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The Creation of National Monuments
The Antiquities Act allows for the creation of Nation Monuments which are areas with significant cultural or historical purposes.
The Antiquities Act would be used later in lawsuits against the land reductions. -
The Creation of the National Park Service
The Organic Act in 1916 creates that National Park Service under the US Department of the Interior to preserve the national parks and some national monuments that have been created or will be created.
Almost all the issues later brought up will tie into the National Park Service due to them protecting the land. -
Judges Block Keystone XL Pipeline Construction
The Keystone XL Pipeline construction was blocked after lawsuits came against Trump's permission of the line. The lawsuits stated that the construction would cause serious environmental problems as well as negatively affecting Native American communities in the area.
This was one of the first instances of the issue being brought into the public light. It isn't as directly correlated with the National Parks but it does tie into the ones that do. -
Trump proposes reducing the size of Alaska's Tongass National Forest
In October of 2019 Trump proposed that the size of the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, the biggest temperate rain forest in North America, be reduced by 16.7 million acres. This land would then be opened up to corporations for logging and fishing. The fishing industry is estimated to be worth around 900 million dollars.
This is a key instance where a protected land is threatened for corporations making it important to this issue. -
Bear Ears and the Grand Staircase are downsized by the Trump Administration
The Trump Administration has official downsized Bear Ears by 85% and the Grand Staircase by around 50% in Utah making this the largest downsize of protected land in American history. The land is estimated to be worth about 228 million dollars. This occurred despite lawsuits against the decision saying that it goes against the Antiquities Act of 1906.
This event is one of the recent incidents where the size of the protected lands is being reduced by the Trump Administration. -
Trump's Border Wall Threatens Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
In January 2020, construction companies working on the border wall between Mexico and the US blasted near a Native American burial cite in the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. A monument known for its unique ecosystem. This construction has been ongoing through the area.
This is the most recent incident where the National Monuments have been threaten. This event also ties into immigrants too making it even greater.