Six National Monuments Targeted for Rollbacks
Issue tracker and action guide
Summary
The Trump Administration has taken steps to reduce in size or eliminate six national monuments to open up oil, gas, and mining development.
What's Happening
Formal Review: In February, 2025, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, initiated a formal review of six national monuments. This review will decide if the monuments should be reduced in size or eliminated to unlock oil, gas, and mining development.
Storm Clouds Ahead: On May 27, 2025, the Department of Justice issued a legal opinion asserting that the President can downgrade or entirely eliminate existing national monuments. Unfortunately, this tells us where the administration's monument review is heading.
Monuments At-Risk: The list of monuments being reviewed include Bears Ears, Grand Staircase Escalante, Organ Mountains‑Desert Peaks, Ironwood Forest, Baaj Nwaavjo Kukveni (Grand Canyon), and Chuckwalla.
Why It Matters
Scale and Significance: Together, these monuments protect 5.4 million acres of land and receive 6.4 million visitors annually. They include some of the most scenic and biologically and archaeologically important lands in the Western US.
How To Help
Support Local Champions: A local nonprofit defends each of these national monuments. Most of these are small but powerful local voices for conservation. Please follow them on social media. Any help you can provide will go a long way.
- Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition - Bears Ears
- Grand Staircase Escalante Partners - Grant Staircase Escalante
- Friends of Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks - Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks
- Friends of Ironwood Forest - Ironwood Forest
- Grand Canyon Trust - Baaj Nwaavjo Kukveni (Grand Canyon)
- Protect Chuckwalla National Monument - Chuckwalla
