Cool. Biden's attempt to regain the lands stolen from the people by Trump appears to be successful:
apnews.com
A judge Friday dismissed a lawsuit from the state of Utah challenging President Joe Biden’s restoration of two sprawling national monuments in the state that were downsized by President Donald Trump.
U.S. District Judge David Nuffer said Biden acted within his authority when he issued proclamations restoring Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in 2021. The monuments are on land sacred to many Native Americans.
Nuffer said Biden could issue such proclamations creating monuments “as he sees fit” and those actions were not reviewable by the court.
The part of southeastern Utah where the two monuments are located has been at the center of some of the country’s most heated land management debates.
Nuffer’s ruling comes just three days after Biden signed a national monument designation for land around Grand Canyon National Park, a decadeslong aspiration for some tribes. Republican lawmakers and the uranium mining industry that operates in the area had opposed the designation.
President Bill Clinton designated Grand Staircase a national monument in 1996 and President Barak Obama designated Bears Ears in 2016. Trump moved to shrink both in 2017, urged on by Utah Republicans who had long chafed over restrictions on how monuments can be used.
Trump’s decision opened up parts of the monuments for mining, drilling and other development. Low demand and high production costs led to minimal interest from energy companies.
Court dismisses challenge to Biden's restoration of Utah monuments shrunk by Trump
A U.S. judge has dismissed a lawsuit from the state of Utah challenging President Joe Biden’s restoration of two sprawling national monuments that were downsized by former President Donald Trump.
apnews.com
A judge Friday dismissed a lawsuit from the state of Utah challenging President Joe Biden’s restoration of two sprawling national monuments in the state that were downsized by President Donald Trump.
U.S. District Judge David Nuffer said Biden acted within his authority when he issued proclamations restoring Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in 2021. The monuments are on land sacred to many Native Americans.
Nuffer said Biden could issue such proclamations creating monuments “as he sees fit” and those actions were not reviewable by the court.
The part of southeastern Utah where the two monuments are located has been at the center of some of the country’s most heated land management debates.
Nuffer’s ruling comes just three days after Biden signed a national monument designation for land around Grand Canyon National Park, a decadeslong aspiration for some tribes. Republican lawmakers and the uranium mining industry that operates in the area had opposed the designation.
President Bill Clinton designated Grand Staircase a national monument in 1996 and President Barak Obama designated Bears Ears in 2016. Trump moved to shrink both in 2017, urged on by Utah Republicans who had long chafed over restrictions on how monuments can be used.
Trump’s decision opened up parts of the monuments for mining, drilling and other development. Low demand and high production costs led to minimal interest from energy companies.
