This June, the Antiquities Act turns 120 years old— a date worth celebrating, says Utah writer Stephen Trimble. Since Teddy Roosevelt signed the law on June 8, 1906, nearly every president has used it to designate national monuments—a total of nearly 170 cherished preserves.
The Utah congressional delegation is not likely to celebrate, Trimble says: “They’re chomping at the bit to challenge this executive power.” In the Senate, Utah Republican Mike Lee is leading the charge against what he calls “presidential abuses of the Antiquities Act.”