SR: No need to review Hanford, monuments

The Sunday SR editorial comments:

Westerners who lived through the designation of national monuments over the past two decades should be puzzled by President Trump’s executive order calling for a review. The order cites “a lack of public outreach,” but if the review leads to anything but maintaining the status of these monuments, it will be because the administration ignored the public.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has been charged with reviewing 27 monument designations that cover more than 100,000 acres, including Hanford Reach National Monument in Washington and Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in Idaho.

Zinke’s deadline for an interim report is 45 days. He has 120 days to deliver a final report. He said the review is needed “to give state and local communities a meaningful voice in the process.” That happened the first time around. The president’s comments suggest other motives. He erroneously called federal protection of these sites “a massive federal land grab” and “an abuse of power.” More here.

Question: Do you support the Trump administration’s of our national monuments?