PBS News Weekend

During his eight years in office, former President Obama set aside more than 550 million acres of federal land and water habitat under national monument protection using the 1906 Antiquities Act, far more than any other president. Last December, Obama declared nearly 300, 000 acres of remote and rugged desert in Southeast Nevada as the Gold Butte National Monument. It contains fragile wildlife habitat, culturally and spiritually important sites for Native American tribes, and thousands of ancient rock etchings. While tribes, environmental groups and leaders cheered Obama's decision, some longtime residents disagreed with the declaration and would like to see more state control over Gold Butte and other federal lands. NewsHour Weekend's Hari Sreenivasan reports.