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Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has directed review of monuments around the country and perhaps changed as part of a push to expand U.S. energy production.
Protectionists fear that cherished landscapes (including two newly created California monuments) will be stripped of the protection of important cultural and ecological resources. However, conservatives argue that public land should remain open to oil drilling and coal mines, among other uses.
In the order on February 3rd, Bulgham directed his deputy secretary to “examine and amend all public lands that have withdrawn,” citing a federal law corresponding to the 1906 law that allowed the president to create national monuments.
The directive was part of a drastic secretary order called “unleashing American energy,” which seeks to strengthen the extraction of federal land and water resources. Burgum gave it to agency staff for 15 days to submit a plan on how to comply with his order, which is currently under review.
“At this stage we are evaluating these reports to determine whether further action is guaranteed and we are dedicated to ensuring that all items are thoroughly evaluated as part of our internal management process.”
Peace did not indicate when the review would end or what actions could be taken.
Critics see this move as opening the door to redrawing or eliminating the monument.
The mountains to the east are seen flying birds near Mount Wilson, San Gabriel Mountains, located within the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and the Angeles National Forest. President Biden expanded the San Gabriel Mountains Memorial last May.
(David McNew/Getty Images)
During his first term, President Trump sharply reduced the boundaries of two Utah monuments (bear ears and grand staircase escalante) and stripped away protections from Marine Corps memorials off the coast of New England to allow commercial fishing.
Biden has overturned the changes, but some believe that the ongoing review will pave the way for similar actions by the Second Trump administration.
Whether the president has the authority to modify existing monuments is unclear and hotly contested. The lawsuit challenging Trump’s previous monument cuts was still pending when Biden reversed them and the issues never resolved.
In recent weeks, thousands of recent recruits by the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service have been fired as part of a broader effort by Trump and adviser Elon Musk to reduce federal bureaucracy that has sparked protest and backlash.
What is a national monument?
Most national monuments are created by the president, but Congress can also establish them. Ancient law of 1906 empowers the president to designate monuments to protect “historical and scientific interests,” and can include geological wonders, archaeological sites, and wildlife habitats. Presidents on both sides of the political aisle use the law to put their land aside.
The monuments can be managed by the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the Land Management Bureau, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other agencies. They usually exclude oil and gas drilling, coal mines and other energy production.
What is at risk in California?
California has 21 national monuments more than any other state in the country, spanning a sturdy coastline. It includes San Gabriel Mountains National Monument near Los Angeles, sand-to-snow-snow memorial to the east of the city, and Lava Bed National Monument in the far northeastern part of the state.
Sean Hecht, an attorney for California Regional Earthjustice, a nonprofit focused on environmental litigation, believes the state’s youngest memorial is at the highest risk of being rewinded, citing political reasons.
During his final days in office, former President Biden designated two national monuments in the California desert and the far north. Chuckwara National Monument and Sattilla Highlands National Monument. Native Americans led the charges to protect the land they consider sacred.
“Although old and established monuments tend to be popular in California, new monuments are often not established in a wide range of constituencies, making them politically vulnerable,” Hecht said in an email. He added that Trump may target the memorial as part of an effort to revoke Biden’s recent action.
Chuckwara National Monument, south of Joshua Tree National Park, is named after a stubborn lizard that lives in the rugged desert landscape.
(Ernie Cowan/San Diego Union – for the Tribune)
The new monuments are also home to natural resources and can target them, stakeholders said.
Spanning over 224,000 acres of lush forests and pristine lakes near the Oregon border, Sattitra is being explored for the development of geothermal energy.
The 640,000-acre Chuckwalla, located south of Joshua Tree National Park, has now become zero due to the water beneath the sturdy desert floor.
“Extracting all the groundwater will have devastating effects on our area,” said Medart, a tribal engagement specialist at Ono PO Strategies, a consulting firm.
If the Trump administration is chasing it, you may be seeing the Carrotso Plain National Monument, a well-known wildflower viewing destination in southeastern Obispo County, southeastern San Luis. The grassland plain, with some vulnerable plants and animals, has historically been drilled and is the only monument in the state with oil potential.
According to conservation and environmental groups, attempts to change monuments in California and elsewhere will almost certainly be sued.
The designation of the monument divided the recreationists. Anglers, hunters and hikers say that guiding resource extraction on public lands blocks access to breathtaking landscape activities. However, off-road vehicle enthusiasts and those who support distributed camping say mining and excavation are usually compatible with their needs.
At risk are access to natural outings that bring joy and mental health benefits, and large businesses. Outdoor recreation donated $81.5 billion to California’s economy in 2023, according to figures from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Those who enjoy hunting and fishing on public lands “we need to worry about decisions made behind closed doors due to the future of these wild places,” said Joel Welzien, California chapter coordinator for backcountry hunters and anglers, in a statement.
Ben Burr, executive director of Blueribbon Coalition, a nonprofit advocating for off-highway vehicle access, has expressed his support in reviewing the country’s monuments.
“Monuments tend to restrict the use of recreational activities that may occur, and they actually have priority access to certain groups of users,” he said. He said as an example, monuments usually restrict camps to certain areas, but some people want to dive far away from others.
Is Project 2025 playing?
Supporters of the monument fear that Bulgham’s orders are part of the enactment of Project 2025, a controversial policy playbook written by conservatives as a guide to the Trump administration. Project 2025 calls for more monuments to be reduced and ancient laws to be abolished.
Doug Burgham, the Trump elected director of the Interior Department, will testify before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in January.
(Jose Luis Magana/Applications)
However, some are skeptical of how far Bulgham, former North Dakota governor and a leading candidate for GOP president, will go.
John Ressy, professor emeritus at UC University, is a former San Francisco lawyer and former Interior Department lawyer, described Bulgham as a “traditional choice” that leads the division that manages millions of acres of public land.
Bulgham is closer to the oil and gas industry, but he doesn’t seem to be a “real ideologue,” said Lessie, author of “Our Common Base: History of Public Lands in America.”
Bulgham is also known for maintaining good relations with North Dakota tribes.
Native Americans “generally they are very supportive of national monuments and the protections that were made,” Leshy said. “So he wants to take on that interest group and alienate him? I don’t know.”
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