Modification of Bears Ears National Monument Boundaries
Impact Score: 3.6
Timeline: Effective 60 days after proclamation, on or about September 11, 2026
Summary: The proclamation reduces Bears Ears National Monument to about 121,096 acres, divided into Shash Jáa and Indian Creek units, emphasizing protection of key cultural and geological sites while allowing increased resource extraction for critical minerals. It disbands the Bears Ears Commission, revises the advisory committee for balanced representation, and directs BLM and USFS to create a joint management plan with stakeholder consultation. The action aims to balance cultural preservation with economic and national security priorities but poses risks to indigenous collaboration and environmental research.
Key Actions: Vanderbilt should analyze federal land management impacts, engage in regional geological and ecological research, provide legal expertise through its Environmental Law Clinic, develop educational programs on cultural significance, and perform policy analyses to support indigenous and local community relations.
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