A popular whitewater advocacy group is asking paddlers to speak up to help protect the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument.
In early May, the Department of Interior announced it would review millions of acres of public land protected as National Monuments under the Antiquities Act.
All national monuments are at risk, including one of the newest and most controversial: Maine’s Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument.
Katahdin Woods and Waters was established as a national monument by proclamation by President Obama in August 2016 following the donation and endowment of more than 87,000 acres adjacent to Mount Katahdin and includes a section of the East Branch of the Penobscot River.
The Department of Interior is currently accepting public comments on the review, and will accept them until the deadline of July 9. The advocacy group American Whitewater is asking paddlers to comment on the review to help save Katahdin Woods and Waters.
According to advocates with American Whitewater, the Department of Interior is particularly strict about only accepting unique comments. The group has drafted sample comment points to help paddlers provide input, but they encourage paddlers to personalize their own letters.
Written comments can be submitted to the Department of Interior online at http://www.regulations.gov by entering “DOI-2017-0002” in the Search bar and clicking “Search,” or by mail to Monument Review, MS-1530, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW., Washington, DC 20240.