SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah’s Senate has approved a resolution asking its congressional delegation to support shrinking southern Utah’s Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument despite concerns from critics that they could see a backlash.
Utah’s Republican-controlled Legislature says the southern Utah monument declared 20 years ago is too large and locked up natural resources.
The Senate approved the resolution Wednesday. It must now be signed by Gov. Gary Herbert.
The vote comes two days after clothing company Patagonia announced it won’t attend Utah’s Outdoor Retailer shows because Legislators approved a resolution last week calling for the newly named Bears Ears National Monument to be repealed.
Democratic Sen. Gene Davis said he worried the Grand Staircase resolution would further provoke outdoor retailers, but Republican Sen. Ralph Okerlund, a sponsor of the resolution, said officials will try to address retailers’ concerns.
