WASHINGTON — American Energy Alliance President Thomas Pyle has issued the following statement regarding Secretary Zinke’s 45-day interim report on Bears Ears National Monument:
“The Antiquities Act allows the president to designate archaeological sites and historical landmarks as off-limits to development, but stipulates that the protected space shall encompass ‘the smallest area compatible with proper care and management.’ Barack Obama stepped beyond that boundary with his Bears Ears designation by granting unnecessary protection to 1.35 million acres—an area nearly as large as the state of Delaware.
“The Bears Ears monument designation was one of the final actions taken by the Obama administration—and one of the most telling. The designation took land out of the hands of Utahans and placed it into those of the federal government. By reducing the size of the monument, the Trump administration will rightfully return to the people of Utah the power to use the land in the manner that best suits their interests. Energy development, land stewardship, and recreation are all important considerations; this decision respects that importance and gives agency to the people for whom Bears Ears has the most significance.”
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