Washington, DC (April 26, 2017) Congressman Steve Pearce today released the following statement after President Trump signed the "Executive Order for a Review of Designations under the Antiquities Act":

"The Obama Administration, and the Administrations before it, repeatedly abused the Antiquities Act by creating expansive national monuments that blatantly disregarded input from local communities and governments that are directly affected by these designations. New Mexicans, and folks all across the nation, deserve to have access to federal lands for recreational use, hunting, grazing, and the economic opportunity that comes with it. We all share the common goal of preserving the beauty of our lands for generations to come, but responsible conservation efforts must consider input from surrounding communities and the local economies that are affected. I support today's action to review our national monument designations and look forward to working with the Administration to ensure that the beauty of New Mexico is preserved."

Background
The Antiquities Act of 1906 gives the President authority to declare federal lands as national monuments. Under the Antiquities Act, President Obama locked up more than 550 million acres, limiting access and use of these lands by the surrounding communities. President Trump's Executive Order https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/04/26/presidential-executive-order-review-designations-under-antiquities-act authorizes the Department of the Interior to review national monuments that are larger than 100,000 acres or have been expanded without proper input from local communities, governments, and stakeholders affected by these designations. The Order does not take away monument designations, nor does it relieve of any environmental regulations that are in place.