The State of Utah Applauds National Monuments Modifications
July 13, 2026/Press
SALT LAKE CITY (July 13, 2026) — The State of Utah welcomes new federal action that modifies the boundaries of the Bears Ears National Monument and Grand-Staircase Escalante National Monument under the Antiquities Act. The reduced size and scale allow agencies to better provide management, preservation, and public access to both monuments for generations to come. Lands not included within the modified monument boundaries remain protected under existing federal and state law as a part of America’s public lands.
Governor's Support for Boundary Changes
“We deeply value these natural, cultural, and scientific treasures,” Gov. Spencer J. Cox said. “The question has never been whether to protect them, but how to protect them best. The historic landmarks and other nationally significant resources remain under federal protection, while allowing agencies to direct limited resources toward caring for these specific sites rather than millions of surrounding acres.”
The Antiquities Act and Management Challenges
National monument designations provide special protection for culturally and scientifically significant objects on land already managed by the federal government for the benefit of all Americans. The Antiquities Act, originally passed in 1906, authorizes the President to declare historic landmarks and other objects of historic or scientific interest as national monuments and designate them “to the smallest area compatible with proper care and management of the objects to be protected.”
The scale of previous designations of Bears Ears and Grand-Staircase Escalante National Monuments created significant management challenges, which inadvertently harmed the cultural and scientific resources. Together, the two monuments encompassed approximately 3.2 million acres—an area larger than all of Utah’s other seven national monuments and five national parks combined, with room to spare for the state of Delaware, New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.
Attorney General's Stance on Stewardship
“The Antiquities Act was never meant to be a tool for locking up millions of acres with the stroke of a pen. Today’s action takes a major step in the right direction of appropriately sized monuments allowing responsible stewardship that works with our communities, not against them. Utah has fought hard to enforce Antiquities Act limits on monument size, and we will continue fighting to ensure the law is applied faithfully — and that Utahns have lasting certainty about the lands they call home,” said Attorney General Derek Brown. “But our work isn’t finished. The long-term answer isn’t found in which president happens to occupy the White House. The answer lies in honoring the textual limits the Antiquities Act already places on monument sizes. Utah will keep pressing until that’s the reality, not just the ideal.”
Funding and Resource Constraints
National monument designations rarely come with increases in funding or staffing proportional to the new needs of the area. Increased visitation and focus on preserving the cultural and scientific sites often strain agency budgets and law enforcement capabilities. The result is resource degradation at the sites that matter most to Utahns.
Legislative Reaction to New Boundaries
“Today is an exciting day for the state of Utah and we applaud President Trump’s thoughtful action to modify the boundaries of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments,” said Speaker Mike Schultz. “These changes will improve management, public access, and recreation opportunities while respecting the traditions, livelihoods, and voices of local communities. By focusing resources where they are needed most, we will ensure these lands are preserved for current and future generations. We continue to push for a long-term solution so these lands are not subject to political back-and-forth. These remarkable places deserve stability, protection, and thoughtful stewardship for decades to come.”
Specific Acreage and Continued Protections
The modified boundaries of Bears Ears National Monument now cover approximately 121,000 acres.
The modified boundaries of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument now cover approximately 182,000 acres.
Lands not included within the modified monument boundaries remain protected under existing federal laws to continue to safeguard cultural sites, wildlife habitat, and sensitive landscapes throughout the region.
The new boundaries of both monuments create an opportunity to focus protection of the resources and provide access to the public for education, research, and recreation. Monument management will bring together representatives from tribes with historic connections to the areas, local governments, and the state to help guide decisions.
“We don’t have to choose between protecting our heritage and supporting our communities,” said Senate President J. Stuart Adams. “We appreciate the Trump Administration’s recognition that local communities deserve a meaningful voice in the stewardship of the public lands that shape their way of life. Today’s action provides a more focused approach to preserving some of Utah’s most treasured landscapes while ensuring these lands remain accessible to the people who rely on them. Historic roads and trails will remain open, ranching families will have certainty, and Utahns and visitors will continue to enjoy these areas through hiking, hunting, camping, biking and other longstanding recreational opportunities. These changes also give land managers greater flexibility to reduce wildfire risk and combat invasive species. By focusing protections where they matter most, we can preserve these cultural and natural treasures while honoring the traditions and livelihoods that have long been part of this region.”
The State of Utah will continue working with federal agencies, tribal governments, and local communities to ensure responsible stewardship of these remarkable landscapes for generations to come. To learn more visit https://publiclands.utah.gov/national-monuments/.
