Modifying the Bears Ears National Monument

Key Points

• Trump is shrinking Bears Ears National Monument from about 1.36 million acres to roughly 121,096 acres, cutting protected land by about 1.24 million acres.
• The stated goal is to allow mining for critical minerals like uranium, copper, vanadium, and zinc, framed as reducing U.S. reliance on foreign mineral sources.
• Sixty days after the proclamation, the excluded land opens to mining claims, mineral and geothermal leasing, and other public land uses.
• The Bears Ears Commission, which gave five tribal nations a formal role in managing the monument, is disbanded, and a reorganized advisory committee adds seats for county officials, ranchers, and business owners.
• Livestock grazing on the remaining monument land is explicitly protected and prioritized, with quick reissuance required if permits are given up.