Lawmakers ignite fierce battle for control of national monuments: 'Political agenda'

Policymakers are pushing to amend legislation involving public lands, but Indigenous communities fear it could put their sacred areas in jeopardy. 

What's happening?

As detailed by the Mountain West News Bureau, two representatives introduced a bill aimed at reforming the 1906 Antiquities Act, which provides legal protection to natural resources and items of cultural, historical, and scientific interest on federal lands.

The new legislation, referred to as the Ending Presidential Overreach on Public Lands Act, was introduced by Utah Congresswoman Celeste Maloy and Nevada Congressman Mark Amodei. It proposes eliminating Section 2 of the Antiquities Act, giving Congress rather than Presidents the power to designate historic landmarks and national monuments.

"Congress trusted Presidents with a narrow authority to declare national monuments in the Antiquities Act. … My bill aims to rebalance the powers between Congress and the executive branch and restore transparency and accountability to these designations," Rep. Maloy, who represents the 2nd District of Utah, said in an official statement.

"I am a firm believer that the best lands policy is generated by the local communities who actually live off of these lands. … This legislation overturns years of a one-sided approach on major land management decisions and ensures Western communities are given a seat at the table for any future monument designations," added Rep. Amodei, of the 2nd District of Nevada.

Why is this important?

Indigenous advocates argue that the Ending Presidential Overreach on Public Lands Act could make it easier for private corporations to abuse sacred lands, contributing to biodiversity loss, water pollution, and other activities that threaten their way of life and public health.

"What this bill is trying to do is prevent more uses and protections of sacred spaces — all to protect and to better corporate greed for housing and development," Mathilda Guerrero-Miller, with the nonprofit Native Voters Alliance of Nevada, said to Mountain West News Bureau, suggesting that the lawmakers are "mostly interested in protecting their political agenda."

Guerrero-Miller added that Congress has already been involved in the designation of national monuments, such as Nevada's Avi Kwa Ame National Monument — a sacred space also referred to as "Spirit Mountain" by multiple Tribal nations. 

What can be done about this?

It is not unusual to see shifting federal protections involving land, with both Democratic and Republican presidents using their power under the Antiquities Act to set aside land nearly 300 times since 1906, according to the National Park Service.

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In February, in order to help support Tribal communities, Nevada Senator Jacky Rosen reintroduced the Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act, also aimed at economic development and protection of outdoor recreation areas and public lands.

You can make your voice heard on matters like these by attending town halls and other public forums, voting in local and national elections, and supporting organizations doing conservation work that aligns with your values.

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