GOLDEN, CO (October 8, 2021) — Today, the Biden Administration, through the Antiquities Act of 1906, moved to restore the original boundaries for cherished National Monuments, including the Bears Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument in Utah, and for the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts National Monument in the Atlantic Ocean.
This step will help reverse the devastating reduction of the National Monuments enacted by the Trump Administration in December 2017, which reduced Bears Ears from its original 1.35 million acres in 2016 to a mere 201,000 acres, and Grand Staircase–Escalante from its original 1.8 million acres in 1996 to just over 1 million acres. In 2020, the Trump administration also moved to permit commercial fishing in the previously-protected Northeast Canyons and Seamounts.
At the very start of his administration, President Biden called for a reassessment of the National Monuments’ reduction. The Department of Interior issued a report in June recommending the restoration of these National Monuments, following a tour of these areas by Secretary Deb Haaland in April.
“We at the Continental Divide Trail Coalition (CDTC) have long witnessed the deep and lasting benefits that greenspaces can provide for the well-being of both individuals and communities, and we applaud the decision of the Biden Administration to renew protections for these National Monuments,” said Teresa Martinez, Executive Director of CDTC. “The Biden Administration’s use of the Antiquities Act to protect sacred Native spaces and wildlife habitats demonstrates a willingness to heed the voices of local stakeholders and Indigenous communities. However, the restoration of these Monuments to their 2016-era borders is only the first step in what needs to be a bold and quickly-enacted program of cultural and ecological protections, if we are to mitigate the worst impacts of human-driven climate change. While we are encouraged by the Biden Administration’s actions today, we urge the Department of Interior to assess where future opportunities for National Monuments may lie, and to stridently pursue protections for those spaces.”
“The hard work of local grassroots organizations, such as the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition, to call attention to the cultural and environmental importance of these National Monuments cannot be overstated,” said Andrea Kurth, Gateway Communities Program Manager for the Continental Divide Trail Coalition. “We are grateful for the efforts of all those who raised their voices to speak on behalf of these lands and communities. The protection of greenspaces creates a ripple effect of mental, physical, and economic benefits for communities beyond the borders of the National Monument.”
About the Continental Divide Trail
The CDT is one of the world’s premiere long-distance trails, stretching 3,100 miles from Mexico to Canada along the Continental Divide. Designated by Congress in 1978, the CDT is the highest, most challenging and most remote of the 11 National Scenic Trails. It provides recreational opportunities ranging from hiking to horseback riding to hunting for thousands of visitors each year. While 95% of the CDT is located on public land, approximately 150 miles are still in need of protection.
About the Continental Divide Trail Coalition
The CDTC was founded in 2012 by volunteers and recreationists hoping to provide a unified voice for the Trail. Working hand-in-hand with the U.S. Forest Service and other federal land management agencies, the CDTC is a non-profit partner supporting stewardship of the CDT. The mission of the CDTC is to complete, promote and protect the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, a world-class national resource. For more information, please visit continentaldividetrail.org.
