Destruction of monument

On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump eviscerated federal designations for the Grand StaircaseEscalante National Monument and Bears Ears National Monument in Utah, proving once again that, to this president, the federal government’s promises to its own people mean nothing. The president’s decision — which amounts to the largest elimination of protected area in American history — senselessly imperils stunningly beautiful natural areas and geological masterworks, as well as tens of thousands of Native American sacred sites and key wildlife habitats.

Trump said he wanted to undo previous administrations’ “overreach” in establishing monuments much larger than necessary to protect specific sites. Yet he offered no evidence to support his claims of overreach.

In fact, this is nothing more than a giveaway to mining and other extractive industries, and a favour to conservative anti-public-lands Republicans in Utah who want land owned by the federal government to be turned over to states for management and development. As we’ve argued before, states should not take over public lands held in trust by the government for all Americans.

If Trump could articulate a sensible reason for his actions, he would deserve a listen. But he hasn’t, and such a transparent effort to reward political allies and mining interests should be fought vigorously.