Battle brewing over national monuments
By Gary Martin, Las Vegas Review-Journal
WASHINGTON — A battle is brewing among activists across the political spectrum over a Trump administration review of recently established national monuments, including Gold Butte in Nevada, and a 1906 law that permits presidential protection of public lands.
In the most recent salvo, 71 environmental and natural resource lawyers sent a letter to the administration saying a White House executive order that authorized the review incorrectly implied that President Trump has the authority to rescind or modify national monuments created by previous presidents.
It does not, the lawyers insisted: “Congress retained that power for itself.”
