U.S., State leaders to celebrate establishment of San Juan Islands National Monument

U.S. and Washington state leaders spent time in Anacortes and Lopez Island with local residents celebrating the establishment of the San Juan Islands National Monument.

State Rep. Rick Larsen will join, U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Sen. Maria Cantwell, Rep. Suzan DelBene and other local leaders for Monday’s event.

In March, President Obama designated one of five new National Monuments in the San Juan Islands under the Antiquities Act, which will provide protection to nearly 1,000 acres of undeveloped federal lands on the islands.

“It is a great and glorious day to be here celebrating the president’s action to make the San Juan Islands a National Monument,” said Salazar.

The other four monuments are Río Grande del Norte National Monument in New Mexico;  First State National Monument in Delaware; Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument in Maryland and the Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument in Ohio.

KIRO