In a move environmental advocates are calling devastating, President Donald Trump signed executive orders on Monday to reduce two nationally protected areas in Utah to less than a tenth of their current size. Hundreds of thousands of hectares of previously protected land will now be opened up for fossil fuel extraction and mining.
Trump signed the orders at the White House, flanked by Republican officials including Utah’s governor and two senators, who framed the decision as a long-overdue correction to what they called federal overreach. “We are doing something very dramatic and very important for the people of Utah,” Trump said.
The decision is part of a broader pattern of the administration rolling back environmental protections — and is certain to face legal challenges from conservation groups and tribal nations who have long fought to preserve these landscapes. The New York Times reported on the significance of the cuts, while Costa Rican outlet La Nación covered the story for its Latin American audience, underscoring the international attention the move has drawn.
