Rumors and rumblings over Bears Ears monument run rampant

Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
The Bears Ears area is seen as Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, joins San Juan County Commissioner Rebecca Benally and Gov. Gary Herbert at the Natural Bridges National Monument Visitor Center as they talk about the proposed Bears Ears National Monument on Thursday, June 2, 2016.

SALT LAKE CITY — Members of Utah's congressional delegation and Gov. Gary Herbert took to social media Wednesday and will participate in an extended news conference Thursday over rampant rumors a Bears Ears monument designation is imminent.

"We’re hearing today that President (Barack) Obama may well be moving forward with a monument designation, possibly designating a monument in the Bears Ears area as early as next week," Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said Wednesday.

The designation could come as early as Tuesday or Wednesday, noted Lee's office, based on "rumblings" from the U.S. Department of the Interior.

"I want to make clear, if heaven forbid this does happen, I will work tirelessly with the incoming Trump administration to make sure that this national monument never gets off the ground; to make sure it is undone, that is defunded, unwritten, rewritten, repealed, whatever it is that we have to do to undo it," Lee said in a video he posted on Facebook and YouTube.

Read more: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865669289/Rumors-and-rumblings-over-Bears-Ears-monument-run-rampant.html