President Donald Trump issued a proclamation on July 13, 2026, significantly reducing the size of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in southern Utah, a move that undoes large-scale protections established by Democratic predecessors. The new boundaries reduce the monuments to approximately 121,000 acres and 182,000 acres respectively, a sharp departure from the millions of acres previously designated under the Antiquities Act.
Significant Reduction in Monument Acreage
The reduction marks a major shift in land management for the region, which has been a point of contention for years. As AP News reported in March 2024, the administration sought to reduce the size of two national monuments in Utah, undoing protections on lands sacred to many Native Americans that contain ancient cliff dwellings, petroglyphs, and scenic canyons. The Trump administration's move targets lands that state officials have sought to make available for the development of coal and uranium deposits.
Under the new proclamation, the Bears Ears National Monument will be scaled down to roughly 121,000 acres, while the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument will be reduced to approximately 182,000 acres. According to Senator Mike Lee, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the revised boundaries allow federal agencies to concentrate limited personnel and funding on the specific cultural, historic, and scientific objects identified within the proclamation.
While the monument footprints have shrunk, the lands outside the modified boundaries remain under federal ownership and will continue to be protected under existing federal and state laws, according to the Utah federal delegation.
Political Response from Utah Leaders
The Utah federal delegation issued a joint statement on July 13, 2026, welcoming the proclamation and stating the decision represents a return to the appropriate application of the Antiquities Act. The delegation argued that the 1906 law was never intended to place millions of acres under monument designation through executive action.
Representative Burgess Owens criticized the previous management of the lands, stating that the current action restores accountability. Owens noted that the original designations, which he said were compounded by the actions of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, created monuments larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined. He argued that such vast designations violated the mandate that presidential protections be confined to the smallest area compatible with the care of the objects to be protected.
Representative Blake Moore noted that the issue has historically become a back-and-forth between different administrations. He stated that the July 13 announcement takes into consideration years of local concern regarding restricted access and the misuse of the Antiquities Act while still maintaining protections for the state's natural and cultural resources.
Restoring Local Stewardship
Senator Mike Lee applauded the move, stating that the proclamation shows the administration respects the limits Congress placed on the Antiquities Act. Lee argued that for too long, monument designations have been used to lock up millions of acres, close roads, and restrict grazing, thereby cutting off rural communities from lands their families have worked for generations.
Senator John Curtis stated that the executive action restores a more balanced approach to managing Utah's public lands. While Curtis described the announcement as an important step toward a more appropriate interpretation of the Antiquities Act, he noted that the responsibility remains with Congress to enact lasting solutions by bringing stakeholders together to resolve disagreements. He cited an approach used in Emery County as a successful model for future land management.
Governor Spencer Cox stated that the modified boundaries do not diminish protection but rather focus it. Cox noted that the new proclamations aim to focus management efforts to better preserve the cultural and archaeological resources that make this part of Utah unique.
Historical Context of Land Management
The current reduction follows a long history of shifting federal policy regarding Utah's public lands. In 2016, President Barack Obama created the Bears Ears National Monument under the Antiquities Act. This followed the 1996 designation of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument by President Bill Clinton.
Previously, these two monuments encompassed approximately 3.2 million acres—an area larger than all seven of Utah's other national monuments and all five of its national parks combined. According to Senator Lee's office, these sweeping boundaries had strained federal staffing and law-enforcement resources and increased the burden on rural counties responsible for search-and-rescue operations.
Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams noted that the changes provide a more focused approach to preserving treasured landscapes while ensuring they remain accessible for hiking, hunting, camping, and biking. He added that the changes give land managers greater flexibility to reduce wildfire risk and combat invasive species.
Future Management Goals
Looking forward, Utah leaders emphasized that the goal is stability in land management. Utah Speaker Mike Schultz stated that the changes will improve management, public access, and recreation opportunities while respecting the traditions and livelihoods of local communities.
Attorney General Derek Brown stated that while Utah has fought hard to enforce Antiquities Act limits on monument size, the long-term answer lies in honoring the textual limits of the law rather than the political shifts of different administrations. The delegation remains focused on ensuring that land management decisions are guided by the voices of the Utahns who live closest to these landscapes.
