Trust For Public Land Opposes Zinke Proposals To Roll Back National Monuments

Will Rogers, President of The Trust for Public Land, today issued the following statement after The Washington Post reported that Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has proposed that President Trump reduce protections at ten national monuments:

“The reported details of Secretary Zinke’s proposal to President Trump are alarming and confirm that this review is an unprecedented attack on the Antiquities Act and the future of our public lands. Most disturbingly, these recommendations ignore the wishes expressed by millions of Americans in recent weeks. More than 2.7 million comments were received by the Interior Department during the course of the review, with more than 99 percent supporting our monuments.”

“Americans love our public lands and have said so, loud and clear. Rather than proposing to reduce national monuments, the administration ought to be looking for more ways to protect our lands for future generations.”

“The Trust for Public Land will continue to protect America’s special places. And while we’re working hard to create land for people, we’re also joining with our partners, both in Congress and in communities across America, to defend land for people. We invite all Americans to join us, because no matter their political leanings, everyone deserves parks and access to the outdoors.”

The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. Millions of people live near a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year. To support The Trust for Public Land and share why nature matters to you, visit www.tpl.org.