The Bears Ears National Monument in southeastern Utah will cover 1.35 million acres in the Four Corners region, and the Gold Butte in southern Nevada will total 300,000 acres – not far from where Cliven Bundy led an armed standoff with government agents in 2014.

Representatives from both Utah and Nevada strongly opposed any monument designations, knowing the long-term effects. Nevada U.S. Senator Dean Heller, who has a history of opposing past executive orders, was not pleased with the decision and released a statement shortly after.

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“I am terribly disappointed with today’s news. For years, I have urged for all new land designations, especially ones in Nevada, to be considered in an open and public congressional process,” states Heller. “Doing so allows for all voices and stakeholders to have an equal opportunity to be heard. Best of all, input from local parties guarantees local needs are addressed.”

According to a news release issued by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and Public Lands Council, both designations were created despite overwhelming local opposition. Public Lands Council President and Utah rancher Dave Eliason criticized the outgoing administration for disregarding local input and how these designations were executed.

“Designating a monument in this manner – under the cloak of darkness and without even the decency of notifying the local communities, the states or the congressional delegations of Utah or Nevada – speaks volumes about the disregard this administration has for local input,” said Eliason in the news release.

“If the administration were proud of this action, they would have touted it proudly when the designation was made. Instead, the administration hid out, while no one impacted by this monument was given the courtesy of a simple phone call until a full day after the papers were signed.”

Under the Antiquities Act created in 1906, presidents have executive power to designate public lands as national monuments without other government branch approval. These designations make it the 29th time Obama used his executive power, more than any other president before him.

“We know the monument is going to affect all cattle people,” says Utah’s San Juan County Commissioner and rancher Bruce Adams. “History has shown that monuments will not be good for grazing.”

Adams’ family has been ranching in the area for five generations, and he has been a county commissioner for more than a decade. This is the first time he has seen a monument designated in the area, but he has witnessed what has happened to ranchers in other parts of the state.

“Our plan is to analyze what the declaration says exactly and find any way to end this monument,” Adams says. “We are working with state and federal people to legally get this monument overturned.”

The county commissioners held a press conference in Monticello, Utah, the day after the monument was created. Along with nearly 500 locals, there were government officials and state congressional representatives at the conference protesting the monument.

Gail Johnson, who runs around 500 head of cattle in the area, says this monument will detrimentally affect their operation.

“The monument swallows us up completely, even our home,” Johnson says. “Until the management plan is written, we have no idea what is going to happen.”

According to Johnson, San Juan County is one of the poorest counties in the nation, and this monument isn’t going to help.

“The land is now just going to be restricted to tourists,” Johnson says. “That leaves us with only minimum-wage jobs.”  

Jamie Hawley is a freelance writer based in Utah.