U.S. OKs off-roading near tribal sites

SALT LAKE CITY — The U.S. government will allow off-road vehicles access to some archaeologically sensitive land at a Utah national monument that houses sacred tribal sites under a plan announced Friday.

The Bureau of Land Management’s plan for the Bears Ears National Monument says that certain historic sites considered most at-risk will be off limits as the agency chose an alternative plan that closes about 42 square miles to off-road vehicles. That’s far less than a different option that would have closed nearly 184 square miles.

The plan was met by immediate criticism from environmental and tribal organizations who say it will leave sensitive lands and sites vulnerable to damage.

“It’s like seeing that your grandmother’s house has been robbed,” said Carleton Bowekaty, co-chairman of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition, in a statement. “These lands are sacred to us and they are being destroyed — sometimes inadvertently — by people who don’t understand our culture and way of life.”

Bureau of Land Management Utah state Director Ed Roberson said in a news release that the plan protects cultural resources while allowing for recreation, keeping most of the monument open for hunting, fishing and target shooting. Roberson noted that no shooting will be allowed near cliff dwellings, petroglyphs and campgrounds.

President Barack Obama created Bears Ears National Monument in 2016 after years of lobbying by American Indian groups who asked for more protections.

A year later, President Donald Trump downsized it by about 85% to 315 square miles following a review of 27 national monuments by then-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke.