SALT LAKE CITY – Today, the BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC), filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah against President Biden’s unlawful designation of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments. BRC is joined by a rancher, a miner, and a member of Utah’s Native American community — all of whom will see their lives upended if these “monuments” are allowed to stand. BRC Executive Director, Ben Burr, made the following statement:
“These proclamations make a mockery of the Antiquities Act. They take a carefully limited law enacted in 1906 and — to quote from a recent opinion by Chief Justice John Roberts — ‘transform it into a power without any discernible limit to set aside vast and amorphous expanses of terrain above and below sea.’
“President Biden’s abuse of power will have — and is now having — profound practical consequences for the people in our community. In its simplest form, a ‘national monument’ designation means lands that were once open for multiple uses for public benefit are now shut off to the public to accommodate the narrow interests of politically connected stakeholders.
“Unless the courts step in, these threats will soon be irreversible — not just to us, but to the rule of law. President Biden’s proclamations are the latest in a long line of attempted executive power grabs that take old or vague statutes and try to resolve major policy issues without broad support from the American people as expressed through their elected members of Congress.
“The Supreme Court significantly tightened the reins on these abuses in the West Virginia v. EPA decision. It is time for the Supreme Court to rein in presidential abuse of the Antiquities Act.”
At the heart of the lawsuit is the claim that these expansive monument designations violate the limited powers of the Antiquities Act, which requires presidents to limit the size of designations to the “smallest area compatible with proper care and management of the objects to be protected.” BRC’s lawsuit was filed one day after the State of Utah filed a similar challenge, and BRC’s challenge emphasizes the everyday impacts these unlawful monuments create for those who have traditionally utilized the lands within the monument boundaries.
Read the Full Complaint:
This letter is to voice my opposition to the proposed closures of over 437 miles of off-road trails in the Moab, UT area. I am a senior citizen with limited mobility and would not be able to gain access to these areas if the trails are closed to vehicular traffic. By closing trails in our National Forests and BLM Lands, we preclude many people with limited mobility from enjoying these lands.
PUBLIC LANDS ARE FOR ALL TO ENJOY. PLEASE…DO NOT CLOSE THE TRAILS IN THE PROPOSED AREA!!
Stephen Raasch
Delafield, Wisconsin
I too reject these actions. My fear is these decisions are made with out any representation on the public sector side. Unelected bureaucracy set the policy ,which is publicly displayed, but have already made the decision behind closed doors. It is then that we the public have to fight for our rights to access using our monies and taxes on both sides of the argument
This is un-American. How can you restrict these lands without taking into account the impact it will have on public access and the livelihoods of local businesses. Please work very hard to fight this designation.
National monuments are supposed to protect land so that American can experience nature not disturbed by industrial practices. The plan for these monuments closes many roads in the area, which makes it impossible for Americans to see and experience this monument. Thus, the BLM should choose the management proposal that closes the least amount of roads, so visitors can see the entire monument. Otherwise, the monument is left empty, and what is the point of preservation if you can’t ever see what you preserve?