BY BRIAN MAFFLY
Utah Rep. Rob Bishop took his case against the Antiquities Act to the Trump presidential transition team Monday, asking the incoming president to consider doing what none of his predecessors have done: Undo national monument designations.
The influential chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee believes President Barack Obama has misused his executive powers under the 1906 statute by establishing monuments on the West's publicly owned landscapes without local buy-in and including far too much land for the law's narrow scope.
"Any monument designation that lacks local support, is excessive, or violates the terms of the Antiquities Act will be scrutinized and is easier to abolish. Today's discussions with the transition team examined options for the incoming administration. The talks were positive and encouraging," Bishop said in a news release.