San Juan Islands to become National Monument
Mar 22, 2013, 11:45 AM | Updated: 1:34 pm
The Strait of Juan de Fuca. (Photo courtesy National Park Service/Mike Vouri)
(Photo courtesy National Park Service/Mike Vouri)
Nearly one thousand acres of Bureau of Land Management property is being set aside in the San Juan Islands to create a new National Monument.
President Obama will make it official with his signature on Monday. Congressman Rick Larsen has been pushing for the designation for years alongside Senators Maria Canwell and Patty Murray, and Rep. Suzan DelBene.
“What it means is the land won’t be able to be developed,” Larsen said. “It will be preserved in its natural state for everyone to enjoy.”
The designation will preserve the cultural and historical areas of the islands. The lawmakers say it’ll also protect natural resources and diverse wildlife on the islands.
