By Anna Buell
Signed into law in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt, a native New Yorker and former governor, the Antiquities Act protects public lands and iconic monuments for the benefit of Americans and the environment. The Antiquities Act has established awe-inspiring natural spaces like the Grand Canyon and Acadia National Parks. The Antiquities Act is also responsible for designating several New York sites as national monuments, including the Statue of Liberty, Governor’s Island, the African Burial Ground National Monument, and the Stonewall Inn.
The Antiquities Act fosters economic and environmental prosperity in their surrounding areas. National parks and monuments supported by the Antiquities Act are the lifeblood of the outdoor recreation economy, which accounted for 2.3 percent ($639.5 billion) of the 2023 national gross domestic product (GDP). In addition to their captivating beauty, natural spaces play a critical role in filtering our water and cleaning our air. Federal legislation that protects U.S. land from over-exploitation will continue to play a critical role in the future of our economy and environment.
Several members in both chambers have already expressed intentions to support efforts to repeal protections for parks and monuments, despite their indisputable cultural and conservation benefits. On January 16, 2025, Senator Mike Lee of Utah and Representatives Celeste Maloy of Utah and Mark Amodei of Nevada proposed two bills to gut the Antiquities Act. Advocates fear that S.220 and H.R.521 could act as the first of many attempts to undermine protective measures crucial to the existence of our public lands.
Along with 246 organizations representing a diverse array of interests, the New York League of Conservation Voters signed a community letter to oppose S.220/H.R.521 and any other bills attempting to repeal or undermine the Antiquities Act.
In the letter addressed to United States Senators and members of Congress, the coalition writes, “For more than 100 years, the Antiquities Act has been one of our nation’s most critical conservation tools for preserving our nation’s most important public lands and waters. From Bears Ears to Northeast Canyons and Seamounts, our monuments and other protected public lands and waters unite all Americans by protecting our shared heritage for future generations to enjoy.”
“This legislation is a direct attack on the rights of Americans to their public lands and the bedrock law that ensures the country’s most treasured natural, cultural, historical, and recreational landscapes can be protected from irreversible development and destruction,” said Chris Hill, Chief Executive Officer of the Conservation Lands Foundation.
The protection of our public lands benefits every American and its importance cannot be overstated. The signatories of the community letter represent a wide range of interests and are acutely aware of the impact our national parks and monuments have on all citizens, while years of robust public health research have demonstrated the benefits of parks and green spaces. And yet, these sites remain uniquely threatened by lawmakers who continue to deprioritize the environment and public good. Moreover, the Trump administration’s commitment to increased fossil fuel extraction increases the vulnerability of the well-preserved, resource-rich landscapes that constitute the American wilderness and drive our ecosystem’s health. In light of the constant political noise and lingering uncertainty, we cannot allow this key conservation legislation to go unchecked.
The national parks and monuments backed by The Antiquities Act serve as a guiding symbol for all public parks and greenspaces. If we as a country are unable to conserve sites as renowned as the Grand Canyon and the Statue of Liberty, we are setting a precedent that puts all of our historic land at risk, and thus the nation’s very identity. From your local playground to national monuments, NYLCV is dedicated to preserving the spaces that define and unite us.
Anna Buell, an undergraduate intern at the New York League of Conservation Voters since January 2025, is a third-year student at New York University pursuing a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies.