Protecting national monuments

The Department of the Interior, following up on an executive order, is reviewing national monument designations and expansions made under the Antiquities Act of 1906. What does that mean? The federally protected status of 27 of America’s national monuments, spanning over more than 11 million acres of land and about 760 million acres of ocean, is threatened. More on that here.

Today, I wrote to the Department of the Interior through its comments page on regulations.gov. I urged Interior to protect the Antiquities Act, specifically referencing Mount Katahdin and the Katahdin Woods & Waters parkland in Maine. It’s truly a gem, though, it pales in comparison to many of the 27 sites under review. The deadline for comments in July 10, in case you’re wondering.