Key Takeaways
- • Bears Ears National Monument boundaries reduced from 1.36 million acres to 121,096 acres, opening approximately 1.24 million acres for extractive uses and public land entry.
- • Within 60 days of the executive order, removed lands will become available for mineral leasing, geothermal leasing, mining operations, and public land entry subject to existing rights and applicable law.
- • Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument also modified under separate executive order, with removed federal lands becoming available for public land entry, mineral and geothermal leasing, and mining within the same 60-day timeline.
- • Department of Interior and Agriculture required to reallocate voluntary relinquished livestock grazing permits within one year, unless inconsistent with monument management objectives.
- • Land management plan updates for both monuments must be completed within one year, establishing revised boundaries and management requirements.
Summary
The Trump administration has issued executive orders substantially reducing the land area protected under two major national monuments in the western United States. The Bears Ears National Monument, located in Utah, has been reduced from approximately 1.36 million acres to 121,096 acres, effectively removing roughly 1.24 million acres from monument protection status. A separate executive order similarly modifies the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument by removing certain federal lands from monument protection through boundary modifications.
The administrative mechanics of these actions create immediate and medium-term implications for resource development. Within 60 days of executive order issuance, all lands removed from monument protection will become available for public land entry, mineral and geothermal leasing, and mining operations, subject to existing property rights and applicable federal law. This timeline establishes a window for parties to petition for access to these newly available parcels.
Livestock grazing rights receive specific regulatory treatment under the Bears Ears order. The Departments of Interior and Agriculture are required to reallocate any voluntarily relinquished grazing permits within one year, provided such reallocation remains consistent with the revised monument management framework. This provision addresses the operational continuity of ranching operations on federal lands.
Both monuments require updated land management plans within one year of the executive orders. The Department of Interior must oversee implementation of the revised boundaries and new management requirements for Grand Staircase-Escalante, while the Departments of Interior and Agriculture jointly manage the Bears Ears modifications. These planning updates establish the regulatory framework governing future use of the protected lands that remain within the new monument boundaries.
The scale of land released from federal monument protection—totaling over 1.24 million acres across both monuments—represents a significant shift in federal land policy and opens previously restricted acreage to extractive industries, particularly in the minerals and energy sectors.
The administrative mechanics of these actions create immediate and medium-term implications for resource development. Within 60 days of executive order issuance, all lands removed from monument protection will become available for public land entry, mineral and geothermal leasing, and mining operations, subject to existing property rights and applicable federal law. This timeline establishes a window for parties to petition for access to these newly available parcels.
Livestock grazing rights receive specific regulatory treatment under the Bears Ears order. The Departments of Interior and Agriculture are required to reallocate any voluntarily relinquished grazing permits within one year, provided such reallocation remains consistent with the revised monument management framework. This provision addresses the operational continuity of ranching operations on federal lands.
Both monuments require updated land management plans within one year of the executive orders. The Department of Interior must oversee implementation of the revised boundaries and new management requirements for Grand Staircase-Escalante, while the Departments of Interior and Agriculture jointly manage the Bears Ears modifications. These planning updates establish the regulatory framework governing future use of the protected lands that remain within the new monument boundaries.
The scale of land released from federal monument protection—totaling over 1.24 million acres across both monuments—represents a significant shift in federal land policy and opens previously restricted acreage to extractive industries, particularly in the minerals and energy sectors.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.