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In early June 2024, the National Trust for Historic Preservation submitted formal comments on the proposed Resource Management Plan for the Bears Ears National Monument.

The National Trust has long advocated for the protection of Bears Ears National Monument, and in 2014, Bears Ears was added to our National Treasures program, and in 2016, we included it in our list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places – highlighting the need for greater protection of this remarkable cultural landscape.

The Trust played a key role in advocating for its designation as a national monument, celebrating its 2016 designation and opposing subsequent attempts to shrink the size of the monument. We strongly supported President Biden's 2021 reaffirmation of the monument's full designation and have actively participated in litigation to uphold it.

In the letter, we endorse Alternative E as the final Resource Management Plan for Bears Ears, given that this alternative incorporates traditional Indigenous knowledge in the management plan and is a crucial component of conserving the monument's ecological and cultural resources.

This approach aligns with the recent policy statement on Indigenous Knowledge and Historic Preservation adopted by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

We urge the inclusion of this policy in the final Management Plan, emphasizing the importance of involving Tribal leaders in co-management.

This includes adopting Tribal definitions for culturally significant objects and resources and developing a travel management plan that respects visitor needs and Indigenous communities' spiritual practices.

We remain committed to protecting Bears Ears and look forward to continuing to preserve this national treasure.

In an important win for preservation, on Friday, August 11, 2023, the Utah Federal District Court granted the federal government’s motion to dismiss challenges to the redesignation of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments. This ruling upholds the Biden administration’s October 2021 proclamations to redesignate them.

“This court decision represents an important precedent upholding the protection of our natural and cultural heritage,” said Elizabeth Merritt, deputy general counsel at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. "It's an extremely gratifying victory."

The Utah Attorney General has already filed an appeal of the court’s ruling, and the National Trust intends to participate in that appeal to support full protection of the Bears Ears National Monument.

The National Trust was part of a broad and diverse coalition that went to court back in 2017 to challenge President Trump’s attempt to revoke the original designation of Bears Ears National Monument by President Obama. That litigation became unnecessary when President Biden redesignated the national monuments in October 2021.

Learn more about the ruling via The Salt Lake Tribune.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation and our partners are fighting in court on behalf of Bears Ears National Monument. On Wednesday, November 23, 2022, the National Trust and a coalition of likeminded organizations filed a Motion to Intervene in a lawsuit against the State of Utah. The coalition includes Utah Diné Bikéyah, Patagonia Works, Archaeology Southwest, Conservation Lands Foundation, Friends of Cedar Mesa, the Access Fund, and the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology.

The area encompassing Bears Ears was first included on the list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in 2019, and the National Trust has strongly opposed proposals that would shrink its full 1.9 million acre landscape.

Read more on National Parks Traveler website.

Great news! President Biden has issued a proclamation to restore Bears Ears National Monument in southeast Utah. The previous administration issued a proclamation reducing the size of Bears Ears National Monument.

With this action by President Biden, full protections are back in place for Bears Ears, an area rich with archaeological resources, prehistoric cliff dwellings, paleontological resources, and sites sacred to many Native American tribes. The National Trust, regional, and tribal partners have worked tirelessly to re-establish protection for Bears Ears and preserve the integrity of the Antiquities Act of 1906. President Biden’s executive action is a significant win for historic preservation and public lands.

Please join us in thanking President Biden for this historic announcement. We’re eager to continue the important work of saving places, together.

2007-2014

• Trust partners with local tribal leaders and allies to advocate protection of the cultural resources in southeastern Utah from looting, vandalism and oil and gas development.
• Trust adds Bears Ears to National Treasures program

2016

• Bears Ears included on National Trust’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in America list, garners national attention
• Trust sends letter to President Obama on behalf of 18 national, regional, and local organizations urging National Monument proclamation by the end of 2016 (November)
• President Obama Names Bears Ears a National Monument (December 28)

2017

• President Donald Trump signs the Executive Order on the Review of Designations Under the Antiquities Act (April 26)
• More than 685,000 comments collected by coalition of organizations including the Trust submitted to Department of Interior in support of Bears Ears National Monument
• Trust President and CEO, Stephanie Meeks submits comments to Secretary of Interior Zinke from the Trust (May 25)
• Trust releases statement urging Trump to reject recommendation to reduce size of Bears Ears National Monument (September)
• President Donald Trump issues Executive Proclamation reducing land area of Bears Ears National Monument by 85 percent (December 4)
• Trust joins coalition suing to stop dismemberment of Bears Ears National Monument (December 6)

2018

• Trust opposes legislation that would congressionally codify the reduction of Bears Ears National Monument (February)

2019

• Trust submits testimony in House National Resources Committee oversight hearing examining reduction of Bears Ears National Monuments (March)
• Trust, tribes, and local preservation advocacy partners defer 19 parcels from an oil and gas lease sale on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land near Bears Ears (April)
• Ancestral Places of Southeast Utah make Trust’s 2019 list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places (May)
• Trust releases statement in response to BLM’s inadequate management plan and Environmental Impact Study for the area formerly designated as Bears Ears National Monument (July)
• Trust files formal protest of the BLM Monument Management Plan (August 26)
• BLM releases final management plan and Environmental Impact Study; Trust rallies members to submit public comments (September)

2020

• Trust files briefs in federal district court, together with co-plaintiffs, urging the court to declare unlawful the Trump revocation of Bears Ears National Monument (January 9 and April 10)

2021

• On first day in office, President Joseph Biden signs executive order directing Secretary of the Interior to review the revocation of the Bears Ears National Monument within next 60 days (January 20)
• Representative Deb Haaland (D-NM) confirmed as Secretary of the Interior; first Native American to hold position (March 15)