Ruling advances Wilderness Society challenge to Trump's attempt to gut national monuments

WASHINGTON, October 1, 2019 ----- The Wilderness Society expressed gratitude today that the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a preliminary ruling rejecting the Trump Administration’s motion to dismiss lawsuits challenging the Administration’s attack on two national monuments in Utah.

“We are pleased that the court rejected the Trump Administration’s motion to dismiss these lawsuits,” said Scott Miller, Senior Regional Director for The Wilderness Society. “We are committed to holding the Trump Administration accountable for their illegal attempts to dismantle protections for Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments.  We will continue to fight alongside tribes, scientists and many others to protect these sacred and spectacular public lands for current and future generations.”

In December 2017, The Wilderness Society and several other conservation groups filed lawsuits challenging President Trump’s proclamation purporting to revoke national monument status for 1,150,000 acres (85 percent) of the Bears Ears National Monument and 900,000 acres (47 percent) of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, both in southern Utah. The lawsuits allege that Trump exceeded his constitutional and statutory powers in issuing the proclamation because the Antiquities Act does not authorize a President to revoke national monuments.

Contacts

Scott Miller, 303-468-1961, Scott_Miller@tws.org

Michael Reinemer, 202-429-3949, Michael_reinemer@tws.org