President Obama Designates Three New National Monuments

"In a massive expansion of his lands legacy, Obama created three new national monuments Friday in Nevada, California and Texas," reports Juliet Eilperin.

"Using his authority under the Antiquities Act, the president created a protected area spanning roughly 704,000 acres in central Nevada’s Basin and Range, as well as smaller ones in California’s Berryessa Snow Mountain and Texas’ Waco Mammoth."

The new designations bring the president's total to 19 national monuments and 260 million acres of public lands and waters—more than any other president.

That track record inspired Senate Republicans to propose a bill that would repeal presidential power to designate national monuments. Eilperin also updates the latest congressional efforts to rein in the president's actions.

In a separate article, Mimi Zeiger reports on the newly created Basin and Range National Monument, which includes the massive land art installation City, by Michael Heizer. In addition to describing the installation, Zeiger also explains the political context of the effort to preserve City.