President Donald Trump has ordered a substantial reduction in the protected land areas of two national monuments in Utah. The affected sites are the Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments.
Sources indicate that the order will sharply diminish the size of both monuments. Some reports suggest the protected acreage of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante could be cut by as much as 90 percent.
This action by President Trump follows ongoing discussions regarding the management and scope of these federally designated lands. This is a developing story and will be updated as details emerge.
