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Documents Undercut Trump’s Claims About Bears Ears National Monument
nytimes.com • • nation
Key Points:
- President Trump reduced the size of Bears Ears National Monument by over 1.2 million acres, claiming recreation was nearly impossible within its boundaries.
- Interior Department officials supported Trump's claim during an Oval Office event, stating that the reduction would remedy the lack of recreational access.
- However, government documents show that recreational activities, including hunting, fishing, hiking, and off-road driving, were allowed and actively used within Bears Ears since its designation by President Obama in 2016.
- Utah officials, who advocated for shrinking the monument, acknowledged existing recreational access and cited popular trails used by hikers, backpackers, and off-road vehicle drivers.
- The Trump administration was briefed on these recreational opportunities prior to the monument's reduction, contradicting the public statements made at the time.
