Kane County Commission backs congressional review of Grand Staircase‑Escalante plan after public comment

Kane County commissioners voted Jan. 27 to adopt a resolution urging congressional review of the Grand Staircase‑Escalante National Monument's resource management record of decision published in the Federal Register on Jan. 13, 2025.

The action followed more than an hour of public comment in Kanab in which guides, volunteers and residents urged the commission to oppose nullifying the monument's plan. Paul Gaglier, speaking for the Grand Staircase Regional Guides Association, told the board the monument supports about "1,000,000 visitors a year" and that long'term regional data show job and real per'capita income growth around the monument. "Using the Congressional Review Act here replaces a functioning framework with uncertainty," Gaglier said, warning that uncertainty would affect guides, grazing permits and local businesses.

Taylor Glover, Kane County's government affairs and public lands director, summarized the county's objections during the agenda discussion, saying staff felt the Bureau of Land Management did not adequately coordinate with local governments under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) during the most recent planning process. Glover said the plan, as written, would reduce annual animal unit months (AUMs) by about 67,000 in some formulations and that the plan allows allotments to be permanently retired if bought by third parties, which could have long'term impacts on ranching livelihoods. He also said roughly 1,200,000 acres within the monument are designated a "primitive" zone with strict restrictions on dispersed camping, gathering and target shooting, which the county views as limits on traditional access.

"We didn't feel like we were coordinated with or cooperated with," Glover said. "We would like to take another look at the plan and get more coordination."

Commissioner Celeste Malloy, who moved the resolution, said the measure before the board did not seek to eliminate monument status or change boundaries; rather, it called for congressional review of the federal planning decision. Malloy said her understanding from discussions with the congresswoman's staff is that a congressional review would largely return the situation to the current status quo rather than immediately rescinding permits. "This is not getting rid of the monument," Malloy said. "It's asking for more legislative oversight consistent with federal law."

Several residents took the opposite view in public comment, urging the county to oppose congressional review. Joanne Rando Moon, a longtime volunteer at the BLM paleo lab, described the monument as "an enormous resource of scientific information" and asked commissioners to leave the existing plan in place. Kieran Corrigan, a local guide and business owner, said the monument "gave me a leg up in life" and urged the board not to treat public lands as a short'term balance sheet.

The commission debated economic, cultural and access concerns before voting. The resolution was moved by Commissioner Celeste Malloy and adopted by voice vote; the meeting record shows the board's standard "Aye" responses and no recorded roll'call totals.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda: approved; included two check runs for $635,512.76 (01/14/2026) and $241,677.94 (01/21/2026) and the Jan. 13, 2026 minutes (moved by the Chair; outcome: approved).

- Resolution R-2026-1 (2026 schedule of fees and Kanab Center policy updates): adopted with modifications to the Wildland'Urban Interface fee (WUI) to $500 for the initial structure and an additional $300 for a later accessory dwelling unit, tied to certificate of occupancy (moved by Commissioner Celeste Malloy; outcome: adopted).

- Ordinance 2026-01 (zoning amendment for Parcel 3-5-31-21-4): rezoned from agriculture to manufacturing as recommended by planning staff and the Planning Commission (outcome: adopted).

What the resolution means and next steps

The county resolution formally expresses the commission's support for congressional review of the record of decision; it does not itself change federal law or the monument designation. Several speakers and staff described the federal plan as not yet implemented on the ground, and county officials said the review would primarily seek further scrutiny and coordination rather than immediate revocation of permits. Any federal changes would depend on actions in Congress and on the Bureau of Land Management.

Clarifying details from the meeting: commissioners and staff cited a reported 67,000 AUM reduction in some plan summaries; public commenters referenced BLM grazing data (for example, 106,645 AUMs at designation vs. roughly 106,200 in later summaries); staff stated that about 1,200,000 acres were called primitive in the plan and noted the record of decision was published in the Federal Register on 01/13/2025.

The commission meeting record shows voice votes with "Aye" responses for the actions listed above; the transcript does not include a roll'call with individual "yes/no/abstain" tallies for these specific motions.

The commission adjourned after routine legislative and commissioner reports.