Thank goodness for congressional incompetence

By /

(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) A sign welcomes visitors to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument near Tropic on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024.

Utah Sen. Mike Lee and Rep. Celeste Maloy wanted to use the seldom-invoked Congressional Review Act to cancel the management plan for the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in southern Utah. That was a preservation-centered plan worked out with many stakeholders, including Native American nations.

Lee and Maloy clearly wanted to open more of the monument to extractive industries, threatening fragile lands and undermining businesses that live on the outdoor tourism economy.

But the petition to activate the congressional override provision had to be filed within 60 days from the finalization of the plan — or by June 11. And Lee missed the deadline.

Thank goodness for incompetence.

Editorials represent the opinions of The Salt Lake Tribune editorial board, which operates independently from the newsroom.

sltrib.com is now free to access — no subscription required. We made this decision because we believe access to trustworthy, independent news shouldn’t depend on what you can afford — especially as misinformation and AI-generated content continue to rise.

Free to read doesn’t mean free to produce. Our reporters show up every day to ask hard questions and hold powerful institutions to account. That work takes resources. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on support from people who believe it matters. Make a donation today to fund local news that serves Utah communities.

You can help us bring more local news to more communities today.

Source link

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top