Slamming what he called "a massive federal land grab", President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday directing his interior secretary to review the designation of dozens of national monuments on federal lands.
The review goes well beyond a few declarations made in the waning months of Barack Obama's term.
In announcing the order on Wednesday Republican Trump said Obama's use of the 1906 Antiquities Act to create monuments was an "egregious abuse of federal power" that allowed the federal government to "lock up" millions of acres of land and water. Roosevelt established 18 monuments, including the Grand Canyon in Arizona and Devil's Tower in Wyoming. Most presidents since then have designated additional monuments. "We are confident that a fact-based review of the national parks and public lands protected as monuments by the Antiquities Act will show year-over-year economic growth". Some are cared for by the federal Bureau of Land Management, the Fish and Wildlife Service or the Forest Service. For instance, some policies include limits on mining, timber cutting and recreational activities such as riding off-road vehicles.
Rose Marcario, president and CEO of the outdoor outfitter Patagonia, said the review "is an assault on America's most treasured lands and oceans". There was the Bears Ears Monument in southern Utah which is about a million acres of federal public land considered sacred to Native American tribes.
But Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., said that if Trump truly wants to make America great again, he should use the law to protect and conserve America's public lands. Complaints about people getting kicked off the land are exaggerated, they say, and opposition fades as nearby communities benefit from tourism the monuments attract. The monuments are controversial in the rural West.
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He adds that students have half-joked that Coulter may end up speaking on steps at the university's Sproul Plaza. Coulter had said that she planned to give the scheduled speech despite the university's decision to cancel.
Some, including Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, have hailed the order as the end of "massive federal land grabs" by presidents dating to Bill Clinton. "It is untested. whether the president can do that", he said of abolishing a national monument. If Trump does so, his move will nearly certainly be challenged in court.
There are three national monuments on California's Central Coast, and they are all smaller than 100,000 acres.
"Somewhere along the way the Act has become a tool of political advocacy rather than public interest", said Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke ahead of the signing. The interior secretary will submit an interim report within 45 days focusing on the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah, which Obama established past year.
Zinke said Tuesday in a briefing with reporters that he will make a recommendation on the contested parcel of land in 45 days and later provided Trump will a fuller report.
Should Trump and his administration opt to de-list these sites, they would be going back on some off their promises to both voters and members of Congress who oversaw Zinke's confirmation process. Donald Trump, Jr. has also said he is in favor of "refunding" federal lands to keep them out of private control. Numerous bills on the issue were introduced in the previous session, including measures to prevent the president from establishing or expanding monuments in particular states and to require consent of Congress or state legislatures.
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