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The US government is planning to scale down national monuments to allow for greater economic development.
Last April, US president Donald Trump requested recommendations for monuments that can be downsized from the US Department of the Interior (DOI). Monuments refer to sites of natural and cultural importance, like the Grand Canyon and the Statue of Liberty. US monuments are protected by the American Antiquities Act of 1906, which authorizes presidents to declare any site as a national monument, giving it federal protection. When downsized, protection for some parts of the monument may be revoked, opening them to hunting, fishing, and other activities to boost the economy.
The Interior Secretary submitted a draft of the monuments that may be downsized. The draft included Bears Ears National Monument, which was declared a monument by former president Barack Obama. It is a 1.35 million-acre land that includes sacred Native American soil. The land is also rich in potential oil reserves and uranium, an energy-rich element known for its nuclear capacities. Trump asked the DOI to review the Bear Ears National Monument first.
The news of downsizing monuments delighted those in the energy, mining, and ranching industries. On the other hand, it faced criticism and lawsuit threats from conservation advocates. The government’s plan is also spurring rumors among critics because of the secrecy surrounding it.
The DOI has yet to release the official list of monuments that were reviewed. This has led some critics to think that the administration might be planning to permit oil drilling, mining, and logging in some of the country’s protected sites.