Biden’s Monument Designation: Clear Presidential Power Abuse

President Biden Designates ‌New National‌ Monument in Arizona

President Joe ⁢Biden visited ⁤Arizona on Tuesday to ⁤designate a new national monument spanning about 1‍ million acres over the ⁣state’s northwest region.

The new monument, named⁢ Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni ⁤–⁣ Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument, ‍will‌ lock​ off an area larger than⁢ the state of Rhode Island⁢ surrounding​ Grand Canyon National Park ​from‍ any potential for‌ development. The national park itself⁣ is only 1.2 million ‍acres.

“Preserving these lands is ​good not ‌only ‍for Arizona, but for the planet,” Biden said ⁤at the park ‍on Tuesday, adding the Grand Canyon ⁤is “one of ⁢Earth’s nine⁢ wonders — wonders of ⁢the ⁤world.”

Except there are ⁤seven, and the Grand ‍Canyon is not among them.

[READ:[READ:Here’s The Full List Of Every Lie Joe Biden ⁣Has Told As⁢ President: 242 And Counting]

With five new national monuments‍ established ​during his presidency, ​Biden has made a habit of⁢ wielding the 1906 Antiquities Act to⁣ cut off federal lands from local use and development. In October 2021, President Biden also placed millions of acres under monument protection with ⁣the reinstatement of Obama-era ​boundaries at Utah’s Bears Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Together, the two monuments protect more⁣ than 3 million acres, a region larger‌ than neighboring Zion and Bryce Canyon⁢ national parks combined.

The​ Antiquities​ Act, however, ⁢was never intended to authorize the president to establish quasi-national parks without congressional approval. The first monument preserved under the law was Devil’s Tower in Wyoming at the ⁢direction of President Theodore Roosevelt, who ordered less than 1,200 acres under‌ added layers ⁢of federal protection.

The law passed‍ by Congress⁢ maintains three requirements violated ‌by President Biden’s serial designation of millions of acres with monumental ‍status. One, there ⁤must be an⁤ object to be ​protected,​ whether it’s geologic, historic, or prehistoric. Two, the ⁣monument itself must be on federal land. Three, the land to go under protection must be “the smallest area compatible with the proper care and ‍management ⁢of the objects to ⁢be protected.” ‍The one-million acres in northwest⁤ Arizona now under monument protection can hardly be considered the “smallest ⁢area compatible” with conserving ​delicate artifacts and⁢ relics.

Utah Republican⁤ Sen. Mike Lee ‌pointed ⁣out on X, the website formerly⁣ known as Twitter, that Western states often ‍bear the burden of Washington’s aggressive land grabs. More than 90 percent of federal land is​ west of the Mississippi River. Biden has declared his​ mission​ of locking off 30 ⁢percent of the⁢ nation’s land and waterways‍ by 2030⁤ a top priority for the⁣ administration.

Senator Lee called the president’s designation of the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand ⁤Canyon as a national monument a “blatant⁣ misuse​ of the Antiquities Act.”

“Not only will⁢ the decision negatively impact our local grazers, ‍miners,⁣ and other constituents whose livelihoods are deeply​ intertwined with ​this region,” Lee ⁣said, “but it will tie up one⁣ of our few domestic resources of uranium, a ⁢critical component in carbon-free nuclear energy production.”

The designation of the area ⁢as a⁤ national monument will thwart plans to mine uranium in the region. ‍The Department of the Interior ‍already implemented a⁢ 20-year moratorium on ⁢new⁢ mining ‌claims in​ the area when‌ Biden ‌was⁤ vice president in​ 2012. ​The region’s⁢ new status will make the moratorium indefinite.

The elimination of​ domestic mining opportunities, specifically for uranium, risks long-term threats to economic stability and national security. According to the⁤ Energy Information Administration (EIA), nearly half of ⁤the ⁢nation’s uranium is ⁢sourced from ⁣either Russia or Kazakhstan, a close Russian ally.

Nearly 20 percent of the ⁢American⁤ power grid runs on nuclear energy. The EIA ⁢projects the share of electricity generated by nuclear power to remain constant through 2050.

Tristan Justice is the western ⁢correspondent for The Federalist and the author of Social Justice Redux, ‍a conservative newsletter on culture, health, ​and wellness. He has also⁣ written for The Washington Examiner and The Daily Signal. His work has ​also been featured in Real Clear Politics and Fox News. Tristan graduated⁢ from George Washington ⁢University‌ where he majored in political science and‌ minored in journalism. Follow ​him on Twitter at @JusticeTristan or contact⁢ him at [email protected]. Sign up ⁤for​ Tristan’s email newsletter ⁢ here.