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The Trump administration is to open vast areas of the protected Grand Staircase-Escelante National Monument to mining and oil and gas exploration. Together with the removal of a million acres from Bears Ears National Monument this comprises the largest rollback of protection in US history.
So why is it “doing a Stonehenge”? Well, Governor Gary Herbert said “As I have reiterated for years, monuments should be as small as possible to protect artifacts and cultural resources” and County Commissioner Tammy Pearson said “The downsizing to a manageable acreage was the most amazing, selfless act of a sitting President of the United States. Utah thanks you President Trump.”
As small as possible …
Meanwhile at Stonehenge Historic England et al are campaigning to downsize the protected area surrounding Stonehenge by supporting the digging of a mile of new dual carriageway across it. Arguably, the largest rollback of protection in British history.
So it’s clear that Trump is doing a Stonehenge in Utah and, far more disgracefully, Historic England, English Heritage and the National Trust are doing a Trump in Wiltshire.
