Patagonia sues Trump over slashing of protected areas in Utah
President’s order strips nearly 3m acres of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante, sacred tribal sites, of safeguards
TL;DR
- Patagonia is joining a lawsuit challenging President Trump's order to reduce Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments by 90%.
- The company argues that the Antiquities Act does not grant the president the authority to undo national monuments.
- Trump's decision aims to open nearly 3 million acres of land to oil and gas companies.
- Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert stated the move "betray[s] Tribal sovereignty" and disrespects tribal nations.
- Bears Ears was established by Barack Obama and Grand Staircase-Escalante by Bill Clinton.
- The Natural Resources Defense Council calls Trump's action "one of the largest rollbacks of public land protections in US history."