President Trump signed presidential proclamations on July 13, 2026, significantly reducing the boundaries of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments, a move that has sparked intense conflict between Utah state officials and conservation organizations over the application of the 1906 Antiquities Act.
State Officials Support Reduced Boundaries
The modifications, which were welcomed by the State of Utah, drastically alter the size of two of the state's most prominent protected areas. Under the new boundaries, the Bears Ears National Monument now covers approximately 121,000 acres, while the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument has been reduced to approximately 182,000 acres. According to a press release from the Governor's office, these changes were made under the authority of the Antiquities Act, a law passed in 1906 that authorizes the President to designate historic landmarks and objects of historic or scientific interest as national monuments within the smallest area compatible with proper management.
Governor Spencer J. Cox said on July 13, 2026, that the state welcomes the new federal action, arguing that the reduced scale allows agencies to better provide management, preservation, and public access. Cox stated that the question has never been whether to protect these natural, cultural, and scientific treasures, but rather how to protect them best. He noted that by reducing the scale, agencies can direct limited resources toward specific sites rather than millions of surrounding acres.
Management and Resource Challenges
The decision follows a period of significant scale for the monuments. Prior to these modifications, the two monuments together encompassed approximately 3.2 million acres, an area larger than all of Utah's other seven national monuments and five national parks combined, with enough remaining area to cover the states of Delaware, 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. Speaker Mike Schultz said on July 13, 2026, that the changes would improve management and recreation opportunities while respecting the traditions and livelihoods of local communities. He added that focusing resources where they are needed most will ensure the lands are preserved for future generations and prevent the lands from being subject to political back-and-forth.
Conservation Groups Vow Legal Action
The reduction has met fierce opposition from the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA). In a statement released July 13, 2026, SUWA Executive Director Scott Braden described the actions as reckless and unlawful, claiming they were taken at the behest of Utah politicians. Braden specifically named Senators Mike Lee and John Curtis, Governor Spencer Cox, and other state leaders as those who championed the action.
SUWA characterized the administration's move as an attack on the monuments that seeks to open the landscapes to exploitation. Braden stated that the organization is committed to defending the monuments and will challenge the decision in federal court, expressing confidence that the unlawful acts will be rejected and the monuments restored. SUWA's position is that these landscapes deserve protection for current and future generations, rather than being dismantled.
A History of Monument Disputes
The legal history of these monuments is complex and marked by shifting presidential administrations. Grand Staircase-Escalante was designated in 1996 to protect 1.9 million acres of scientific and ecological resources. Bears Ears was established on December 28, 2016, by President Obama, a move intended to protect nearly 100,000 archaeological and cultural sites and to elevate the voices of Tribal Nations with ancestral ties to the region.
In 2017, President Trump eliminated large swaths of both monuments, slashing Grand Staircase by roughly 900,000 acres and reducing Bears Ears by approximately 83 percent. These reductions were challenged in court by SUWA and other conservation groups. While President Biden signed proclamations on October 8, 2021, to restore the monuments to their full, original boundaries, the current administration has moved to modify them again.
Local Control and Land Use
The debate also highlights the tension between federal oversight and local control. Attorney General Derek Brown stated on July 13, 2026, that the Antiquities Act was not intended to be a tool for locking up millions of acres with a stroke of a pen. He emphasized that Utah has fought to enforce the Act's limits on monument size to ensure residents have certainty about the lands they call home.
Senate President J. Stuart Adams noted that the new boundaries provide a more focused approach to preservation while ensuring lands remain accessible for ranching, hiking, hunting, camping, and biking. He suggested that the changes give land managers greater flexibility to combat invasive species and reduce wildfire risk. Despite these claims, SUWA maintains that the reductions leave rare archaeological sites and unique flora and fauna without the protection they require.
Future Stewardship and Protection
As the legal battle looms, the State of Utah has indicated it will continue working with federal agencies, tribal governments, and local communities to manage the landscapes. While the modified boundaries for Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante have been established, lands not included within the new monument boundaries will remain protected under existing federal laws to safeguard wildlife habitats and sensitive landscapes throughout the region.
