President Barack Obama created the Bears Ears National Monument today, protecting 1.35 million acres of land in southwest Utah. The region is rich in culturally significant sites for Native tribes that have lived there for generations. Today’s proclamation also created the Bears Ears Commission to ensure that Tribal Nations have a say in how the land is managed. It’s a controversial move in President Obama’s last month in office: supporters praise the president for protecting lands and artifacts sacred to Native peoples. But opponents argue that the act was high-handed and prevents people in a poor region from taking advantage of the area’s natural resources. Republicans have vowed to fight it; Utah Senator Mike Lee tweeted that he will work tirelessly to undo the president’s act.
President Obama creates two controversial national monuments in Utah and Nevada
