Barack Obama designates two national monuments in west despite opposition

Designation of Bears Ears in Utah and Gold Butte in Nevada mark last moves to protect environmentally sensitive areas in administration’s final weeksPresident Barack Obama designated two national monuments at sites in Utah and Nevada that have become key flashpoints over use of public land in the west, marking the administration’s latest move to protect environmentally sensitive areas in its final weeks.The Bears Ears national monument in Utah will cover 1.35m acres in the Four Corne