Utah's Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is under severe assault from the Trump administration, Stephen Trimble writes. Long the focus of preservation efforts, the protected land is being opened up for extractive uses.
Writing of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Stephen Trimble describes "a precious permanent stream in arid country, an Edenic landscape of waterfalls and springs in a maze of sinuous sandstone canyons. The river's remoteness has been the Escalante's bane and gift — sparing archaeological and paleontological wonders."
But with the Trump administration in charge, all of that may be in danger. Trump's "Department of the Interior seems to have a particular hunger for destroying Utah's irreplaceable redrock canyons and a tragic obsession with undermining the integrity of the Escalante," Trimble writes.
The Bureau of Land Management has taken several actions to compromise the protected land, including a major reduction in the monument's size in 2017 and a proposed resource management plan that "cater[s] even more absolutely to extractive industry, damaging off-road vehicles, and the whims of a tiny number of elected officials."
Trimble condemns the "pathetically Western pipe-dream" of extractive industry fueling unlimited growth: "Introducing cows to the riparian oasis of the Escalante is no way to treat an icon."
FULL STORY: What happened to shielding iconic landscapes from greed and destruction?
Antiquities Act Executive Order Calls for Review of Large Designations
The Executive Order does not roll back the Antiquities Act nor rescind any designations made by presidents Clinton, George W. Bush, or Obama, but does call for their review if over 100,000 acres. President Trump feels that the act has been misused.
National Monuments Under Threat From Mining Under New Executive Order
An executive order from the Department of the Interior could gut protections for public lands established under the Antiquities Act.
Key Wins for Conservation in 2024
The year brought some important victories to advocates for public lands, national monuments, and the reclamation of Indigenous history.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
Test News Post 1
This is a summary
Test News Headline 46
Test for the image on the front page.
Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service