WASHINGTON, DC -- Though not yet made public, news reports today indicate Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke submitted to the White House his final recommendation on the future of public lands and waters currently protected for this and future generations as national monuments. The recommendation, which is reported to include “boundary adjustments,” follows an executive order from President Trump opening national monuments for review -- with the clear intent to sell-out public lands to special interests.
In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune issued the following statement:
“Any recommendation from Secretary Zinke to shrink national monuments is hypocritical at best and ruinous at worst. Secretary Zinke claims to support public lands, but now we know he’s just one more Trump Administration stooge for polluting special interests.
“Whether the preservation of Native American sacred sites or a natural wonder of the world, public lands and waters are granted monument status for a reason. Stripping these places of that protection devalues the diverse history they preserve, the outdoor economy they support, and the future they offer.
“This misguided recommendation is yet another unpopular action from an unpopular administration -- one they are too ashamed to make public. The American people deserve to know what Sec. Zinke, Trump and their friends in the dirty fuel industry plan to do with our public lands under the guise of this sham review.”
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