Your Daily Guide

President Donald Trump has once again signed an executive order shrinking the boundaries of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in southern Utah red rock country, this time by almost 90%.

• We’ve been here before: Trump shrunk Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante during his first term. Both were restored by President Joe Biden in 2021, who even added 12,000 new acres to the boundaries of Bears Ears. Now we are back to a nearly 3-million-acre reduction, the largest yet. [NPR, Salt Lake Tribune]
• Utah Republican leaders are thrilled: In a joint statement, the Utah Senate, House of Representatives, and Office of the Governor “applauded” the action. As did the state’s all Republican congressional delegation. But, recent polling from Colorado College found that 91% of western voters want monument designations kept in place. [State of Utah, Office of Blake Moore, Colorado College]
• Bears Ears has a sacred spotlight: President Barack Obama made history declaring Bears Ears a national monument for its cultural and archaeological importance to Utah’s tribes. Sadly, the largest wildfire in the nation is currently burning inside the monument’s boundaries. [The White House, Utah Fire Info]
• So then, why? Federal protections have kept these public lands out of state (and private) hands, so the battle is really over responsible stewardship. Grand Staircase-Escalante has large coal reserves, and Bears Ears is rich in uranium. [KCRA]
• The monuments’ future boils down to The Antiquities Act: It gives presidents the power to designate national monuments, but it doesn’t specify whether they can be rescinded! So anticipate a courtroom battle over this decision, spearheaded by the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. [Salt Lake Tribune, SUWA]

Rio Grande Plan Rejection

Salt Lake City declined to advance the multibillion-dollar Rio Grande Plan, a grassroots effort to bury downtown rail lines. The advisory board says the project is too complex and expensive, and will have limited impact compared to other proposals. [Salt Lake Tribune]

The SLC Rebrand

Visit Salt Lake wants SLC to be “America’s Mountain City” ahead of the 2034 Winter Olympics. Is there a better tagline? [City Cast Salt Lake 🎧]

Four Stories of Fresh Start?

The Main Street block damaged in last summer’s fire could soon get a fresh start. Developers have proposed a new four-story building for the former Los Tapatios and London Belle site and are seeking a $2 million disaster relief loan from the city to help make it happen. [Building Salt Lake 🔒]

Another Raw Milk Warning

Box Elder County has declared a state of emergency as bird flu spreads through local dairy herds, with officials saying at least half the county’s dairy cows have been affected. They’re also urging people to avoid drinking raw milk, though pasteurized dairy products remain safe to consume. [Salt Lake Tribune]