ST. GEORGE — Utah’s governor explained his opposition to a new national monument declared by the president Aug. 8 near the Utah-Arizona border along the Grand Canyon as being too much space that doesn’t balance the needs of mining and industry with protecting the land.
Gov. Spencer Cox also became the second Republican governor this week to say he’s “troubled” by the amount of support former President Donald Trump is receiving and said at least some of the 91 criminal charges against him have merit.
Cox made the comments on those issues, as well as expressing a “preference” in the 2nd Congressional District race, during the Thursday taping of the monthly PBS Utah Governor’s Press Conference program in Salt Lake City.
New Grand Canyon monument a ‘violation’ of Antiquities Act
President Joe Biden declared 1.1 million acres just below near the Utah-Arizona border along the Grand Canyon as a new national monument Aug. 8. Using the Antiquities Act, Biden’s move to create the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Ku kveni Grand Canyon National Monument has the support of local Native American communities but is opposed by local ranchers and the mining industry.
Cox’s main issue, which he said he expressed directly to the president when the two met on Tuesday, is the new monument isn’t in the spirit of the Antiquities Act and doesn’t balance the needs of all of the communities in the region.
“These large land scale monuments do not match up with the language of the Antiquities Act statute,” Cox said in response to a question from St. George News. “The language is very clear that the monument must be the smallest size necessary to protect the artifacts or the antiquities that are at risk. And I don’t believe millions of acres does that.”
The governor added the large size of the monument may actually do more to harm Native history than help, especially with the designation coming without any funding.
“I toured Bear’s Ears with members of the Navajo Nation and other nations. What I heard over and over again is, ‘We’re so grateful for this monument designation because we want to protect our sacred lands.’ And then in the same breath, they said, ‘But you know what? I hate that all of these people are coming here,’” Cox said. “It has the exact opposite effect of what the president is intending to do. While the heart may be in the right place, that is not what happens.”
Representatives of the Southern Utah-based Shivwits Band of Paiutes have applauded the move as a part of their culture to respect, protect and manage the land. The Havasupai Tribe that lives in the canyon has said mining near the Grand Canyon threatens wildlife and drinking water for themselves and residents in communities further away, including St. George.
But Cox noted that with people looking more to electric vehicles to help the environment, rare minerals in the area are needed for the batteries that make that happen.
“There are parts of those lands that absolutely need to be completely protected and others that look just like random sagebrush with no artifacts there that happen to have some very critical minerals that are really important to decarbonizing our atmosphere,” Cox said. “You can’t say in one breath that you believe in climate change … and then say we can’t mine any of the critical minerals that are necessary to do all of those things.”
‘Troubled’ by Trump
Back in April during an interview at Desert Hills High School with St. George News, Cox, a Republican and an attorney, expressed concern about what were then 34 criminal indictments against Trump as turning “misdemeanors into felonies.”
Four months and 57 more criminal charges later, Cox was asked again Thursday by St. George News about what are now 91 criminal charges against Trump, that along with hush money for a pornographic movie actress now include conspiracy to defraud the U.S., racketeering and interfering with the 2020 presidential election.
“The charges that have come since that initial case that we talked about are different. They’re much more serious and deeply concerning,” Cox said. “Some of them, I disagree with strongly that I think are a mistake and an overreach. Others seem appropriate and very serious. But all of them are deeply troubling and I hope we can find a way through this as a nation.”
While Cox emphasized the presumption of innocence, he also said he is troubled by Trump’s continued status as the front-runner for president in his party in response to a question from the Salt Lake Tribune.
“Anyone can run for president. He’s entitled to run. I will say what troubles me more is that he’s receiving so much support,” Cox said. “ I like to win elections and I don’t think Donald Trump can win the presidency.”
Governor expresses ‘preference’ for Congress
In response to a question from the media, Cox also weighed in on another election: The Sept. 5 primary election to chose the replacement for the resigning Rep. Chris Stewart, R, for Congress.
While emphasizing that he wasn’t making an endorsement in the GOP primary, he expressed his preference for one candidate without expressing them by name.
“I do have a preference. I would love to have some representation off the Wasach front. We don’t have a member of Congress south from there,” Cox said. “This is not an official endorsement, just a rural geography thing.”
In the Republican primary, Cedar City-native and former Washington County deputy attorney Celeste Maloy is running against Davis County resident and former state legislator Becky Edwards as well as Park City resident and former chair of the state Republican Party Bruce Hough.
Cox said Maloy having already been an aide to Stewart since 2019 is also an advantage. “She can hit the ground running,” Cox said.
The winner in the general election will face Democrat and Utah Sen. Kathleen Riebe in the Nov. 21 general election as well as at least five candidates from other parties.
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