Grand Staircase-Escalante Resolution Threatens Public Lands, Indigenous Self-Determination
- Cait Fallon
- Feb 26, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Removing protections for Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument through the Congressional Review Act sets a dangerous precedent for our country’s national monuments. The resolution, introduced by the Utah Republican delegation, would overturn the monument’s Resource Management Plan, violate Indigenous Free, Prior, and Informed Consent, and leave wildlife habitat vulnerable. It also prohibits the Bureau of Land Management from adopting a substantially similar plan in the future.
“Using the Congressional Review Act to repeal the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument’s Resource Management Plan will disproportionately harm Indigenous communities and is an affront to those who provided valuable input,” said Garrit Voggesser, senior director of Tribal partnerships and policy at National Wildlife Federation. “The Resource Management Plan, developed in consultation with sovereign Tribes, incorporated the use of traditional knowledge, protection of sacred sites, and ensures Indigenous communities would have access for traditional, spiritual, and subsistence usage. If this resolution passes, it will subvert any efforts to uphold trust responsibility and set a precedent that will create uncertainty for Indigenous self-determination across the country.”
"Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument is one of Utah’s most remarkable landscapes, home to extraordinary wildlife from desert bighorn sheep and pronghorn, to rare and sensitive species found nowhere else. The current Management Plan is the result of an extensive and inclusive public engagement process. It thoughtfully balances outdoor recreation with the protection of critical wildlife habitat, reflecting the voices of local communities, stakeholders, and conservationists. We are concerned that this resolution would set aside that thoughtful, community-informed work without outlining a similarly inclusive process. Utah’s wildlife and communities are best served by transparent decision-making that builds on collaboration, science, and the shared stewardship of our public lands,” said Shauna Hart, board chair of the Utah Wildlife Federation.
