Scientists Call On Congress To Oppose The Overturning Of Grand Staircase-Escalante's Management Plan

Over 150 scientists, researchers, and scientific organizations are calling on Congress to oppose the use of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn the 2025 monument management plan for Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. In a recent letter, the individuals and organizations urge members of Congress to vote no on impending legislation (H.J.Res.151 / S.J.Res.109) that would overturn the plan.

Additionally, the letter calls on Congress to:

• Reject efforts to use the Congressional Review Act to overturn the monument’s management plan
• Maintain stable, science-based management of the monument
• Ensure adequate funding and staffing to protect its resources and support research
• Respect Tribal connections and incorporate Indigenous knowledge into stewardship of and research around the monument
• Affirm the monument’s full protection as essential to scientific discovery and public benefit

“Grand Staircase-Escalante, established as a national monument in 1996, is one of the most important living laboratories in North America,” states the letter. “Its relatively undisturbed landscape preserves an unparalleled record of Earth’s history, spanning hundreds of millions of years. Rightfully nicknamed the ‘science monument,’ Grand Staircase-Escalante’s stratigraphy, fossil record, ecological diversity, and cultural resources make it indispensable to scientific discovery and a testament to our shared history as a nation.”

The 2025 Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Management Plan sets expectations for how the land will be managed for wildlife, outdoor access, dark night skies, grazing, and other uses. The CRA allows Congress to disapprove of administrative rules, but it has never been used to overturn a monument’s management plan, as these plans were never previously considered to be “rules.”

The CRA legislation, introduced by Utah’s Sen. Mike Lee and Rep. Celeste Maloy in March, is the first attempt to use the legislative tool to attack a national monument. Under the CRA, both chambers of Congress can expedite their votes and pass the measures by simple majorities. If that happens and the resolution is signed into law by the President, the plan will be undone. 

“As scientists, researchers, and educators from across the United States, we write to reaffirm our deep concern regarding threats to the scientific integrity, management, and long-term protection of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument,” states the letter. “Specifically, the Utah delegation’s reckless gambit to toss out the monument’s management plan using the Congressional Review Act risks not only the scientific objects of interest within the boundaries, but also the future of research and scientific discovery in this unique landscape.”

Guided by input from the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Advisory Committee, the 2025 plan at risk included input from scientists representing the fields of geology, botany, wildlife biology, archaeology, paleontology, education, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, history, social science, and ecology.

“Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is one of the greatest windows into Earth’s past anywhere on the planet,” said Rowan Lockwood, president of the Paleontological Society. “Using the Congressional Review Act to dismantle the monument’s management plan would put world-class scientific resources that belong to all Americans at risk. It sends a deeply troubling message about the value our country places on science, stewardship, and America’s public lands.”