The U.S. President Joe Biden will work to revive the three national monuments located in Utah, at the heart of the disputed territory of public lands as well as a marine conversation region used for commercial fishing in New England.
The White House broke the news of the restoration project on Thursday.
However, the governor of Utah, Spencer Cox, condemned Biden’s decision to revive the Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears monuments, which were downsized in 2017 during the Trump administration.
The vast monuments are spread to southern Utah, where giant red rocks open into petroglyphs and distinctive buttes and cliff dwellings bulge from a green valley.
Former President Donald Trump used the years old Antiquities Act to take out 2 million acres from that land, posing restrictions to mining and energy production activities, as he said, it is a “massive land grab” that “should never have happened.”
His decision cut Bears Ears land by almost 85 percent, which was devastating news to the Native American community that once called it home. Not just that, Grand Staircase-Escalante was also slashed in nearly half, leaving just 1 million acres of land.
Democratic presidents established both precious monuments.
In a recent statement, the White House said, the President is “fulfilling a key promise” that he has made to the American people. He plans on restoring the 3 monuments like they were before without changing the size and “upholding the longstanding principle that America’s national parks, monuments, and other protected areas are to be protected for all time and all people.”
Joe Biden’s plan also focuses to protect the Atlantic Ocean’s Seamounts National Monument and Northeast Canyons. Back then, Trump changed the rule for fishing at the marine monument. It was an action pointed out by environmentalists who forced Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Biden to take action against commercial fishing.
“It’s been great to finally get it to here,” said Gallego, a member of the House Natural Resources Committee. “It’s very sacred and trusted land, and we’re going to preserve it for generations to come.”
