Wow… seriously? This is entirely unprecedented and utterly ridiculous…

From Reuters…

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to allow national monument designations to be rescinded or reduce the size of sites as the administration pushes to open up more federal land to drilling, mining and other development.

Trump’s order is part of an effort to reverse many of the environmental protections implemented by his predecessor, Democratic President Barack Obama that Trump said were hobbling economic growth. Trump’s agenda is being cheered by industry but enraging conservationists.

Legal challenges are expected because no president has ever rescinded a monument designation.

In announcing the order on Wednesday Republican Trump said Obama’s use of the 1906 Antiquities Act to create monuments was an “egregious abuse of federal power” that allowed the federal government to “lock up” millions of acres of land and water.

What. An. Asshole.

And what about that Antiquities Act?

The Antiquities Act gives a president the authority to create national monuments from federal lands to protect significant natural, cultural, or scientific features.

This is amazingly important for environmental protection, but Sir How-is-that-Not-a-Tupee? wants to destroy that because, as already established, he doesn’t give two shits about the environment. And, per the GOP MO, he’s using the states as his shield…

“Today we’re putting the states back in charge,” Trump said, adding that they should decide which land is protected and which is open for development.

And of course, one of the many monuments on the potential chopping block is the Bears Ears monument, because he doesn’t care about Native Americans, either…

Zinke said he will review the Bears Ears monument first and make a recommendation to the president in 45 days. He has 120 days to issue a full report on all monuments to the president. Bears Ears protects Native American cultural heritage and sacred sites.

Obama created the Bears Ears monument in the final days of his administration.

Luckily, this will be fought…

“With this review, the Trump Administration is walking into a legal, political and moral mine field,” said Kate Kelly, public lands director for the Center for American Progress.

Democratic Congressman Raul Grijalva of Arizona, ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee, warned Zinke not to make an “ideological” decision. He said previous monuments were decided “after years of close federal consultation with multiple local stakeholders.”

The five Native American tribes that pushed to create the Bears Ears monument to protect ancestral land said they will fight to protect it.

But it’s not just national parks and monuments on land, oh no. Circus Peanut in Chief also wants to pollute the ocean even more…

On Friday, before the close of Trump’s first 100 days in office, he is expected to sign an executive order that would review offshore areas available for offshore oil and gas exploration that have been restricted by previous presidents.

And so our trek to make Climate Change even worse continues…