Improved National Monument Designation Process Act

Improved National Monument Designation Process Act

Before a national monument can be designated on public land, the President must obtain congressional approval, certify compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), and receive notice from the governor of the state in which the monument is to be located that the state legislature has enacted legislation approving its designation.

The President may not declare any area of the exclusive economic zone to be a marine national monument unless:

• it is specifically authorized by Congress,
• the President has certified compliance with NEPA, and
• each state legislature within 100 nautical miles of the proposed monument has approved it.

Neither the Department of the Interior nor the Department of Commerce may implement a restriction on the public use of a marine national monument until the expiration of an appropriate review period providing for public input and congressional approval.