On a day when representatives of the outdoor industry filed into Washington, D.C. to lobby members of Congress about the importance of, among other things, preserving and protecting America’s public lands, President Trump signed an executive order that seeks to challenge the status of some 100,000 acres of America’s national monuments.
According to the Wilderness Society, a national monument is a “land or historic area that has been given permanent protection by Congress or by the president through the use of the Antiquities Act.”
As many as two dozen national monuments are under siege after Trump’s latest order. That encompasses all or part of every designated national monument dating back to 1996.
“We’re going to free it up, which is what should have happened in the first place. … And tremendously positive things are going to happen on that incredible land, the likes of which there is nothing more beautiful anywhere in the world.”—President Trump on national monuments
Trump called the Antiquities Act, which was put into place in 1906 and is used to designate national monuments, an “egregious use of government power”, going on to say, “we’re going to free it up, which is what should have happened in the first place. … And tremendously positive things are going to happen on that incredible land, the likes of which there is nothing more beautiful anywhere in the world.”
Just yesterday, while speaking to representatives of the outdoor industry, Trump’s Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke attempted to quell fears about the possible transfer of prized public lands to the states.
“Nobody loves public lands more than me,” he said at an Outdoor Industry Association event. “You can love it as much, but you can’t love it more than me. And part of the reason why I got the job is I’m adamantly opposed to the sale or transfer of public lands. And so is my boss.”
In statement released after the order was signed, Patagonia CEO Rose Marcario said that the president does not have the authority to rescind a National Monument.
“Less than 24 hours after joining with our industry to celebrate the economic power of outdoor recreation, in a hypocritical move, the Trump administration took unprecedented steps that could result in the removal of protections for treasured public lands,” the statement reads. “We take this as a sign that Trump and his team prefer to cater to fossil fuel interests and state land grabs for unsustainable development, rather than preserve a vital part of our nation’s heritage for future generations by protecting federal lands owned by every citizen.”
Below is the list of national monuments Trump is seeking to challenge. It was released by the White House earlier today.
► Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah, proclaimed by President Clinton in 1996. (1.7 million acres).
► Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument in Arizona, proclaimed by Clinton in 2000 (1 million acres).
► Giant Sequoia National Monument in California, proclaimed by Clinton in 2000 (327,769 acres).
► Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in Arizona, proclaimed by Clinton in 2000 (279,568 acres).
► Hanford Reach National Monument in Washington, proclaimed by Clinton in 2000 (194,450 acres).
► Canyons of the Ancients National Monument in Colorado, proclaimed by Clinton in 2000 (175,160 acres).
► Ironwood Forest National Monument in Arizona, proclaimed by Clinton in 2000 (128,917 acres).
► Sonoran Desert National Monument in Arizona, proclaimed by Clinton in 2001 (486,149 acres).
► Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument in Montana, proclaimed by Clinton in 2001 (377,346 acres).
► Carrizo Plain National Monument in California, proclaimed by Clinton in 2001 (204,107 acres).
► Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument in the Pacific Ocean, proclaimed by President George W. Bush in 2006 and expanded by President Barack Obama in 2016, (89.6 million acres).
► World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument in California, Hawaii and Alaska, proclaimed by Bush in 2008 (4 million acres).
► Marianas Trench Marine National Monument in the Pacific Ocean, proclaimed by Bush in 2009 (60.9 million acres).
► Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument in the Pacific Ocean, proclaimed by Bush in 2009 and enlarged by Obama in 2014. (55.6 million acres).
► Rose Atoll Marine National Monument in American Samoa, proclaimed by Bush in 2009 (8.6 million acres).
► Rio Grande del Norte National Monument in New Mexico, proclaimed by Obama in 2013. (242,555 acres).
► Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument in New Mexico, proclaimed by Obama in 2014 (496,330 acres).
► Basin and Range National Monument in Nevada, proclaimed by Obama in 2015 (703,585 acres).
► Berryessa Snow Mountain in California, proclaimed by Obama in 2015 (330,780 acres).
► Northeast Canyons & Seamounts Marine National Monument in the Atlantic Ocean, proclaimed by Obama in 2016 (3.1 million acres).
► Mojave Trails National Monument in California, proclaimed by Obama in 2016 (1.6 million acres).
► Bears Ears National Monument in Utah, proclaimed by Obama in 2016 (1.4 million acres).
► Gold Butte National Monument in Nevada, proclaimed by Obama in 2016 (296,937 acres).
► Sand to Snow National Monument in California, proclaimed by Obama in 2016 (154,000 acres).
