Interior releases report summary of national monument review

On Aug. 24, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke submitted a draft report to the White House regarding his findings and recommendations for the 27 national monuments that underwent review over the past few months. As a result of the Executive Order on the Review of Designations Under the Antiquities Act issued in April, Secretary Zinke conducted a 120-day review that included meetings with stakeholders, tours of the monuments, and assessment of public comments. During the review, Secretary Zinke visited eight national monuments and indicated six of the monuments would proceed without any alterations — Craters of the Moon, Hanford Reach, Upper Missouri River Breaks, Grand Canyon-Parashant, Canyons of the Ancients, and Sand to Snow. The U.S. Department of the Interior released a report summary, while the full report will be released after review by the White House. Secretary Zinke said that he did not recommend that any of the 27 national monuments be eliminated.

Read the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Press Release.