WASHINGTON - A U.S. state representative is proposing a bill that would require national monument designations to receive approval from a state's governor and Legislature.
A spokesman for U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin tells the Portland Press Herald the Republican congressman introduced the Preserving State Rights Act on Monday.
The bill comes as some have pushed for a new 75,000-acre national park in the Katahdin region of Maine near Baxter State Park.
President Barack Obama has designated 17 new national monuments during his tenure. The process currently does not require him to receive congressional approval.
Opponents of creating a national park in Maine say it would interfere with outdoor activities, including snowmobiling and hunting. They say it could also hurt the forest products industry.