 Put the Grand Staircase back in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument! Photo provided by Jackie Grant, 2026. |
| You have heard that President Trump downsized the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Bear Ears National Monument on July 13, 2026. Although the latest Presidential Proclamation was expected, it was still devastating because of the sheer audacity it took to reduce the size of the Monuments by over 90% and declare that the public lands excluded from the Monument shall be open to (1) sale, (2) mineral and geothermal leasing, and (3) location, entry, and patent under U.S. mining laws. The lands were always open to entry, but now they are “open to location,” which has a specific meaning under the Mining Law of 1872: the land is legally available for U.S. citizens and businesses to explore, claim, and develop hard rock minerals. If a valuable mineral deposit is found, the land is open to patent, which means that a company can purchase the public land from the government and receive full private ownership for a nominal amount – sometimes as low as $2.50 to $5.00 per acre. This absolutely stinks and has the mark of Senator Mike Lee and his thirst for selling our American public lands all over it. What can we do? First, we can take some comfort in knowing that Congress put a moratorium on the patent review process in 1994, which means that there are a few hurdles between the outright purchase of these special lands and a successful sale to private interests. Second, we can continue to protect and serve the lands even though they have lost their Monument protection: 1.69 million acres that are no longer part of the Monument. Our programs are still running even though many of them take place outside of the new boundaries. Third, as always, contact your legislators and let them know how you feel about the Monument and how this action impacts you. Read on to learn more about our work to serve the land, the Monument’s 30th anniversary, our native plant team, new PAWtners, and why the Monument is worth so much more than the mineral resources under its skin. Thank you. -Jackie |
