KANAB, Utah/WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 22, 2026) — A new opinion from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has opened the door for Congress to overturn the current management plan for Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, setting up what conservation groups say would be a first-of-its-kind challenge to how national monuments are administered.
The GAO opinion, released January 15, concludes that federal land management plans qualify as “rules” under the Congressional Review Act (CRA), making them subject to reversal by Congress. The opinion was requested by Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-Utah), whose 2nd Congressional District includes much of southern Utah.
In response, Utah’s federal delegation—Sens. Mike Lee and John Curtis, along with Reps. Burgess Owens, Blake Moore, Celeste Maloy, and Mike Kennedy—is expected to introduce a resolution of disapproval under the CRA. If passed by simple majorities in both the House and Senate, such a resolution would nullify the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) existing resource management plan for the monument and prohibit the agency from issuing another plan that is “substantially the same” in the future.
If enacted, it would mark the first time Congress has used the CRA to overturn a national monument management plan, a move conservation advocates warn could have implications far beyond southern Utah.
Chris Hill, chief executive officer of the Conservation Lands Foundation, called the potential use of the CRA “a deeply dangerous misuse” of the law. “Congress has never before attempted to use the CRA to revoke a national monument management plan,” Hill said. “Doing so would be a direct attack on America’s national monuments and the communities who have invested time and resources to ensure they are managed properly.”
Hill said the Grand Staircase–Escalante plan was developed through years of public involvement and Tribal consultation, and warned that setting it aside would create a precedent that could leave other national monuments vulnerable to political shifts in Washington.
Local organizations echoed those concerns, emphasizing the role the management plan plays in guiding conservation, research, and recreation. Jackie Grant, executive director of the nonprofit Grand Staircase Escalante Partners and a Kanab resident, said the CRA approach would disregard extensive local and Tribal input.
“This plan reflects years of hard work by the people who live nearby, work in, and care deeply about this place,” Grant said. She added that stable, large-scale landscape management is increasingly recognized as essential for protecting water resources, wildlife habitat, and community well-being.
Economic concerns have also been raised by businesses that depend on the monument. Nate Waggoner, board chair of the Grand Staircase Regional Guides Association, said uncertainty over monument management could threaten local livelihoods.
“Guides and outfitters require clear-cut management to run safe operations, promote our businesses, and support local jobs,” Waggoner said. “Rescinding this plan negates years of collaboration with land managers and public engagement.”
The Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument remains protected under Presidential Proclamation 10286, which establishes its boundaries and legal status. However, critics of the proposed congressional action say eliminating the management plan would inject uncertainty into how the monument is stewarded and how recreation, conservation, and local economies are balanced on the ground.
The Resource Management Plan for Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument was developed over years of public engagement, Tribal consultation, and scientific review to guide multiple-use and responsible management of one of the nation’s most significant cultural and natural landscapes. Whether Congress will move forward with a CRA resolution—and how it might reshape federal land management nationwide—remains to be seen.
