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>Trump is considering changing the proclamations for other national monuments as well, according to a senior administration official.
>On Wednesday, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross submitted his own report on how to treat nearly a dozen marine national monuments and national marine sanctuaries, which was not released to the public.
>The review, which overlapped to some extent with Zinke’s, covered the Marianas Trench, Northeast Canyons and Seamounts, Pacific Remote Islands, Papahānaumokuākea and Rose Atoll marine national monuments. It also included the Channel Islands, Cordell Bank, Greater Farallones, Monterey Bay and Thunder Bay national marine sanctuaries and the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa.
>A Commerce Department official said in an email that the report is in the final stages of interagency review, and will be released soon.
>Interior officials have questioned some aspects of Commerce’s assessment, according to individuals briefed on the interagency process, including whether the department has overestimated the economic benefits of national monuments and marine sanctuaries, and underestimated comments Commerce received about the benefits of pursuing energy exploration in some areas. These individuals asked for anonymity because the report was still undergoing review.
