U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke isn't saying one way or the other what his recommendation might be regarding the status of the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument.
"I don't really have any pre-conceived notions," Zinke said, in an appearance Thursday before the House Appropriations Interior and Environment Subcommittee on Thursday.
Zinke told Maine Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree that he will be assessing the monument, along with 26 others singled out for review by the Trump administration.
"I don't intend to rip off band-aids where there's no band-aids," Zinke said. "Many of our monuments are, to a degree, settled. There's some controversial ones, more than others. But is it in the best public interest? And I have to be consistent in my review of it, and I''ll make my recommendations."
Zinke told Pingree that he plans to visit the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument next week, where he'll meet with various stakeholders, tour the area and go canoeing.
It's not clear if Zinke plans to meet with Gov. Paul LePage, who has been an outspoken opponent of the monument's creation.
