Patagonia sues Trump administration over Bears Ears Monument reduction

Outdoor gear company Patagonia, alongside a coalition of Indigenous and environmental organizations, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in federal court. The legal challenge contests the decision to reduce the size of the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah by approximately 91 percent, shrinking it from 1.31 million acres to roughly 121,000 acres.

The plaintiffs argue that the Antiquities Act of 1906, which empowers presidents to establish national monuments, does not grant the authority to diminish or undo such designations. The reduction of the protected area has reopened millions of acres to activities including oil drilling and uranium mining.

Joining Patagonia in the suit are several groups, including the Conservation Lands Foundation, Utah Diné Bikéyah, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert stated that the administration’s actions betray Tribal sovereignty and disregard established management plans for culturally significant lands.