Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke reportedly told some Utah officials he’ll recommend that President Donald Trump completely rescind the Bears Ears National Monument.
E&E News reports that according to San Juan County Commissioner Phil Lyman, Zinke wants to entirely roll back the monument created by President Barack Obama during the final days of his term.
“We got a chance to visit with him in his office, and our message was that we’d like to see Bears Ears National Monument rescinded,” Lyman said. “He said, ‘Well, let me tell you what I’m thinking: Not only should that monument be rescinded, but we’re not going to stop there. We need to discuss all the dysfunctionality of public land management over the last three decades.'”
Zinke was ordered by President Trump to review all of the national monuments created since 1996, which includes Grand Staircase-Escalante. He has until June 10 to issue his interim report on the monument review with a final recommendation to come in August.
[UPDATE]: Phil Lyman denies the E&R report, saying he was misquoted.
