Zinke takes Craters of the Moon and Hanford Reach national monuments off Trump’s hit list

Surprising (and good) news: Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has decided not to mini-size or completely sell off two marvels in the nation’s network of public lands. He announced that he would leave Idaho’s Craters of the Moon National Monument and Washington’s Hanford Reach National Monument alone. Both were in jeopardy after President Trump signed an executive order in April calling for the review of dozens of national monuments. Zinke called Craters of the Moon a “living timeline of the geologic history of our land on the Great Rift.” And he praised Hanford Reach for its history, fishing, and bird hunting. One critic wasn’t impressed, saying, “The only thing that’s been consistent throughout Zinke’s review is its arbitrariness.” Indeed, the Interior chief is still considering stripping federal protection from the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah, and 24 other monuments still face an uncertain future.