The Latest: Patagonia sues over Trump's monuments order | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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The Latest: Patagonia sues over Trump's monuments order

FILE - This July 15, 2016, file photo, shows the "Moonhouse" in McLoyd Canyon which is part of Bears Ears National Monument, near Blanding, Utah. President Donald Trump's rare move to shrink two large national monuments in Utah triggered another round of outrage among Native American leaders who vowed to unite and take the fight to court to preserve protections for lands they consider sacred. Trump decided to reduce Bears Ears — created last December by President Barack Obama — by about 85 percent and Grand Staircase-Escalante — designated in 1996 by President Bill Clinton — by nearly half. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

SALT LAKE CITY - The Latest on President Donald Trump's plan to shrink two national parks in Utah (all times local):

6:30 p.m.

Outdoor company Patagonia has sued to block President Donald Trump's cuts to Utah's Bears Ears National Monument.

Patagonia's lawsuit was filed Wednesday night, becoming the fourth legal challenge after Trump announced Monday he would shrink Bear Ears and the Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah.

The California-based company argues shrinking the monument by 85 per cent is an "extreme overreach in authority" and strips much-needed protections from sacred tribal lands. It filed the suit on behalf of several organizations.

The lawsuit came after Patagonia replaced its usual home page with a stark message, "The President Stole Your Land."

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke shot back by saying the claim is "nefarious, false and a lie."

A coalition of five tribes has also sued to preserve Bears Ears. Two lawsuits have been filed to protect Grand Staircase.

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1:54 a.m.

More lawsuits are expected Wednesday over the Trump administration's plans to shrink several national monuments.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and outdoor retail giant Patagonia traded harsh words Tuesday — an opening salvo in an imminent legal battle that could last for years.

On Monday, President Donald Trump ordered drastic reductions to Utah's Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments. Three lawsuits had been filed by Tuesday night.

Trump said he was reversing federal overreach by drastically cutting the sprawling monuments named by Democratic presidents. But tribal leaders, environmentalists and others argue the president doesn't have that authority and his move jeopardizes a wealth of Native American artifacts, dinosaur fossils and rugged spaces.

News from © The Associated Press, 2017
The Associated Press

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