Eighteen Democratic senators are carrying legislation that, if approved, would reverse President Trump's proclamations shrinking Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in Utah/BLM, Bob Wick

Were they 18 Republican senators instead of 18 Democrats, the attempt to reverse President Trump's move to shrink two national monuments in Utah might prove worth watching, but with Republican majorities in the House and Senate, it likely will prove to be nothing more than a Hail Mary. Even more so when you realize the legislation would create a larger Bears Ears National Monument than President Obama did.

The legislation U.S. Senator Tom Udall, a New Mexico Democrat, and 17 other senators introduced calls for enhanced "protections for national monuments against the Trump administration’s unprecedented attacks on public lands." Dubbed America’s Natural Treasures of Immeasurable Quality Unite, Inspire, and Together Improve the Economies of States (or ANTIQUITIES) Act of 2018, the measure if passed would reinforce Congress’ intent in the Antiquities Act of 1906: that only Congress has the authority to modify a national monument designation.

The act would:

* Officially declare Congress’ support for the 51 national monuments established by presidents in both parties between January 1996 and April 2017 under their authority established by the Antiquities Act of 1906.

* Reinforce that existing law clearly states that presidential proclamations designating national monuments are valid and cannot be reduced or diminished, except by an act of Congress.

* Further enhances protections for the presidentially designated national monuments by 1) requiring that they be surveyed, mapped and that management plans be completed in two years—in the same manner as congressionally designated national monuments—and 2) that they receive additional resources to ensure that they will continue to meet their full potential of providing unmatched economic, recreational, and cultural benefits to their states and to the nation.

The ANTIQUITIES Act comes in response to President Trump’s announcement that he will eliminate 2 million acres of protections for Utah’s Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments — the largest rollback of federally protected lands in American history. Trump took this action despite the fact that Americans across the country overwhelmingly voiced support for keeping the monuments intact, the senators said in a release. During the administration’s public comment process, more than 99 percent of the 2.8 million comments received were in favor of maintaining existing protections for the national monuments.

“President Trump’s unprecedented attack on public lands is not just an affront to the overwhelming majority of Americans who cherish these precious places — it’s also illegal. This legislation makes it crystal clear that monuments designated through the Antiquities Act of 1906 may not be altered by future presidents because only Congress has the authority to change a national monument designation,” Sen. Udall said. "From Rio Grande del Norte, to Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks, to Bears Ears and Grand Staircase, our national monuments enjoy broad support and provide unmatched economic, recreational, and cultural value to New Mexico and the nation. The ANTIQUITIES Act builds upon these existing protections, ensuring that we keep our public lands in public hands and stop the president’s politically motivated attempts to sell off our public lands to the highest-bidding special interests.”

The bill also expands protection for the Bears Ears National Monument to over 1.9 million acres, directing that it be composed of the lands identified in the Bears Ears Tribal Coalition’s original proposal. In addition, it would designate over 249,000 acres of federal public lands in New Mexico as offical wilderness and add over 111,000
acres of official wilderness in southern Nevada, building on the monument protections in these states. This legislation preserves opportunities for hunting, tourism, scientific research, conservation, and cultural uses in national monuments and ensures they are properly resourced.

In addition to Udall, the ANTIQUITIES Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.).

In addition, the five Bears Ears Coalition Tribes (Hopi, Navajo, Ute, Ute Mountain Ute, and Zuni) support the ANTIQUITIES Act of 2018, according to a release from Sen. Udall's office.