Establishment of the Castle Mountains National Monument

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 32 (Thursday, February 18, 2016)]

[Presidential Documents]

[Pages 8365-8369]

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[FR Doc No: 2016-03540]

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Vol. 81

Thursday,

No. 32

February 18, 2016

Part II

The President

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Proclamation 9394--Establishment of the Castle Mountains National

Monument

Proclamation 9395--Establishment of the Mojave Trails National Monument

Proclamation 9396--Establishment of the Sand to Snow National Monument

Proclamation 9397--Death of Antonin Scalia

Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 81 , No. 32 / Thursday, February 18, 2016 /

Presidential Documents

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--

The President

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Proclamation 9394 of February 12, 2016

Establishment of the Castle Mountains National

Monument

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

The Castle Mountains area, bounded on three sides by

Mojave National Preserve (Preserve), possesses

outstanding natural, cultural, and historical values

representing some of the finest characteristics of the

eastern Mojave Desert. It connects water flow and

wildlife corridors of the Preserve, and completes the

boundary of the Preserve along the California-Nevada

border. Beneath the shadow of Hart Peak lie rich

cultural and historic resources, including Native

American archeological sites and the historic gold

mining ghost town of Hart. Exposed geologic features

contribute to the area's outstanding scenery.

boundary of the Preserve along the California-Nevada

border. Beneath the shadow of Hart Peak lie rich

cultural and historic resources, including Native

American archeological sites and the historic gold

mining ghost town of Hart. Exposed geologic features

contribute to the area's outstanding scenery.

Shaped by millions of years of geologic forces, the

rugged Castle Mountains are emblematic of the Mojave

landscape. The Castle Mountains rise from the broad

sweep of the Lanfair Valley to a height of over 5,000

feet, presenting a picturesque skyline visible from

many locations within the Preserve, while also

affording spectacular views of the Preserve and beyond.

Hart Peak is the prominent feature in the Castle

Mountains skyline at 5,543 feet. Views from Hart Peak

encompass vast wilderness and distinctive peaks,

including Spirit Mountain in Nevada, a sacred site to

many Native American tribes. The remoteness of the

Castle Mountains area offers visitors the chance to

experience the solitude of the desert and its

increasingly rare natural soundscapes and dark night

skies.

t wilderness and distinctive peaks,

including Spirit Mountain in Nevada, a sacred site to

many Native American tribes. The remoteness of the

Castle Mountains area offers visitors the chance to

experience the solitude of the desert and its

increasingly rare natural soundscapes and dark night

skies.

The Castle Mountains area provides a critical linkage

for plants, animals, and water between two mountain

ranges within the Preserve, the New York Mountains to

the northwest and the Piute Mountains to the southeast.

The area's high quality desert habitat includes some of

the finest Joshua tree forest in the Mojave Desert, as

well as pinyon pine and juniper forest at the upper

elevations. The area's native desert grassland is a

hotspot of botanical diversity. The unique plant

assemblage includes 28 species of native grasses, about

half of which are rare, including burrograss and false

buffalograss.

Protection of this relatively intact and undisturbed

habitat is important not just to the long-term survival

of many plant species but also to significant wildlife

populations. A herd of desert bighorn sheep lives on

the steep, rocky slopes of the Castle Mountains. They

and other wildlife traverse the area between the Piute

Mountains and the New York Mountains. Numerous bat

species live in rock crevices and mine remnants in the

area. Wildlife species of special concern include the

Townsend's big-eared bat, California leaf-nosed bat,

Swainson's hawk, golden eagle, desert tortoise,

Bendire's thrasher, and gray vireo.

e

Mountains and the New York Mountains. Numerous bat

species live in rock crevices and mine remnants in the

area. Wildlife species of special concern include the

Townsend's big-eared bat, California leaf-nosed bat,

Swainson's hawk, golden eagle, desert tortoise,

Bendire's thrasher, and gray vireo.

With its habitat linkages, wildlife corridors, and

intact ecosystems, the area offers exceptional

opportunities to study plant and animal movement and

connections between diverse natural systems, especially

in the context of climate change. Ongoing studies of

desert bighorn sheep and other plant and animal species

have shown the priority of this area for scientific

research. A recent study using network models of

bighorn sheep genetic and demographic connectivity as

tools for landscape-scale conservation found the Castle

Mountains habitat to be one of the most important in

the Mojave

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Desert. Botanists are finding new and rare plant

populations, and significant new information regarding

the range of species such as Mexican panicgrass, in the

Castle Mountains area.

-scale conservation found the Castle

Mountains habitat to be one of the most important in

the Mojave

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Desert. Botanists are finding new and rare plant

populations, and significant new information regarding

the range of species such as Mexican panicgrass, in the

Castle Mountains area.

The Castle Mountains area is the only remaining portion

of the 226-square mile Lanfair Valley watershed that is

not part of the Preserve. Underlying much of the

Lanfair Valley, including the Castle Mountains area, is

a large groundwater aquifer of critical importance to

the desert ecosystem. With its primary recharge zone in

the New York Mountains, this aquifer feeds Piute

Spring, located in the Preserve just south of the

Castle Mountains area. Piute Spring is the only

perennial stream and riparian corridor in the Preserve,

and attracts numerous flora and fauna.

As a rare desert water source, Piute Spring attracted

Native American habitation for thousands of years,

followed by Euro-American exploration and settlement.

Drawn to this reliable source of potable water, in 1867

the U.S. Army established Fort Piute (listed on the

National Register of Historic Places) adjacent to the

spring to provide protection to travelers on the Old

Spanish Trail (known locally as the Mojave Road) that

crossed the Mojave Desert from the Colorado River to

San Bernardino, California. Maintenance of the

groundwater resources and flow to Piute Spring is

essential to the historical and scientific value of

both the area and the Preserve.

on the Old

Spanish Trail (known locally as the Mojave Road) that

crossed the Mojave Desert from the Colorado River to

San Bernardino, California. Maintenance of the

groundwater resources and flow to Piute Spring is

essential to the historical and scientific value of

both the area and the Preserve.

The Castle Mountains area also contains other cultural

resources that reflect a long history of prehistoric

and historic human use. Prehistoric rock art and

archeological sites are found throughout the area. The

rock art indicates sites of significant cultural import

to both the Fort Mojave and Chemehuevi Tribes, marking

routes through the Castle Mountains likely traveled by

both tribes. The Castle Mountains area links places to

the south, like Piute Spring, to areas north, such as

an obsidian collection site. Western expansion brought

ranching, mining, and the railroad to the area. Some of

the best-preserved segments of a wagon road that linked

the Arizona Territory (Hardyville, now Bullhead City,

Arizona) to settlements in southern California can be

found in the Castle Mountains area. Ranchers grazed

cattle in the area. By 1894, the Rock Springs Land and

Cattle Company had consolidated its holdings in the

eastern Mojave Desert. Much of their historic ranch

lies within the Preserve, and features of this and

other grazing enterprises of the era can still be seen

in the Castle Mountains area. In 1907, brothers Bert

and Clark Hitt found rich gold ore, staking claims that

became the Oro Belle and Big Chief Mines

eastern Mojave Desert. Much of their historic ranch

lies within the Preserve, and features of this and

other grazing enterprises of the era can still be seen

in the Castle Mountains area. In 1907, brothers Bert

and Clark Hitt found rich gold ore, staking claims that

became the Oro Belle and Big Chief Mines. With James

Hart, they founded the town of Hart at the base of Hart

Peak. Between 1908 and 1910, the town of Hart underwent

a rapid boom and bust, and by 1920, Hart had become a

ghost town. Throughout this period of western

expansion, railroads served the ranchers, miners, Hart

residents, and others in the eastern Mojave Desert.

Part of the former 23-mile Barnwell and Searchlight

Railway, later incorporated into the California Eastern

Railway, ran through the Castle Mountains area.

WHEREAS, section 320301 of title 54, United States Code

(known as the ``Antiquities Act''), authorizes the

President, in his discretion, to declare by public

proclamation historic landmarks, historic and

prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic

or scientific interest that are situated upon the lands

owned or controlled by the Federal Government to be

national monuments, and to reserve as a part thereof

parcels of land, the limits of which shall be confined

to the smallest area compatible with the proper care

and management of the objects to be protected;

WHEREAS, it is in the public interest to preserve and

protect the historic and scientific objects in the

Castle Mountains area;

a part thereof

parcels of land, the limits of which shall be confined

to the smallest area compatible with the proper care

and management of the objects to be protected;

WHEREAS, it is in the public interest to preserve and

protect the historic and scientific objects in the

Castle Mountains area;

WHEREAS, the protection of the Castle Mountains area's

outstanding objects of historic and scientific interest

would also contribute to the protection of the

resources and values of the Preserve;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the

United States of America, by the authority vested in me

by section 320301 of title 54,

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United States Code, hereby proclaim the objects

identified above that are situated upon lands and

interests in lands owned or controlled by the Federal

Government to be the Castle Mountains National Monument

(monument) and, for the purpose of protecting those

objects, reserve as a part thereof all lands and

interests in lands owned or controlled by the Federal

Government within the boundaries described on the

accompanying map, which is attached to and forms a part

of this proclamation. The reserved Federal lands and

interests in lands encompass approximately 20,920

acres. The boundaries described on the accompanying map

are confined to the smallest area compatible with the

proper care and management of the objects to be

protected.

tached to and forms a part

of this proclamation. The reserved Federal lands and

interests in lands encompass approximately 20,920

acres. The boundaries described on the accompanying map

are confined to the smallest area compatible with the

proper care and management of the objects to be

protected.

All Federal lands and interests in lands within the

boundaries described on the accompanying map are hereby

appropriated and withdrawn from all forms of entry,

location, selection, sale, or other disposition under

the public land laws, from location, entry, and patent

under the mining laws, and from disposition under all

laws relating to mineral and geothermal leasing.

The establishment of the monument is subject to valid

existing rights. If the Federal Government acquires any

lands or interests in lands not owned or controlled by

the Federal Government within the boundaries described

on the accompanying map, such lands and interests in

lands shall be reserved as a part of the monument, and

objects identified above that are situated upon those

lands and interests in lands shall be part of the

monument, upon acquisition of ownership or control by

the Federal Government.

escribed

on the accompanying map, such lands and interests in

lands shall be reserved as a part of the monument, and

objects identified above that are situated upon those

lands and interests in lands shall be part of the

monument, upon acquisition of ownership or control by

the Federal Government.

Nothing in this proclamation shall be deemed to enlarge

or diminish the rights of any Indian tribe. The

Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) shall, to the

maximum extent permitted by law and in consultation

with Indian tribes, ensure the protection of Indian

sacred sites and cultural sites in the monument and

provide access to the sites by members of Indian tribes

for traditional cultural and customary uses, consistent

with the American Indian Religious Freedom Act (42

U.S.C. 1996) and Executive Order 13007 of May 24, 1996

(Indian Sacred Sites).

The Secretary shall manage these lands through the

National Park Service, pursuant to applicable

authorities, consistent with the purposes and

provisions of this proclamation. The Secretary shall

prepare a management plan to implement the purposes of

this proclamation, with full public involvement, within

3 years of the date of this proclamation. For the

purpose of protecting the objects identified above, all

motorized and mechanized vehicle use off road will be

prohibited, except for emergency or authorized

administrative purposes.

urposes of

this proclamation, with full public involvement, within

3 years of the date of this proclamation. For the

purpose of protecting the objects identified above, all

motorized and mechanized vehicle use off road will be

prohibited, except for emergency or authorized

administrative purposes.

The Secretary shall continue to manage the Federal

lands and interests in lands within the adjacent area

labelled ``Castle Mountain Mine Area'' on the

accompanying map through the Bureau of Land Management,

pursuant to applicable authorities. Upon the

determination of the Secretary that either (1) all

mining and mining-related activities have terminated

and reclamation has been completed, or (2) a period of

10 years from the date of this proclamation has elapsed

during which no commercial mining activities have

occurred pursuant to a Bureau of Land Management

approved plan of operations, the Secretary shall,

consistent with applicable legal authorities, transfer

jurisdiction of the lands within the Castle Mountain

Mine Area to the National Park Service and ensure that

the lands are managed in a manner compatible with the

proper care and management of the objects identified

above.

Nothing in this proclamation shall be deemed to enlarge

or diminish the jurisdiction of the State of California

with respect to fish and wildlife management.

The Federal land managing agencies shall, in

cooperation with appropriate State officials and

subject to applicable State and Federal law, ensure the

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in this proclamation shall be deemed to enlarge

or diminish the jurisdiction of the State of California

with respect to fish and wildlife management.

The Federal land managing agencies shall, in

cooperation with appropriate State officials and

subject to applicable State and Federal law, ensure the

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availability of water resources, including groundwater

resources, needed for monument purposes.

Nothing in this proclamation shall restrict or preclude

low level overflights of military aircraft, the

designation of new units of special use airspace, or

the use or establishment of military flight training

routes over the lands reserved by this proclamation,

consistent with the care and management of the objects

to be protected.

Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to

alter the authority or responsibility of any party with

respect to emergency response activities within the

monument, including wildland fire response.

Nothing in this proclamation shall be deemed to revoke

any existing withdrawal, reservation, or appropriation;

however, the monument shall be the dominant

reservation.

Warning is hereby given to all unauthorized persons not

to appropriate, injure, destroy, or remove any feature

of this monument and not to locate or settle upon any

of the lands thereof.

ny existing withdrawal, reservation, or appropriation;

however, the monument shall be the dominant

reservation.

Warning is hereby given to all unauthorized persons not

to appropriate, injure, destroy, or remove any feature

of this monument and not to locate or settle upon any

of the lands thereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this

twelfth day of February, in the year of our Lord two

thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the United

States of America the two hundred and fortieth.

(Presidential Sig.)

Billing code 3295-F6-P

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[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TD18FE16.000

[FR Doc. 2016-03540

Filed 2-17-16;11:15 am]

Billing code 4310-10-C