On Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to consider scaling back some national monuments. The plans likely won’t affect Alaska, but the president still gave a shoutout to the state in his speech.
Alaska has five national monuments, mostly designated by President Jimmy Carter under the Antiquities Act, which gives the president the authority to protect lands quickly.
Trump’s new directive asks the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to consider downsizing national monuments that are over 10,000 acres and created after 1996. That leaves President Barack Obama’s land designations, like Bears Ears National Monument in Utah, up for review.
One monument in Alaska, at least in part, could also be part of that review. The World War II Valor in the Pacific Monument extends from Hawaii and California — all the way to the Aleutian Chain. But those islands in Alaska are additionally protected as a wildlife refuge.
Still, Trump mentioned Alaska in his speech on Wednesday. He praised the splendor and the beauty of the country’s natural resources and pointed to Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who chairs the energy and natural resources committee.
“I can tell you the group that’s in here right now, they’re really doing the job. Isn’t that right, Lisa?” Trump said. “We’re going to take care of Alaska, too. Don’t worry about.”
Trump seemed to be referring to the executive order on reversing offshore drilling protections in the Arctic. He’s expected to sign that on Friday.
