The State of Utah announced support on July 13, 2026, for new federal actions under the Antiquities Act that reduce the boundaries of Bears Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The state leadership stated the modified scales will allow agencies to better manage preservation and public access to these natural and cultural treasures.
Reduced Monument Boundaries
According to a statement from the Utah Senate, the modified boundaries for Bears Ears National Monument now encompass approximately 121,000 acres. The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument has been adjusted to cover approximately 182,000 acres.
Governor Spencer J. Cox said the state values these natural, cultural, and scientific treasures, noting that the central issue is not whether to protect them, but how to provide the best protection. He stated that while historic landmarks and significant resources will remain under federal protection, the changes allow agencies to direct limited resources toward specific sites rather than managing millions of surrounding acres.
Management and Stewardship Challenges
The Utah Senate reported that previous designations for the two monuments totaled approximately 3.2 million acres, an area larger than all of Utah's other seven national monuments and five national parks combined, with additional space equivalent to the size of Delaware, New Hampshire, New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.
State officials argued that the previous scale created significant management challenges that inadvertently harmed cultural and scientific resources. Attorney General Derek Brown said the action is a major step toward appropriately sized monuments that allow for responsible stewardship working with local communities. He added that Utah will continue to fight to ensure the Antiquities Act is applied within its textual limits to provide certainty for Utahns regarding the lands they call home.
Impact on Local Communities
State leaders expressed concern that national monument designations often lack proportional increases in funding or staffing to meet new area requirements. The Utah Senate noted that increased visitation and the focus on preserving specific sites often strain law enforcement capabilities and agency budgets, leading to resource degradation at critical sites.
Senate President J. Stuart Adams said the changes provide a more focused approach to preserving landscapes while ensuring they remain accessible. He noted that the modified boundaries allow land managers greater flexibility to combat invasive species and reduce wildfire risk, while also ensuring that historic roads and trails remain open for hiking, hunting, camping, and biking.
Continued Federal Protection
Speaker Mike Schultz said the changes would improve recreation opportunities and public access while respecting the voices, traditions, and livelihoods of local communities. He also noted that Utah continues to push for a long-term solution so these lands are not subject to ongoing political shifts between presidential administrations.
The state emphasized that lands excluded from the new monument boundaries will remain protected under existing federal and state laws to safeguard wildlife habitat, sensitive landscapes, and cultural sites throughout the region.
Inter-Tribal Coalition Formation
As federal boundaries are modified, tribal groups are working to ensure their interests are represented in land management. On March 25, 2025, representatives from six tribes announced the formation of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Inter-Tribal Coalition.
The coalition includes the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe, the Zuni Tribe, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians, and the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah. The formation of this group marks a significant point in the history of the monument by demonstrating the connection between the land and the communities that inhabit the surrounding region.
Future Management Goals
The Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah stated that the coalition will provide essential perspectives regarding the management of cultural resources and lands. These resources are integral to the history of the United States and tell the story of the participating tribal peoples.
The new monument boundaries are intended to create opportunities for land management that brings together local governments, state officials, and representatives from tribes with historic connections to the area to guide future decisions.
