes, but no such meeting occurred before the proclamations were signed.
The senators rejected claims that monument designations are incompatible with rural prosperity or public access. They noted that the outdoor recreation economy generates $9.75 billion in Utah alone.
According to the letter, the senators argued that monument status prevents the loss of cultural and natural resources that cannot be replaced once damaged. They warned that attempting to eliminate portions of these monuments invites uncertainty for local communities, Tribes, land managers, scientists, and businesses.
