Patagonia sues Trump over reducing protected areas of Utah national monuments
Summary
Patagonia, an outdoor gear company, joined a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s decision to reduce protections on two large national monuments in Utah. The reduction opens these lands to oil and gas drilling, which has raised concerns among tribes and environmental groups.Key Facts
- President Trump reduced the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments by about 90%.
- These monuments, created by previous presidents, are important to Indigenous tribes and have unique natural and historic features.
- The reduction allows oil, gas, and mining companies to access lands previously protected.
- Patagonia sued President Trump for similar reductions in 2017 and is now joining a new lawsuit with the Natural Resources Defense Council.
- The Antiquities Act allows presidents to create national monuments but does not clearly allow them to reduce or undo protections.
- Environmental groups say this is one of the biggest losses of protected public land in U.S. history.
- Bears Ears was created by President Barack Obama in 2016, and Grand Staircase-Escalante was created by President Bill Clinton.
- The lawsuit claims the decision disrespects Tribal sovereignty and threatens important cultural and natural sites.
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