Interior Department Recommends Shrinking, Not Eliminating, National Monuments

Today, the Associated Press broke the news of a long-awaited report by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on the fate of 27 national monuments under review by the Trump Administration.

Secretary Zinke told the Associated Press that he will recommend boundary adjustments of some of the monuments, but did not mention any specifics.

The San Gabriel Valley Tribune followed up on the Associated Press' coverage, explaining what is known so far about the changes proposed in the report. "None of the sights would revert to new ownership, [Zinke] told the AP. He said public access for uses such as hunting, fishing or grazing would be maintained or restored."

"He did not comment on whether any portions of the 27 monuments under a White House-ordered review would be opened up to oil and gas drilling, mining, logging or other industries, something Trump has advocated," according to that article.

Jim Carlton also reported on the breaking story for The Wall Street Journal, noting that the announcement fell short of a detailed account of the report Zinke will give to President Trump. Also according to Carlton, "any reductions would likely launch a battle between environmentalists, who want the monuments preserved, and some locals."

Sammy Roth also reported on the announcement for the Desert Sun, noting that the idea of rolling back protections on national monuments is "largely unprecedented." Roth's coverage also includes background of the Obama Administration's use of the Antiquities Act to protect more 5.7 million acres of land and 550 million acres of water.

Juliet Eilperin and Darryl Fears report the big news for The Washington Post as follows:

While Zinke submitted a report to the White House Thursday and told the Associated Press he backed changing the designations for a “handful” of protected federal sites, the Interior Department did not release any specifics. Instead, it released a report summary that described each of the 27 protected areas scrutinized as “unique.”

Finally, Laura Parker also picked up the news for National Geographic, providing links to previous stories on the Interior Department's study, as well as some early indications of the political dynamics that will be at work as more details of the plan emerge.