Norton can't do a thing on monuments

MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2001

Montana Gov. Judy Martz was one of many Western and Republican leaders who got all excited when Secretary of Interior Gale Norton asked for their input on possible modifications to the national monuments declared in the last two years of the Clinton administration.

Martz was less excited when she found out Norton couldn't do a thing about changing the size of the monuments. Norton confirmed that yet again this past Saturday during a visit to Billings and said only Congress or the President can make boundary modifications.

Martz is pressing Montana's Congressional delegation for legislation to reduce the size of the Missouri Breaks National Monument. Rep. Denny Rehberg, (R-Mont.) is considering a bill to do that while others want to limit the power of the President to declare monuments altogether.

Secretaries of Interior typically recommend to the President which areas to declare as national monuments.

While in Billings, Norton also reminded Americans to visit the nation's treasures from November 10-12 and possibly "cry."

Get the Story:
Norton: Monument boundaries up to Congress, Bush (The Billings Gazette 10/28)

Related Stories:
Norton can't do anything about monuments (8/30)
Norton targets monuments for changes (3/29)