Governor Gary Herbert is among those nationally praising the monument report submitted by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke reviewing the use of the Antiquities Act. Governor Herbert states that he is heartened by the secretary’s recognition that Congress, rather than the president, has the authority to enact protections beyond the parameters of the Antiquities Act and that such presidential designations cannot substitute for legislation. As adjustments are considered to monument boundaries, including the new Bears Ears National Monument, Governor Herbert says he stands with the secretary that if there is a change, all affected federal public land will remain an integral part of the national heritage and trust under federal ownership. Governor Herbert also emphasized that his hope is to give Native Americans meaningful co-management rights that they do not currently have over lands that have been a part of their sacred heritage while also sustaining public recreational activities and honoring the BLM charter’s principle of multiple use.
