By Josh Delk | The Hill
A group of 19 governors of Western states are protesting Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s plan to overhaul the department, saying he has not sought their recommendations.
The bipartisan Western Governors Association sent a letter to Zinke on Feb. 1 asking for a delay on the plan, according to The Associated Press on Thursday.
Zinke wants to reorganize the department’s regional management system, shifting authority away from state boundaries toward new ecologically-determined regions across the country.
Zinke’s plan would divide the U.S. into 13 geographic regions, retooling the department to focus on unique environmental factors in place of the current state-based system.
