The State of Utah announced July 13, 2026, that it supports new federal actions to modify the boundaries of Bears Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The changes, enacted under the Antiquities Act, reduce the scale of both monuments to allow for more focused management, preservation, and public access.
New Monument Boundaries
According to 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 reduced to approximately 182,000 acres.
Governor Spencer J. Cox stated that the state values these natural, cultural, and scientific treasures, noting that the central issue is not whether to protect them, but how to achieve the best protection. He said by reducing the scale, agencies can direct limited resources toward caring for specific, significant sites rather than spreading efforts across millions of surrounding acres.
Management and Scale Challenges
The Utah Senate reported that the previous designations for these two monuments totaled roughly 3.2 million acres, an area larger than all of Utah's other seven national monuments and five national parks combined, with enough remaining space to cover Delaware, New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.
State officials noted that the massive scale of previous designations created significant management challenges that inadvertently harmed cultural and scientific resources. The state maintains that lands removed from the monument boundaries will remain protected under existing federal and state laws as part of America's public lands, ensuring continued safeguards for wildlife habitat, sensitive landscapes, and cultural sites.
Legal and Legislative Advocacy
Attorney General Derek Brown said the state has fought to enforce the Antiquities Act's limits on monument size and will continue to ensure the law is applied faithfully. He stated that the Antiquities Act was not intended to be a tool for locking up millions of acres with a single presidential action.
Brown emphasized that the long-term solution for land stability lies in honoring the textual limits already placed on monument sizes by the Act, rather than depending on which administration occupies the White House.
Public Access and Stability
Speaker Mike Schultz said July 13, 2026, that the changes to the boundaries would improve public access and recreation opportunities while respecting local traditions and livelihoods. He noted that by focusing resources where they are most needed, the state can ensure these lands are preserved for future generations.
Schultz also called for a long-term solution to prevent these lands from being subject to ongoing political back-and-forth, stating that these locations deserve stability and thoughtful stewardship.
Tribal Coalition Formation
While the state focuses on boundary modifications, tribal nations are organizing to ensure their voices are included 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 Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians, the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, and the Zuni Tribe.
Cultural Resource Management
The Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah stated that the formation of this coalition represents a key moment in the history of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, demonstrating how closely the monument is connected to the surrounding communities.
The coalition aims to provide valuable perspectives regarding the management of lands and cultural resources that are integral to the history of these tribes and the United States.
Future Stewardship Goals
Senate President J. Stuart Adams said the new boundaries provide an opportunity to focus protection on essential resources while ensuring lands remain accessible for hiking, hunting, camping, and biking. He noted that the changes allow land managers more flexibility to combat invasive species and reduce wildfire risk.
Adams added that the action recognizes that local communities deserve a meaningful voice in stewardship, ensuring that historic roads and trails remain open and ranching families have certainty.
