Post by @caroline.gleich

Today Trump signed an executive order shrinking Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante. He said it himself: more acres than last time. That makes it the largest shrinkage of protected public lands in US history. Standing behind him: Governor Cox, Senator Curtis, Senator Mike Lee, Celeste Maloy, Blake Moore, and Burgess Owens. Every one of them had a choice, and every one of them chose to smile for the camera. Here is what they will not tell you. Utahns don’t want this. Polling shows over 70 percent of Utah voters want these monuments protected. Across the West, 91 percent of voters want existing monuments left in place, including 87 percent of Republicans. This is not about local control. It is about mining claims, oil leases, and the people who write the checks. Bears Ears is sacred ground. Five tribal nations fought for decades to protect it. Grand Staircase holds fossils we have not even dug up yet. These are the places Utahns want protected. They are why I ran for Senate. They are why I am still here. His actions are likely illegal. This will go to court. Call your representatives. Support the tribal nations and the groups leading this fight. And remember every name in that room. Our public lands are not for sale. #BearsEars #GrandStaircaseEscalante #PublicLands #KeepPublicLandsInPublicHands