The Grand Staircase-Escalante is a US national monument carved from Utah's canyon country, recently targeted for shrinkage amid White House plans to scale back protections.
Trump's orders have reduced national monument sizes in Utah, reopening decades-long battles over land protections under the Antiquities Act. Biden previously restored boundaries and expanded protections, while legal questions about unilateral changes persist. The shift has sparked backlash from conservationists and tribes, and from Utah officials seeking more development room.