This list and story were the result of a comment by Secretary of Interior Kempthorne followed up by publicity and work by the Idaho Statesman with help from Dr. John Freemuth, a political scientist, at Boise State University.
I certainly like the idea of a Mesa Falls National Monument of 200,000 acres which would correct omissions made by Congress back in 1872 when Yellowstone Park was established.
The Lewis and Clark National Monument for the Clearwater country is a much needed proposal.
I doubt we will get any national monuments from Bush, although some of his “black site,” currently unlocated prisons (where they do not torture) may be eventually declared national historic sites like they did some of the Japanese-American interment camps from the 1940s.
Story by Rocky Barker.
A correction to the Idaho Statesman story . . . while it is true no more national monuments can be designated in the state of Wyoming by any President (part of the legislative settlement on Grand Teton NP in 1950), Cave Falls is not unprotected. It always has been inside Yellowstone Park (although not far).
Photo of Cave Falls on Google Earth. It’s safely inside Yellowstone Park.
Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. For a long time he produced Ralph Maughan's Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of "Hiking Idaho." He also wrote "Beyond the Tetons" and "Backpacking Wyoming's Teton and Washakie Wilderness." He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.
Hi Ralph
Well, lets see what if anything happens.
Best,
John