The Utah Senate doesn't want the federal government to create any new national monuments in the state without local consent, senators said Tuesday.

In a nearly unanimous vote, with only Sen. Brent Goodfellow, D-West Valley City, dissenting, the Senate passed a resolution opposing federal creation of new monuments.

The vote comes weeks after lawmakers learned of a document in which the Interior Department discussed areas worthy of designation -- San Rafael Swell in south-central Utah and Cedar Mesa in San Juan County -- and after Interior Secretary Ken Salazar assured Utah officials nothing would happen without state consultation.

"Here in Utah, we certainly have an abundance of natural beauties that have been protected as national parks and also national monuments," said Sen. Kevin Van Tassell, R-Vernal, who sponsored SCR11.

National monuments, such as Grand Staircase-Escalante in southern Utah, inhibit energy development and other projects, he said.

The House took similar action Monday, voting 63-11 to pass HCR17.

Its sponsor, Kanab Republican Rep. Mike Noel, argued that two more national monuments in Utah would further restrict the state's use of natural resources on those lands and rob children of sorely needed education funding.

Minority Leader David Litvack said he opposed the resolution because of its fiery rhetoric.

"I take issue with language like 'the mere stroke of a presidential pen' or words like coronation," Litvack said, "that imply that our president thinks of himself as a king."

Tribune reporter Cathy McKitrick contributed to this story.