August 22, 2023 — Governor Arnold I. Palacios wants to know why there is still no management plan and functioning advisory council for the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument, which was established 15 years ago.
In a letter Thursday to U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, Palacios inquired about the status of the department’s plans for “one unique national treasure found in our waters: the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument.”
Palacios said he was pleased to see the recent hirings of new Park Superintendent Dr. Sean MacDuff and Park Ranger Jihan Younis who, he added, are both dedicated resource managers.
However, the governor said it’s been close to 15 years since the marine monument was created, but “there is still no management plan, no functioning monument advisory council, and there’s only minimal progress in the development of conservation programs and a contact center for public outreach and engagement.”
Read the full story at Marianas Variety