Bears Ears in the News: Legal Limbo and an "Existential Threat'

Utah’s Bears Ears and Grand Staircase remain in limbo as lawsuits move slowly and legislation stalls - Salt Lake Tribune, 6/3/2019

For nearly four years, the Salt Lake Tribune has consistently provided the most consistent and comprehensive coverage of the Bears Ears saga. Reporters Brian Maffly and Thomas Burr, with key assists from other Tribune staff writers, have followed the legal battle that ensued after President Trump drastically reduced Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in December 2017. Here, Burr examines the status of the lawsuits filed by tribes and conservationists against the federal government as well as attempts by members of Congress to find a legislative solution to the Bears Ears controversy - and why all remain stalled.

Federal Lands Protections See Historic Slashes Under Trump Administration, Study Finds - KUER, 6/4/2019

Surprising no one who has been paying attention to conservation issues in the Trump era, a study published in the journal Science shows the Trump administration has rolled back more federal land protections than any other administration in the history of the United States. Read more here.

US rollback of protected areas risks emboldening others, scientists warn - The Guardian, 5/30/19

In a more in-depth piece on the Science study, The Guardian quotes the study’s primary author: “[The US government’s rollbacks] send a dangerous message to the rest of the world.”