FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – President Donald Trump’s decision to drastically reduce and break up a national monument in Utah wasn’t the only blow Native American tribes say they were dealt last week.
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The proclamation Trump signed changes the makeup of a tribal advisory commission for Bears Ears National Monument. It adds a San Juan County, Utah, commissioner who supported peeling back protections for the land.
The new commissioner, now Rebecca Benally, joins representatives of five tribes, serving as a planted ally of the reduction.
Federal legislation also would create tribal co-management councils. The proposal by Utah Republican Rep. John Curtis excludes tribes outside Utah and lets the president hand-select most members.
The Utah congressional delegation sees the changes as unifying forces.
Tribes say they’re yet more examples of being told what’s good for them.
