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Interior Secretary Zinke’s leaked memo suggests shrinking Utah’s national monuments

Posted at 7:36 AM, Sep 18, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-18 11:53:18-04

A leaked memo states the Interior Secretary is recommending half a dozen national monuments be reduced in size, including two in Utah.

Ryan Zinke is calling for the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante to be changed.

Fox 13's Ben Winslow recently reported Zinke would recommend some locations to be downsized.

Nevada's Gold Butte, Oregon's Cascade-Siskiyou and two marine monuments would also be reduced under Zinke's leaked memo.

"I think there's the possibility of carving it up into smaller monuments, you know, two or three that would actually protect the areas that need protection and we'll have to see what his recommendation is, what the president does," Governor Gary Herbert said.

President Trump ordered the review earlier this year.

Other state leaders have argued the proposal is nothing more than a "land grab."

Environmental groups opposed to the review have also threatened to sue.