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Herbert: Zinke signaled Grand-Staircase should be shrunk

Salt Lake City • Utah’s governor says Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has signaled he’s recommending that President Donald Trump shrink Utah’s two-decade old Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

Gov. Gary Herbert said at a press conference on KUED-TV Thursday that he doesn’t know specifically what Zinke recommended for the 1.9-million acre (7,700-square kilometer) area or Utah’s new Bears Ears National Monument.

Trump asked Zinke to review 27 sprawling land and sea areas to see if past presidents misused their powers under a law allowing them to protect the spaces as monuments.

The governor says Zinke told him that Bill Clinton’s 1996 declaration of Grand Staircase-Escalante is an overreach and abuse.

Zinke has previously said Bears Ears should be downsized and he’s recommending boundary changes on a handful of monuments.

The Trump administration has not offered details or indicated when Trump may take action.


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By The Associated Press