Lawyers for President Donald Trump’s administration say he has the authority to abolish national monuments meant to protect historical and archaeological sites across broad landscapes, including two in California created by his predecessor at the request of Native American tribes. … Trump in his first term reduced the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monuments in Utah, calling them a “massive land grab.” … Trump’s moves to shrink the Utah monuments in his first term were challenged by environmental groups that said protections for the sites safeguard water supplies and wildlife while preserving cultural sites.

Other public land news: 

• The Washington Post: DOJ finds Trump can abolish areas protected as national monuments
• E&E News by Politico: Interior’s latest four-year strategic plan omits public land cuts
• The Wilderness Society: Blog: America’s most important conservation law turns 119