Attorney General Kris Mayes announced on Apr. 1 that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a decision to uphold the creation of the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument. The ruling rejected all arguments from the Arizona State Legislature, State Treasurer, and several local governments who challenged the monument’s establishment.
The court found that none of the plaintiffs had legal standing to contest the 2023 presidential proclamation that designated about 917,000 acres of federal land surrounding the Grand Canyon as protected. This decision is significant for Arizona residents and Indigenous communities whose ancestral lands are within these boundaries.
“Today’s ruling is a victory for the people of Arizona and for the Indigenous communities whose ancestral homelands are protected by this monument,” said Attorney General Mayes. “The court rejected every argument Senate President Warren Petersen, Speaker of the House Steve Montenegro, and Treasurer Kimberly Yee put forward. I am proud to have stood up to defend these sacred and important lands.”
Mayes intervened in partnership with Governor Katie Hobbs to defend against claims regarding lost tax revenue, water supply threats, reduced land value, and increased energy prices—claims which were found too speculative by both district and appellate courts.
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office functions as Arizona’s chief legal entity with responsibilities including elder abuse prevention, civil rights advocacy, cold case investigations, participation in federal lawsuits, fair housing initiatives, accountability measures for social media companies, and comprehensive legal services statewide according to its official website. Kris Mayes serves as Arizona’s 27th attorney general and is noted as being the first mother in this role according to its official website.
A copy of the ruling is available.
