The ongoing debate over Bears Ears National Monument in Utah took a significant step forward Thursday with the Bureau of Land Management’s release of a final proposed management plan, but numerous groups including firearm enthusiasts are not pleased.
The BLM and the Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service dropped a proposed management plan and environmental impact statement late Thursday for Bears Ears, which spans 1.36 million acres of public land in southeastern Utah.
Part of the plan includes a complete ban on recreational shooting, with the exception of “the lawful pursuit of game.”
Following the release, the plan will begin a 30-day protest period and a 60-day governor’s consistency review.
While some conservation groups issued statements of support over the proposed plan, the Sportsmen’s Alliance, along with a coalition of other organizations, have said they will challenge the BLM’s decision in federal court, arguing that national monuments are typically open to such activities.