This past February, my friend Erik Lillquist and I hiked the Hayduke Trail. The route contours Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Zion National Park, Bear’s Ears National Monument, and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. As of December 2017 the two monuments were reduced in size (Grand Staircase to half its original size: 2 million acres- 1 million acres, and Bear’s Ears to 15 percent of its original size: 1.3 million acres- 228,000 acres).
Some of the areas that were reduced have now been open to leases for outdated resource extraction such as coal mining.
Through November 30, 2018 the BLM is accepting public comments on the developing draft plans outlining how these lands stripped of their federal protections are to be managed. Among the possible plans, the “No Action Alternative Plan,” would require the BLM to manage the lands in question as they were before the monument reduction.
To comment on Grand Staircase Escalante alternatives follow either of these links:
To comment on Bear’s Ears alternatives email: blm_ut_monticello_monuments@blm.gov