Trump’s Utah monuments rollback takes effect, allows new mining, drilling claims

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President Trump’s rollback of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah become official Friday, allowing private citizens and companies to make new oil, natural gas, and drilling claims.

Trump on Dec. 4 signed a proclamation cutting Bears Ears by more than 1.1 million acres, or 85 percent, and creating two smaller monuments instead. Former President Barack Obama, who created the 1.35-acre Bears Ears National Monument just before he left office, had banned mining and drilling there.

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