Last week, the Obama administration issued an executive order declaring new monument designations in Utah and Nevada and taking 1.7 million acres of land. Public Lands Council Executive Director Ethan Lane says the use of the Antiquities Act by the President was a unilateral decision made without notifying local or state authorities.

He says this latest designation is just another example of how President Obama has abused his power and disregarded the input of local citizen’s.

Lane says the Antiquities Act gives too much power to the Administration, which opens the door to abuse.

The monument designations made by President Obama include 1.35 million acres for Bears Ear Monument in Utah and 350,000 acres for Gold Butte in Nevada.