Press Release

President Biden follows through on commitment to restore protections for Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments

October 8, 2021 By Jennifer Dickson
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A vast desert scene in Bears Ears National Monument, Utah.

Bears Ears National Monument, UT

Bob Wick, BLM

The Wilderness Society response to use of Executive Action in the face of climate change and the urgent need to save more nature.

President Joe Biden will honor his commitment to restore protections for two Utah national monuments and one national marine monument. His Executive Action follows years of litigation and demands from Tribes, scientists, business owners and millions of others across our nation in demanding that protections be restored for Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and Northeast Canyons and Seamounts national monuments, to combat the destructive policies put in place by President Trump in 2017.  

The following statement is from Jamie Williams, president of The Wilderness Society:

“The President's actions will fulfill a promise to restore protections illegally ripped away from national monuments while at the same time ensuring these same lands address the need to tackle the climate and extinction crisis. It also shows a true commitment to working with the Hopi, Navajo, Ute, Ute Mountain, and Zuni Tribes to co-manage their tribal homelands in Bears Ears. It also acknowledges the incredible scientific importance of Grand Staircase and the key habitat for threatened and endangered species within Northeast Canyons and Seamounts.

"The President’s commitment to saving more nature will continue to require bold action from him and today gets us a bit closer to reaching those goals. The executive action taken by President Biden recognizes the timely work to be done to truly protect 30% of our land and waters by 2030. He and his team can continue to build on this momentum by protecting other important landscapes especially those of importance to Tribes and underserved communities such as Avi Kwa Ame in Nevada and Castner Range in Texas.”

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