Nevada’s Mark Amodei and Utah’s Celeste Maloy just introduced a bill that would stop presidents from turning public lands into national monuments without asking Congress or local communities first. The pair of Republican lawmakers are calling it the Ending Presidential Overreach on Public Lands Act.
Amodei says:
“Western states keep getting burned by Washington bureaucrats making decisions about our land without even talking to us,”
He believes the folks who actually live near these lands should have the biggest say in how they’re used.
The History Behind the Fight
Back in 1906, Congress gave presidents the power to protect historical sites through the Antiquities Act. It made sense then – America was growing fast, and someone needed to quickly save important artifacts and places. But presidents have stretched this power way beyond what it was meant for.
Instead of protecting small historical sites, they’re now locking up millions of acres of land. President Joe Biden’s “America the Beautiful Initiative” is the latest example of turning huge areas into national monuments without asking local communities what they think.
Under Biden’s plan, launched in 2021, vast tracts of public land have been designated as national monuments, sparking heated debate in Western states. The initiative aims to conserve 30% of America’s lands and waters by 2030, a goal some call “30 by 30.”
Avi Kwa Ame (Spirit Mountain) National Monument
In Nevada alone, this initiative has led to the designation of Avi Kwa Ame National Monument, covering nearly half a million acres.
For the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe and other Native American tribes, this area is sacred ground – they believe it to be the creation site of their ancestors. The monument designation protects these culturally significant lands, but it also sparked controversy.
Local ranchers and developers argue the designation severely limits their access to lands they’ve used for generations. They point to a planned wind farm project that had to be scrapped, potentially costing the region jobs and renewable energy opportunities.
The designation also impacts outdoor recreation access – while hiking and camping are still allowed, there are new restrictions on where vehicles can go. This clash between environmental protection, tribal interests, and local economic concerns makes Avi Kwa Ame a perfect example of why Amodei and Maloy say monument decisions need more local input.
As Clark County Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick noted during the designation process:
“These decisions affect real people’s livelihoods, and we need to make sure all voices are heard, not just those that align with federal priorities.”
These sweeping designations hurt local economies by restricting access to lands traditionally used for ranching, mining, and recreation. Decisions affecting generations of local residents are being made from Washington D.C., often with limited input from the communities most directly impacted.
Looking Ahead
If this bill passes, only Congress could create new national monuments. This would mean more local input since members of Congress have to answer to their voters back home.
If you support giving local communities more say in public lands decisions, you can call your representatives and tell them to support this bill.
This isn’t just about monuments – it’s about who gets to make decisions about the land in your backyard. Should it be Washington bureaucrats or the people who actually live there? Amodei and Maloy think it’s time to put these choices back in local hands.
As Maloy puts it:
“Congress, not the executive branch, should be making these big decisions about public land.”
After all, Congress members have to face their voters every couple of years – presidents don’t.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
