Today, the U.S. Department of Justice released a May 27 legal opinion asserting that the President holds the authority to shrink or abolish national monuments designated by predecessors—reversing a restraint held in place since 1938. This opinion opens the door to potential revocation of monument status, including recent designations like the Chuckwalla and Sáttítla sites in California and monuments that have been clouded in long term controversy like Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante.
BlueRibbon Coalition supports the DOJ’s stance. While we firmly believe in responsible land management, we also recognize that the Antiquities Act was never intended to place expansive restrictions on giant swaths of public lands—particularly when restrictions inhibit multiple-use access. As our legal system grapples with interpreting the Antiquities Act’s limits, this opinion is a crucial step toward restoring balance.
This announcement aligns with our sustained efforts to actively challenge past abuses of the Antiquities Act through the courts, notably contesting excessive monument expansions that undercut public land access, including:
- Filing a challenge to the previous administration’s expansion of the Bears Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument in Utah’s District Court and an appeal in the 10th Circuit Court. We are still awaiting a decision on this case.
- Joined the lawsuit to challenge the constitutionality of the Biden administration’s creation of the 624,000-acre Chuckwalla National Monument in January
While we support the DOJ’s opinion, we will continue supporting strategic litigious action to defend local communities and recreationists from federal overreach. Through our ongoing advocacy and litigation, BlueRibbon Coalition has emphasized that public lands should serve all Americans. We appreciate the DOJ’s clarity on this matter and reaffirm our commitment to:
- Defending reasonable presidential discretion to declare monuments that are limited in scope to protecting specific objects and limited in size to the smallest area compatible for protecting those objects.
- Advocating for permanent reform of the Antiquities Act through legislative reform.
- Pursuing permanent reform of the Antiquities Act through court-based challenges to excessive monument designations that impede access and hurt local economies.
Thank you for standing with BlueRibbon Coalition. Together, we will continue to keep public lands open for your adventures.
Did you know?
The 3rd Edition of Our Lost Trails Guidebook focuses on 22 trails that are located within 10 proposed or recently designated National Monuments. Many of these routes lead to spectacular viewpoints, forgotten canyons, and memorable primitive backcountry campsites.
If you haven’t already, consider making a donation to receive a copy of this guidebook and help our ongoing fight to keep these trails open.
