Opinion: Susan Collins should reject a dangerous threat to public lands

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 8, 2026

As the Senate prepares to consider S.J. Res. 109, Sen. Susan Collins faces a consequential choice. Senate Joint Resolution is a measure that would let Congress wipe out the approved plan for Utah’s Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. This is not just a fight about one landscape. It is a test of whether years of public input, Tribal consultation, and public lands stewardship can be tossed aside with a single vote. That should matter to anyone who believes public decisions should reflect the public’s voice. Here in Maine, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is going through its own management planning process. People are taking time to attend meetings, submit comments, and share what they want for future generations. If politicians in Washington can sweep aside a completed planning process in Utah, what should Mainers conclude about the value of their participation? ~ Jeremy Sheaffer, Maine state director, The Wilderness Society