Trump Administration Plans Boundary Reductions for Six National Monuments

The Trump administration is considering reducing the boundaries of at least six major national monuments in the American West, including Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante, Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni-Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon, Ironwood Forest, Chuckwalla, and Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks. The goal is to open millions of acres of protected land for increased mining, oil, and gas development, following a leaked Interior Department document and multiple reports. This move revives efforts seen during Trump's first term, when monument protections were previously rolled back, but later restored under the Biden administration. Environmentalists, tribal groups, and legal experts argue that such reductions would be illegal under the Antiquities Act and have promised litigation if the administration proceeds. The administration's actions have been criticized as favoring fossil fuel interests and undermining public involvement, while supporters see the changes as curbing federal overreach and promoting resource development. The Interior Department is actively reviewing geologic data to identify energy reserves within monument boundaries, and new procedures have been announced to accelerate permitting for oil and gas projects.