Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 197 (Friday, October 15, 2021)]

[Presidential Documents]

[Pages 57335-57347]

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

[FR Doc No: 2021-22673]

Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 197 / Friday, October 15, 2021 /

Presidential Documents

[[Page 57335]]

Proclamation 10286 of October 8, 2021

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

President Clinton's designation of the Grand Staircase-

Escalante National Monument in Proclamation 6920 of

September 18, 1996, was a watershed moment for

conservation in the United States. Proclamation 6920

represents the first time a President designated a

national monument under the Antiquities Act to be

managed by the Bureau of Land Management, signaling the

dawn of the modern era of Antiquities Act protection

and a reawakening of conservation efforts on public

lands in the West.

Proclamation 6920 describes the rich mosaic of objects

of historic and scientific interest across Grand

Staircase-Escalante. Proclamation 6920 details the

monument's varied geology, from the cliffs of the Grand

Staircase in the west, to the fossil-rich formations in

the Kaiparowits Plateau that demonstrate billions of

years of geology infused with world-class

paleontological sites, to the badlands of the Burning

Hills in the center, to the intricate and complex

system of canyons in the Escalante region in the east

Staircase in the west, to the fossil-rich formations in

the Kaiparowits Plateau that demonstrate billions of

years of geology infused with world-class

paleontological sites, to the badlands of the Burning

Hills in the center, to the intricate and complex

system of canyons in the Escalante region in the east.

The proclamation goes on to describe the area's rich

human history, spanning from the indigenous people and

cultures who made this area home to Anglo-American

explorers and early Latter-day Saint pioneers. The

proclamation further identifies outstanding biological

resources, describing the monument as ``in the heart of

perhaps the richest floristic region in the

Intermountain West,'' spanning five life zones and

supporting diverse, rare, and endemic populations of

plants and a diversity of animals, as well as unusual

and diverse soils that support communities of mosses,

lichens, and cyanobacteria. In addition, the

proclamation describes the vast opportunities for

additional scientific research and discovery within the

monument. Grand Staircase-Escalante has become the

focus of a multi-disciplinary study of its large

landscape for the benefit of current and future

generations.

cyanobacteria. In addition, the

proclamation describes the vast opportunities for

additional scientific research and discovery within the

monument. Grand Staircase-Escalante has become the

focus of a multi-disciplinary study of its large

landscape for the benefit of current and future

generations.

After the monument was established, the Congress

adjusted the boundaries or ratified the acquisition of

additional lands within the monument on three separate

occasions, in some cases adding lands, in other cases

subtracting lands. When the Congress had completed its

fine-tuning, it had increased the monument's

reservation by more than 180,000 acres, bringing the

total Federal lands within the monument boundaries to

approximately 1.87 million acres.

Remarkably, given its size, in the 25 years since its

designation, Grand Staircase-Escalante has fulfilled

the vision of an outdoor laboratory with great

potential for diverse and significant scientific

discoveries. During this period, hundreds of scientific

studies and projects have been conducted within the

monument, including investigating how the monument's

geology provides insight into the hydrology of Mars;

discovering many previously unknown species of

dinosaurs, some of which have become household names;

unearthing some of the oldest marsupial fossils ever

identified; conducting extensive inventories of

invertebrates, including the identification of more

than 600 species of bees, some of which likely exist

nowhere else on Earth; performing hydrologic research

urs, some of which have become household names;

unearthing some of the oldest marsupial fossils ever

identified; conducting extensive inventories of

invertebrates, including the identification of more

than 600 species of bees, some of which likely exist

nowhere else on Earth; performing hydrologic research

in the Escalante River and Deer Creek; studying and

restoring habitat for amphibians, mammals, and bird

species, including the reintroduction of bighorn sheep

and pronghorn

[[Page 57336]]

to their native range; completing rangeland science

assessments, including a complete Level III soils

survey; carrying out widespread archaeological surveys

that have documented important sites and rock writings;

and implementing social science projects related to

visitor experiences and impacts. New scientific

discoveries are likely just around the corner; for

example, scientists have collected thousands of

specimens of invertebrates from the monument that await

further study and are expected to yield new species

that are endemic to the monument. Scientists have

utilized every corner of the monument in their efforts

to better understand our environment, our history, our

planet's past, and our place in the universe.

specimens of invertebrates from the monument that await

further study and are expected to yield new species

that are endemic to the monument. Scientists have

utilized every corner of the monument in their efforts

to better understand our environment, our history, our

planet's past, and our place in the universe.

On December 4, 2017, President Donald Trump issued

Proclamation 9682 to reduce the monument by over

860,000 acres. Proclamation 9682 removes protection

from objects of historic and scientific interest across

the Grand Staircase-Escalante landscape, including some

resources Proclamation 6920 specifically identifies for

protection. Multiple parties challenged Proclamation

9682 in Federal court, asserting that it exceeded the

President's authority under the Antiquities Act.

Restoring the Grand Staircase-Escalante National

Monument to its size and boundaries as they existed

prior to December 4, 2017, will ensure that this

exceptional and inimitable landscape filled with an

unparalleled diversity of resources will be properly

protected and will continue to provide the living

laboratory that has produced so many dramatic

discoveries in the first quarter century of its

existence

December 4, 2017, will ensure that this

exceptional and inimitable landscape filled with an

unparalleled diversity of resources will be properly

protected and will continue to provide the living

laboratory that has produced so many dramatic

discoveries in the first quarter century of its

existence. Given the unique nature of the objects

identified across the Grand Staircase-Escalante

landscape, the threat of damage and destruction to

those objects, and the current inadequate protection

they are afforded, a reservation of this size is the

smallest area compatible with the proper care and

management of the objects of historic and scientific

interest named in this proclamation and Proclamation

6920.

The entire Grand Staircase-Escalante landscape--

stretching from Skutumpah Terrace and the escarpments

of the Grand Staircase in the west, Nipple Bench, Smoky

Mountain, the Burning Hills, Grand Bench, the East and

West Clark Benches, and Buckskin Mountain in the south,

the Hole-in-the-Rock Trail that runs through the

Escalante Desert, Upper Escalante Canyons, and Circle

Cliffs in the northeast, and Alvey Wash and the Blues

in the north--is an object of historic and scientific

interest requiring protection under the Antiquities

Act. There are innumerable objects of historic or

scientific interest within this extraordinary

landscape

er Escalante Canyons, and Circle

Cliffs in the northeast, and Alvey Wash and the Blues

in the north--is an object of historic and scientific

interest requiring protection under the Antiquities

Act. There are innumerable objects of historic or

scientific interest within this extraordinary

landscape. Some of the objects are also sacred to

Tribal Nations, rare, fragile, or vulnerable to

vandalism and theft, or are dangerous to visit and,

therefore, revealing their specific names and locations

could pose a danger to the objects or the public.

High, rugged, and remote, the vast and austere Grand

Staircase-Escalante landscape is characterized by bold

plateaus and multihued cliffs that run for distances

that defy human perspective. It is also home to world-

famous slot canyons that are so deep and narrow that

sunlight almost never penetrates their ultimate depths,

and pools of numbingly cold water remain throughout the

hottest months. Despite being the last place in the

contiguous United States to be mapped and remaining a

remote and primitive landscape to this day, the Grand

Staircase-Escalante area has a long and dignified human

history. The landscape teems with evidence of the

efforts expended by both indigenous people and early

Anglo pioneers to carve existences into an arid and

unforgiving region. The Grand Staircase-Escalante

region retains the frontier character of the American

West, providing visitors with an opportunity to

experience a remote landscape rich with opportunities

for adventure and self-discovery

d early

Anglo pioneers to carve existences into an arid and

unforgiving region. The Grand Staircase-Escalante

region retains the frontier character of the American

West, providing visitors with an opportunity to

experience a remote landscape rich with opportunities

for adventure and self-discovery. It is unique and rare

in today's world to encounter a place where one can

wander and ponder undisturbed, and explore and discover

at one's own pace. It also serves as an outdoor

laboratory on the frontier of scientific research that

continues to regularly reveal important insights into

our planet and our past.

[[Page 57337]]

The Grand Staircase-Escalante landscape is a geologic

treasure of clearly exposed stratigraphy and

structures. The sedimentary rock layers are relatively

undeformed and unobscured by vegetation, offering a

clear view to understanding the Earth's geological

development. Owing in large part to the exposure of so

many formations, the landscape is one of the world's

great paleontological laboratories. From remarkable

specimens of petrified wood, to the most continuous

record of Late Cretaceous life, to the first evidence

that tyrannosaurs hunted in packs, to marble-like iron

oxide concretions found in Navajo Sandstone that

provide insight into Martian geology, the ongoing

discoveries on the Grand Staircase-Escalante landscape

continue to make invaluable contributions to our

understanding of the planet's past

dence

that tyrannosaurs hunted in packs, to marble-like iron

oxide concretions found in Navajo Sandstone that

provide insight into Martian geology, the ongoing

discoveries on the Grand Staircase-Escalante landscape

continue to make invaluable contributions to our

understanding of the planet's past. Despite the

abundance of paleontological discoveries that have

occurred on the landscape, and the wealth of

information they have provided about the entire

Mesozoic Era, it is likely that we have thus far

uncovered only a fragment of Grand Staircase-

Escalante's paleontological story.

Rich in human history, the Grand Staircase-Escalante

landscape abounds in evidence of habitation by the

Ancestral Pueblo and Fremont cultures. Tribal Nations,

including the Hopi Tribe, the Kaibab Band of Paiute

Indians, the Navajo Nation, the Paiute Indian Tribe of

Utah, the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe of Arizona,

the Pueblo of Acoma, the Pueblo of San Felipe, the

Pueblo of Tesuque, and the Pueblo of Zuni, have

ancestral, cultural, or historical ties to this area

and continue to use the area to this day. The Southern

Paiute people in particular hold these lands sacred as

they make up a portion of their traditional homeland.

The landscape has also played an important role in

European settlement of the American West

ancestral, cultural, or historical ties to this area

and continue to use the area to this day. The Southern

Paiute people in particular hold these lands sacred as

they make up a portion of their traditional homeland.

The landscape has also played an important role in

European settlement of the American West. In 1776, the

Dominguez-Escalante expedition may have passed through

the region, and subsequent travelers on the Armijo

Route of the Old Spanish Trail journeyed up the Paria

River, through Cottonwood Canyon and the Cockscomb, and

to the west through Kimball Valley and along parts of

Telegraph Flat below the Vermillion Cliffs. The John

Wesley Powell expedition created some of the earliest

maps of the area in 1872, and later that decade,

Latter-day Saint pioneers literally etched portions of

the Hole-in-the-Rock Trail across the desert in their

efforts to settle southern Utah.

The landscape is also an outstanding biological

resource. As a result of the blending of warm and cold

desert flora and the high number of endemic species,

the Grand Staircase-Escalante landscape, which contains

50 percent of Utah's rare flora and 125 species of

plants that occur only in Utah or on the Colorado

Plateau, is one of the most floristically rich regions

in the Intermountain West. An abundance of unique,

isolated plant communities can be found, such as

hanging gardens, tinajas, and rock crevice, canyon

bottom, and dunal pocket communities

es of

plants that occur only in Utah or on the Colorado

Plateau, is one of the most floristically rich regions

in the Intermountain West. An abundance of unique,

isolated plant communities can be found, such as

hanging gardens, tinajas, and rock crevice, canyon

bottom, and dunal pocket communities. Large expanses of

various exposed geologic strata, each with unique

physical and chemical characteristics, have resulted in

a spectacular array of unusual and diverse soils,

including desert pavement and biological soil crusts,

which support a wide range of vegetative communities,

such as relict plant communities that have existed

since the Pleistocene, and a multitude of endemic

plants and pollinators. For example, lands within the

Grand Staircase-Escalante landscape contain an

astounding biodiversity of bees due, in large part, to

the substantial elevational gradient, diversity of

habitats, and abundance of flowering plants. The area

is home to hundreds of bee species, including dozens of

species that are believed to be unique to this

landscape. Many of the species found in the Grand

Staircase-Escalante region are highly localized, with

small populations occurring in only a few locations or

near certain flowering plants

e area

is home to hundreds of bee species, including dozens of

species that are believed to be unique to this

landscape. Many of the species found in the Grand

Staircase-Escalante region are highly localized, with

small populations occurring in only a few locations or

near certain flowering plants. Wildlife also

flourishes; from mountain lion, bear, pronghorn, and

desert bighorn sheep, to hundreds of species of birds,

the landscape's location and the great variation in its

elevation and topography have created a unique

environment where suitable habitat exists for species

associated with multiple eco-regions.

The Grand Staircase-Escalante's large, isolated, and,

at times, impenetrable landscape is one of the most

naturally dark outdoor spaces left in America,

providing views of the cosmos that are nearly unrivaled

in the contiguous

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United States, and an opportunity for visitors to

encounter a landscape at night, undisturbed by electric

lights, in the same way people have experienced the

West for most of America's history. According to recent

research, over 90 percent of the landscape, or nearly

1.7 million acres, contains pristine night skies,

meaning that observers would see no indication of

artificial skyglow anywhere in the night sky. Only

natural sources of light are visible to the human eye,

such as starlight, airglow, aurora, and zodiacal light

research, over 90 percent of the landscape, or nearly

1.7 million acres, contains pristine night skies,

meaning that observers would see no indication of

artificial skyglow anywhere in the night sky. Only

natural sources of light are visible to the human eye,

such as starlight, airglow, aurora, and zodiacal light.

Comparatively, less than one third of the land area of

the United States regularly experiences this degree of

natural darkness, and most of that land is located in

Alaska. The Grand Staircase-Escalante area also

provides a remarkable natural soundscape with

infrequent human-caused sounds. From popular

recreational destinations to remote, isolated

locations, acoustic baseline research has found that

some of the quietest conditions found in protected

areas across the United States can be found in the

Grand Staircase-Escalante landscape.

The Grand Staircase-Escalante landscape is akin to a

nesting doll of objects of historic and scientific

interest. The landscape as a whole is an important

object that provides context for each of its

constituent parts. Within the whole are distinct and

unique areas, which are themselves objects qualifying

for protection. In turn, each of those areas contain

innumerable individual fossils, archaeological sites,

rare species, and other objects that are independently

of historic or scientific interest and require

protection under the Antiquities Act.

unique areas, which are themselves objects qualifying

for protection. In turn, each of those areas contain

innumerable individual fossils, archaeological sites,

rare species, and other objects that are independently

of historic or scientific interest and require

protection under the Antiquities Act.

Located in the northeast corner of the Grand Staircase-

Escalante landscape adjacent to Capitol Reef National

Park is the Circle Cliffs area, which is dominated by a

northwest-trending sandstone anticline and dramatic red

sandstone cliffs. The area also encompasses several sky

islands, including Studhorse Peaks, Colt Mesa, and Deer

Point, the latter of which provides exquisite views of

Waterpocket Fold--a stunning fold in the area's

geologic layers that is the central feature of Capitol

Reef National Park. The ecologically intact region

provides important winter habitat for elk and contains

a significant number of cultural sites used by

Ancestral Pueblos and the Fremont. Specimens of

petrified wood can be found across the Circle Cliffs

area, including in the well-known Wolverine Petrified

Wood Area, which includes some largely intact logs

nearly 100 feet in length. Additionally, the Circle

Cliffs landscape is rich in paleontological resources.

The area, with geology dating back to the Triassic and

Permian Periods, contains at least 45 known

paleontological sites, including one in which a nearly

complete articulated skeleton of Poposaurus--a rare

bipedal crocodilian from the Late Triassic Period--was

found

h in paleontological resources.

The area, with geology dating back to the Triassic and

Permian Periods, contains at least 45 known

paleontological sites, including one in which a nearly

complete articulated skeleton of Poposaurus--a rare

bipedal crocodilian from the Late Triassic Period--was

found. The Circle Cliffs landscape also contains

portions of the Burr Trail, a route originally blazed

by stockman John Atlantic Burr that is now a Utah

Scenic Backway offering remarkable views of the

Waterpocket Fold, the Henry Mountains, and the Boulder

Mountain area of the Aquarius Plateau.

West of the Circle Cliffs and bisected by the Escalante

River is the awe-inspiring Upper Escalante Canyons

landscape. In this region, vivid geological features

are laid bare in narrow, serpentine canyons, where

erosion has exposed rolling expanses of petrified dunes

and rock striations in shades of red, salmon, white,

buff, and rust. The area's resources are almost too

numerous to name. There are natural bridges and arches,

such as Maverick Natural Bridge and Phipps Arch, the

130-foot tall Escalante Natural Bridge, and Bowington

Arch; a large and unusual circular erosional sandstone

formation that has sparked the public's imagination, as

evidenced by its many names, including the Cosmic

Navel; and several world-class slot canyons that draw

adventurers from the world over, such as the Dry Fork

of Coyote Gulch, Brimstone Canyon, Peek-a-boo Canyon,

Spooky Gulch, Zebra and Tunnel Slot Canyons, and the

Egypt Slots

lic's imagination, as

evidenced by its many names, including the Cosmic

Navel; and several world-class slot canyons that draw

adventurers from the world over, such as the Dry Fork

of Coyote Gulch, Brimstone Canyon, Peek-a-boo Canyon,

Spooky Gulch, Zebra and Tunnel Slot Canyons, and the

Egypt Slots. The Escalante Canyons landscape also

contains a high density of Fremont prehistoric sites,

such as pithouses, villages, and storage cysts. The

area's many canyons contain a world-class density and

variety of Fremont, Ancestral Pueblo, and Southern

Paiute rock writings, including a panel that is

particularly meaningful to Tribal Nations

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with ancestral and historical ties to the area and

another panel containing polychromatic depictions of

long, linear figures that may date back to the Archaic

period. The Escalante Canyons landscape also contains

many inscriptions left by early settlers of European

descent and significant historic sites telling tales of

the region's more recent past, such as the Boulder Mail

Trail, which was used to ferry mail between the small

desert outpost towns of Escalante and Boulder beginning

in 1902. The Boulder Mail Trail intersects incredibly

scenic canyons that empty into the Escalante River. The

narrow sandstone walls of Sand Creek shade a perennial

stream that meanders through cool pools and supports

riparian habitat and hanging gardens

desert outpost towns of Escalante and Boulder beginning

in 1902. The Boulder Mail Trail intersects incredibly

scenic canyons that empty into the Escalante River. The

narrow sandstone walls of Sand Creek shade a perennial

stream that meanders through cool pools and supports

riparian habitat and hanging gardens. Perennial flows

are also found in Death Hollow, a stunning canyon

chiseled into yellow and white Navajo Sandstone that is

narrow and extraordinarily deep in its upper reaches

before transitioning near the Boulder Mail Trail into a

wider canyon dotted with ponderosa pine and riparian

habitat. As a result of the abundance of water in

tributaries of the Escalante River, as well as various

seeps and springs, the Escalante Canyons area is dotted

with hanging gardens, tinajas, and riparian vegetation

that provide oases of sorts in an otherwise arid

environment. The area is distilled to its essence in

Calf Creek Canyon, the home of towering Navajo

Sandstone cliffs, lush vegetation, cultural sites, and

a perennial stream with two waterfalls: a slender 88-

foot plunge in the upper part of the canyon, and a 126-

foot cascade farther downstream that is one of the more

elegant waterfalls in the entire Southwest. The upper

part of the watershed is strewn with black basalt

boulders and expanses of iron concretion sheets.

perennial stream with two waterfalls: a slender 88-

foot plunge in the upper part of the canyon, and a 126-

foot cascade farther downstream that is one of the more

elegant waterfalls in the entire Southwest. The upper

part of the watershed is strewn with black basalt

boulders and expanses of iron concretion sheets.

To the southeast of the Upper Escalante Canyons,

adjacent to Capitol Reef National Park and Glen Canyon

National Recreation Area, is a region with a rich

pioneer history that functions as a gateway to the many

slot canyons and arches near the Escalante River.

Traversing the area is the historically significant

Hole-in-the-Rock Road, which generally follows the

route that Latter-day Saint pioneers constructed

between 1879 and 1880 when crossing southern Utah to

establish a wagon route between Escalante and southeast

Utah settlements. Today, the road provides access to

many of the landscape's resources, including Devil's

Garden, an area with hoodoos, colorful rock formations,

and unique sandstone arches like the impressively

delicate Metate Arch; the small but attractive Little

Jumbo Arch; the widely photographed Sunrise and Sunset

arches; and Chimney Rock, a remote, lonely sandstone

pillar that seems to defy its otherwise flat

surroundings. This area is also the location of Dance

Hall Rock, an important landmark where Latter-day Saint

pioneers camped and held meetings and dances when

constructing the Hole-in-the-Rock Trail

arches; and Chimney Rock, a remote, lonely sandstone

pillar that seems to defy its otherwise flat

surroundings. This area is also the location of Dance

Hall Rock, an important landmark where Latter-day Saint

pioneers camped and held meetings and dances when

constructing the Hole-in-the-Rock Trail. These

uncompromising desert lands are home to high

concentrations of rare species of bees with fascinating

adaptations to their local environment, such as

Diadasia bees, which build nests in the hard desert

soil that feature a clay chimney on top, an

architectural design that has, thus far, stumped

scientists trying to understand its utility. Consisting

of rock primarily from the Jurassic Period, there are

many paleontological sites in this region. Among those,

the sprawling Twentymile Wash Dinosaur Megatrackway

consists of more than several hundred individual

dinosaur tracks and what some scientists believe is a

rare, mid-line tail-drag impression left in the

Escalante Member of the Entrada Formation by a

sauropod, or long-necked dinosaur.

At the center of the Grand Staircase-Escalante

landscape is the Kaiparowits Plateau, containing

roughly 1,600 square miles of sedimentary rock that

towers over the surrounding area. The plateau is

bordered on the east side by the Straight Cliffs, which

stretch from near the beginning of the Escalante River

to Fiftymile Mountain, and on the west by the East

Kaibab Monocline, better known as the Cockscomb

roughly 1,600 square miles of sedimentary rock that

towers over the surrounding area. The plateau is

bordered on the east side by the Straight Cliffs, which

stretch from near the beginning of the Escalante River

to Fiftymile Mountain, and on the west by the East

Kaibab Monocline, better known as the Cockscomb. The

area is made up of steep-walled canyons, escarpments,

towers, arches, and a series of benches that ascend

from the southern border of the Grand Staircase-

Escalante landscape. The Cockscomb is formed by

parallel ridges with an intersecting steep v-shaped

trough, and flatirons, small monoliths, and other

colorful formations along the western ridge. The

plateau has evidence of thousands of years

[[Page 57340]]

of human habitation with sites attributed to many

prehistoric cultures in southern Utah. Bighorn sheep

and pronghorn have historically roamed the Kaiparowits

Plateau--as evidenced by the area's petroglyph and

pictograph panels--and reproducing populations have

been reintroduced in recent years. The area is also

home to a small population of chuckwalla and a

population of desert night lizard, a species rarely

seen in Utah.

rically roamed the Kaiparowits

Plateau--as evidenced by the area's petroglyph and

pictograph panels--and reproducing populations have

been reintroduced in recent years. The area is also

home to a small population of chuckwalla and a

population of desert night lizard, a species rarely

seen in Utah.

The stratified geology of the Kaiparowits Plateau

exposes fossils and other indicia of hundreds of

millions of years of our planet's history, the only

evidence in our hemisphere of mammals from the

Cenomanian through Santonian ages and one of the

world's best and most continuous records of Late

Cretaceous terrestrial life. To date, many thousands of

fossil sites have been documented on the plateau,

including evidence of at least 15 previously unknown

species of dinosaur. Fossils are preserved in stunning

detail rarely seen in North America, including traces

of soft tissue and the impressions of skin, beaks, and

claws. The plateau contains a diverse assemblage of

Campanian fauna, including a remarkable record of

vertebrate species that include many new taxa and new

temporal and geographic occurrences, thereby making the

Kaiparowits Plateau an important scientific resource

providing insight to the Late Cretaceous biosphere.

laws. The plateau contains a diverse assemblage of

Campanian fauna, including a remarkable record of

vertebrate species that include many new taxa and new

temporal and geographic occurrences, thereby making the

Kaiparowits Plateau an important scientific resource

providing insight to the Late Cretaceous biosphere.

The Kaiparowits Plateau comprises multiple geological

formations. The Kaiparowits and Wahweap Formations

contain diverse and unique fossil evidence of ancient

fauna and flora, including pterosaurs, frogs,

salamanders, and snakes, that are fundamentally

different from discoveries in other parts of North

America. The Kaiparowits Formation has produced many

ancient vertebrate taxa that are entirely new to

science, including a vast array of horned dinosaurs,

such as the Nasutoceratops, Kosmoceratops, and

Utahceratops, a new species of Gryposaurus possessing a

more robust skull, a new raptor, and the tyrannosaurid

Teratophoneus. It has also produced evidence of a

potentially new crested duck-billed dinosaur and

incredibly diverse vegetative communities with

previously undescribed fossil trees and aquatic plants.

In 2018, researchers recovered the Akainacephalus,

which is the most complete ankylosaur ever recovered in

the southwestern United States. Exploration of the

Wahweap Formation, while still in early stages, has led

to striking Mesozoic Era discoveries, including the

horned dinosaur Diabloceratops and the tyrannosaurid

Lythronax

the Akainacephalus,

which is the most complete ankylosaur ever recovered in

the southwestern United States. Exploration of the

Wahweap Formation, while still in early stages, has led

to striking Mesozoic Era discoveries, including the

horned dinosaur Diabloceratops and the tyrannosaurid

Lythronax. Similarly, the Dakota Formation contains

some of the earliest evidence of mammals in the fossil

record, and the Tropic Shale Formation includes

important marine reptiles such as five species of

plesiosaur and North America's oldest mosasaur. There

are at least two mass mortality sites on the

Kaiparowits Plateau, including the Rainbows and

Unicorns site, which preserves the relatively complete

remains of at least four tyrannosaurs ranging in age

from juvenile to large adult, indicating that

tyrannosaurs may have been social hunters and engaged

in extended parental care, and Uncle Charley's Bonebed,

which produced the fossilized remains of extinct

tortoises, many of which had soft tissue preservation

of skin and claws, and one of which even had a clutch

of eggs preserved in its carapace. In addition,

petrified wood from the Late Jurassic and Late

Cretaceous Periods is found in the Morrison, Wahweap,

and Kaiparowits Formations. The plateau also has an

expansive exposure of a unique deposit of fossil oyster

beds up to six feet thick from the Cretaceous Period,

along with other marine mollusk shells.

petrified wood from the Late Jurassic and Late

Cretaceous Periods is found in the Morrison, Wahweap,

and Kaiparowits Formations. The plateau also has an

expansive exposure of a unique deposit of fossil oyster

beds up to six feet thick from the Cretaceous Period,

along with other marine mollusk shells.

The eastern portion of the Kaiparowits Plateau is

dominated by Fiftymile Mountain and Fiftymile Bench.

The upper elevations of these bench lands contain rich

and varied ecosystems that include pinyon and juniper

woodlands, ponderosa pine forests, and aspen groves.

The area is dissected by a labyrinth of picturesque

canyons, many of which contain important riparian

ecosystems. The Fiftymile Mountain area has a high

density of archaeological sites, including masonry

structures, which have architectural styles suggesting

that the Virgin Branch and Kayenta Branch of Ancestral

Pueblos and the Fremont culture converged in the area.

There are also sites considered sacred to several

Tribal Nations with historical or ancestral ties to the

Grand Staircase-Escalante region. This area further

contains evidence of

[[Page 57341]]

that the Virgin Branch and Kayenta Branch of Ancestral

Pueblos and the Fremont culture converged in the area.

There are also sites considered sacred to several

Tribal Nations with historical or ancestral ties to the

Grand Staircase-Escalante region. This area further

contains evidence of

[[Page 57341]]

early pioneers who tried to scratch out a life on the

sparse landscape, including historic cabins, fences,

and stock trails. The sagebrush steppe ecosystem of

Fiftymile Bench provides views of Window Wind Arch and

striking vistas of the skyscraper-like escarpment that

is the eastern face of the Straight Cliffs. The

Straight Cliffs Formation, which is particularly

exposed in this part of southern Utah, is rich with

fossil resources containing evidence of primitive

mammals, as well as straight cone cephalopods,

ammonites, gastropods, pelecypods, and Cretaceous shark

teeth. The Straight Cliffs also contain many clusters

of balanced or pedestal rocks, known as hoodoos. Sooner

Rocks, at the base of the Straight Cliffs, provides

outstanding examples of the geologic feature known as

``mega-potholes'' that are more often found in some of

the sandstone formations in and around Glen Canyon.

The Straight Cliffs also contain many clusters

of balanced or pedestal rocks, known as hoodoos. Sooner

Rocks, at the base of the Straight Cliffs, provides

outstanding examples of the geologic feature known as

``mega-potholes'' that are more often found in some of

the sandstone formations in and around Glen Canyon.

Grand Bench lies on the southeastern border of the

Kaiparowits Plateau between the Burning Hills to the

west and Fiftymile Mountain to the east. The sparse

road network in Grand Bench makes it one of the most

remote locations in the Grand Staircase-Escalante, with

largely unspoiled and unimpeded views of the night sky.

The Grand Bench area is also home to the mostly

freestanding Woolsey Arch, as well as many recorded

paleontology sites found in its Cretaceous and Jurassic

Period rocks, including petrified wood and important

fossils.

The Smoky Mountain area just west of Grand Bench on the

Kaiparowits Plateau provides a striking scene. The

steep and rugged hilltops of the Burning Hills have

been scorched red by naturally occurring underground

coal fires that have been smoldering for hundreds, if

not thousands, of years. Similarly, Smoky Mountain is

dotted with natural chimneys that release hot smoke and

sulfuric gasses from the coal fires below. Despite the

hostile environment, this area is home to a number of

rare and endemic plant species, including Atwood

evening primrose and Smoky Mountain globemallow, as

well as a thriving herd of desert bighorn sheep and

nesting areas for a high density of raptors.

sulfuric gasses from the coal fires below. Despite the

hostile environment, this area is home to a number of

rare and endemic plant species, including Atwood

evening primrose and Smoky Mountain globemallow, as

well as a thriving herd of desert bighorn sheep and

nesting areas for a high density of raptors.

The lower benches of the Kaiparowits Plateau, including

John Henry Bench, Tibbet Bench, Nipple Bench, and Jack

Riggs Bench, lie to the west of Smoky Mountain and

provide important habitat for big game, including

desert bighorn sheep and pronghorn, and sweeping views

to the south. The Cretaceous Wahweap Formation runs

through the area and has been the site of many

important fossil finds, including turtle shells,

dinosaurs, and crocodile teeth. Just west of Nipple

Bench are the Wahweap Hoodoos, ghostly white formations

with brown capstones that can appear to float in the

right conditions.

Alvey Wash is situated in the northern part of the

Kaiparowits Plateau, close to the Straight Cliffs, and

north of Death Ridge. In addition to providing access

to the interior of the Kaiparowits Plateau, the Alvey

Wash area contains geologic objects of historic and

scientific interest, including various arches and

portions of the Smoky Mountain Road State Scenic

Backway, a remote, unpaved route that offers

unparalleled views of Lake Powell and the Kaiparowits

Plateau. The region's fossil-rich Cretaceous rocks

contain more than a hundred known recorded

paleontological sites

rest, including various arches and

portions of the Smoky Mountain Road State Scenic

Backway, a remote, unpaved route that offers

unparalleled views of Lake Powell and the Kaiparowits

Plateau. The region's fossil-rich Cretaceous rocks

contain more than a hundred known recorded

paleontological sites. Alvey Wash, which likely acted

as an important travel route between the Escalante

River and the top of the Kaiparowits Plateau, also

contains several important Fremont and Ancestral Pueblo

sites, including rock writings, rock shelters,

cliffside storage structures, and pithouses.

In the northern part of the landscape, east of the

towns of Tropic and Cannonville, are the Blues, an area

named for the blue-grey sandstone that provides a

striking contrast against the forested uplands and the

pink and white cliffs of Powell Point towering in the

background. The velvety gray slopes of these shale

badlands include exposures of the Kaiparowits Formation

that are unique on the Colorado Plateau. Representing

rapid accumulation of sediment during the Late

Cretaceous Period, the stratigraphy has facilitated the

discovery of a diversity of fossils, including early

mammals,

[[Page 57342]]

lizards, dinosaurs, crocodilians, turtles, mollusks,

and some fossils found nowhere else on Earth, including

one of the largest oviraptors ever discovered. This

area may also provide habitat for many raptor species,

including Swainson's hawks, golden eagles, and

peregrine falcons.

[[Page 57342]]

lizards, dinosaurs, crocodilians, turtles, mollusks,

and some fossils found nowhere else on Earth, including

one of the largest oviraptors ever discovered. This

area may also provide habitat for many raptor species,

including Swainson's hawks, golden eagles, and

peregrine falcons.

South of the Blues, the Butler Valley area provides

jaw-dropping views of multi-colored sandstone cliffs to

the north and contains important microvertebrate fossil

localities in the Smoky Hollow Member of the Straight

Cliffs Formation found near the upper reaches of

Wiggler Wash. Also nearby is Grosvenor Arch, a rare

double arch with sandstone buttresses that soars 150

feet in the air, as well as the tight canyons of Butler

Valley and Round Valley Draw.

To the west of the Cockscomb lies the Hackberry Canyon

area, with a deep gorge containing towering Wingate

Sandstone cliffs and impressive narrows, and Yellow

Rock, a smooth-sided dome that obtains its unique

appearance from evaporated pools of water and the

presence of limonite in its swirling Navajo Sandstone.

With limited vegetation, Yellow Rock provides a

commanding view of Hackberry Canyon to the north, the

Paria River to the west, and the Cockscomb to the east.

The area's high scenic quality is further enhanced by a

number of towering arches, including Sam Pollock Arch,

which spans 70 feet in a tributary of Hackberry Canyon

ited vegetation, Yellow Rock provides a

commanding view of Hackberry Canyon to the north, the

Paria River to the west, and the Cockscomb to the east.

The area's high scenic quality is further enhanced by a

number of towering arches, including Sam Pollock Arch,

which spans 70 feet in a tributary of Hackberry Canyon.

The Hackberry Canyon area contains Virgin Branch of

Ancestral Pueblo sites, such as rock shelters,

pithouses, lithic scatters, and masonry structures, as

well as rock writings that can be found in side

canyons. Hackberry Canyon also contains evidence of

later Anglo habitation, including Watson Cabin, a one-

room log cabin with a fieldstone chimney that was built

in the early 1890s and is one of the few standing

pioneer structures in the region.

To the west of the Kaiparowits Plateau, the Upper Paria

River complex is a highly scenic and colorful maze of

canyons, arches, and ``hydrothermal-collapse'' pipes

and dikes that expose the multihued Carmel and Entrada

Formations. The area is home to many perennial streams,

the Paria River, and hundreds of acres of riparian

vegetation, all of which support a particularly rich

diversity of terrestrial vertebrate and avian species.

Flowing continuously for most of the year thanks to

water from the higher elevations in the north and west,

the area's perennial streams have left the area

dissected with canyons that eventually drain into the

Paria River

t a particularly rich

diversity of terrestrial vertebrate and avian species.

Flowing continuously for most of the year thanks to

water from the higher elevations in the north and west,

the area's perennial streams have left the area

dissected with canyons that eventually drain into the

Paria River. As the flow increases, the Paria River

cuts its way through a series of benches and cliffs

that form a portion of the Grand Staircase as it

meanders towards its confluence with the Colorado River

near Lee's Ferry. For example, there is the spring-fed

Willis Creek, which flows year-round through a

moderately deep gorge that contains several sections of

elegant narrows. Other nearby canyons, although dry

most of the year, are subject to extreme erosional

events from passing storms, such as Lick Wash, a deep

canyon enclosed by horizontally striated white

sandstone walls that are hundreds of feet high, and

Bull Valley Gorge, an impressively deep and narrow

canyon cut through Navajo Sandstone containing a

variety of rock formations and colors. The Upper Paria

River complex contains paleontological sites found in

strata from the Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods. The

Paria River corridor is also the site of the Paria

ghost town, the only historic townsite in the monument.

First settled by Latter-day Saint pioneers in 1865 as a

farming community, the town was largely abandoned after

a series of floods in the late 1800s, save for a post

office, which served the area for many years.

ia River corridor is also the site of the Paria

ghost town, the only historic townsite in the monument.

First settled by Latter-day Saint pioneers in 1865 as a

farming community, the town was largely abandoned after

a series of floods in the late 1800s, save for a post

office, which served the area for many years.

After the Paria River crosses the Cockscomb and enters

Cottonwood Canyon, it feeds a rich riparian area that

provides important habitat for the endangered

southwestern willow flycatcher. Cottonwood Canyon and

the nearby Rimrocks area are home to a number of rare

plants, such as the Tropic goldeneye and Atwood's

pretty phacelia. This area, down to West Clark Bench,

is also characterized by high ecological system

diversity and is home to a number of rare bee species

as well as a number of hot desert endemic species of

bees in the northernmost known extent of their range.

[[Page 57343]]

The Rimrocks area is home to striking geological

formations known as the Toadstool Hoodoos, fascinating

features composed of Dakota Sandstone boulders perched

precariously atop softer and eroded Entrada Sandstone,

and a narrow slot canyon that contains rock writings.

Further east, other geological formations include the

White Rocks, and to the south, the area around the East

and West Clark Benches forms a barren and austere

landscape that exposes Jurassic and Cretaceous Period

rocks rich in paleontological resources.

and a narrow slot canyon that contains rock writings.

Further east, other geological formations include the

White Rocks, and to the south, the area around the East

and West Clark Benches forms a barren and austere

landscape that exposes Jurassic and Cretaceous Period

rocks rich in paleontological resources.

On the west side of the landscape is the Grand

Staircase, a series of intensely colorful cliffs and

plateaus that connect Bryce Canyon to the Grand Canyon.

The Grey Cliffs are composed of soft Cretaceous shale

and sandstone in subdued shades of gray, brown, and

yellow that were deposited approximately 130 million

years ago. The White Cliffs are high white or yellow

cliffs of Navajo Sandstone that consistently reach

heights of more than 1,000 feet. The area is home to

rare and endemic bee species, particularly near Timber

Mountain. The area also contains a number of relict

plant communities on the sky islands of No Man's Mesa

and Little No Man's Mesa, whose steep walls have

guarded such communities for thousands of years,

providing a living window into the past. Further south,

the eponymous Vermilion Cliffs, once the shoreline for

the ancient Lake Dixie, contain fossilized fish,

dinosaurs, and early reptiles, as well as multiple

tracksites. The Flag Point tracksite provides an

enduring testament to humans' fascination with the

traces of epochs past

past. Further south,

the eponymous Vermilion Cliffs, once the shoreline for

the ancient Lake Dixie, contain fossilized fish,

dinosaurs, and early reptiles, as well as multiple

tracksites. The Flag Point tracksite provides an

enduring testament to humans' fascination with the

traces of epochs past. The site contains a series of

theropod tracks leading right to the cliff edge and,

nearby, pictographs of the tracks that were likely left

by ancient indigenous peoples living in nearby

communities. The Grand Staircase area is also replete

with evidence of thousands of years of human

habitation. Pre-historic projectile points and hunter-

gatherer residential pit structures are found in the

higher elevations, whereas evidence of some of the

earliest corn-related agriculture in the Southwest,

developed by the Virgin Branch of Ancestral Pueblos, as

well as evidence of the Southern Paiute people, who

identify this area as part of their ancestral homeland,

are found in the lower elevations. This area also

contains a number of other unusual and important

resources, including a high density of petrified wood

and rare and endemic plant species, such as the Higgins

spring parsley and Kane breadroot.

identify this area as part of their ancestral homeland,

are found in the lower elevations. This area also

contains a number of other unusual and important

resources, including a high density of petrified wood

and rare and endemic plant species, such as the Higgins

spring parsley and Kane breadroot.

The Buckskin Mountain area, located southeast of the

Vermilion Cliffs and west of the Cockscomb, is a unique

lithological area, rich in rocks from the Triassic

Period and late Paleozoic Era. It also provides winter

range for the renowned Paunsaugunt mule deer herd and

is the location of the Eagle Sink, a stunning sinkhole

where the surrounding limestone collapsed to create an

enormous 160-foot depression. The area also contains

many Ancestral Pueblo cultural sites and provides

access to the primary trailheads used to access

Buckskin Gulch--the longest slot canyon in the United

States, with walls ascending up to 400 feet--located in

the adjacent Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness.

Protection of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National

Monument will preserve its cultural, prehistoric, and

historic legacy and maintain its diverse array of

natural and scientific resources, ensuring that the

prehistoric, historic, and scientific values of this

area remain for the benefit of all Americans.

Reservation of these lands will preserve the living

laboratory within the monument boundaries that will

facilitate significant scientific discoveries for years

to come

ic resources, ensuring that the

prehistoric, historic, and scientific values of this

area remain for the benefit of all Americans.

Reservation of these lands will preserve the living

laboratory within the monument boundaries that will

facilitate significant scientific discoveries for years

to come. The area contains numerous objects of historic

and scientific interest, and it provides world-class

outdoor recreation opportunities, including rock

climbing, hunting, hiking, backpacking, canyoneering,

river running, mountain biking, and horseback riding,

that support a travel and tourism sector that is a

source of economic opportunity for the region.

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

[[Page 57344]]

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; and

ted

[[Page 57344]]

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; and

WHEREAS, Proclamation 6920 of September 18, 1996,

designated the Grand Staircase-Escalante National

Monument in the State of Utah and reserved

approximately 1.7 million acres of Federal lands as the

smallest area compatible with the proper care and

management of objects of historic and scientific

interest; and

WHEREAS, on three separate occasions the Congress

adjusted the boundaries of the monument--the Utah

Schools and Lands Exchange Act of 1998, Public Law 105-

335, 112 Stat. 3139; title II of Public Law 105-355,

112 Stat. 3247, 3252 (1998); and section 2604 of the

Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, Public Law

111-11, 123 Stat. 991, 1120--ultimately increasing the

Federal lands reserved for the monument by more than

180,000 acres.

WHEREAS, Proclamation 9682 of December 4, 2017,

modifies the management direction of the Grand

Staircase-Escalante National Monument and excludes

nearly half of the lands reserved in Proclamation 6920,

which include lands containing objects of historic and

scientific interest that Proclamation 6920 identifies

as needing protection, such as portions of Circle

Cliffs and Waterpocket Fold; and

Staircase-Escalante National Monument and excludes

nearly half of the lands reserved in Proclamation 6920,

which include lands containing objects of historic and

scientific interest that Proclamation 6920 identifies

as needing protection, such as portions of Circle

Cliffs and Waterpocket Fold; and

WHEREAS, December 4, 2017, was the first time that a

President asserted that the Antiquities Act included

the authority to reduce the boundaries of a national

monument or remove objects from protection under the

Antiquities Act since the 1976 passage of the Federal

Land Policy and Management Act, as amended (43 U.S.C.

1701 et seq.); and

WHEREAS, I find that each of the historic and

scientific resources identified above and in

Proclamation 6920 are objects of historic or scientific

interest in need of protection under 54 U.S.C. 320301;

and

WHEREAS, I find that the unique nature of the Grand

Staircase-Escalante landscape, and the collection of

objects and resources therein, make the entire

landscape within the boundaries reserved by this

proclamation an object of historic and scientific

interest in need of protection under 54 U.S.C. 320301;

and

WHEREAS, I find that there are threats to the objects

identified in this proclamation and Proclamation 6920;

and

the entire

landscape within the boundaries reserved by this

proclamation an object of historic and scientific

interest in need of protection under 54 U.S.C. 320301;

and

WHEREAS, I find that there are threats to the objects

identified in this proclamation and Proclamation 6920;

and

WHEREAS, I find, in the absence of a reservation under

the Antiquities Act, the objects identified in this

proclamation and in Proclamation 6920 are not

adequately protected by otherwise applicable law or

administrative designations because neither provide the

Department of the Interior with the specific mandate to

ensure proper care and management of the objects, nor

do they withdraw the lands from the operation of the

public land, mining, and mineral leasing laws, and so a

national monument reservation is necessary to protect

the objects of historic and scientific interest in the

Grand Staircase-Escalante region for current and future

generations; and

WHEREAS, I find that the boundaries of the monument

reserved by this proclamation represent the smallest

area compatible with the protection of the objects of

historic or scientific interest as required by the

Antiquities Act; and

WHEREAS, it is in the public interest to ensure the

preservation, restoration, and protection of the

objects of historic or scientific interest on the Grand

Staircase-Escalante lands, including the entire

monument landscape, reserved within the boundaries

established by this proclamation;

Act; and

WHEREAS, it is in the public interest to ensure the

preservation, restoration, and protection of the

objects of historic or scientific interest on the Grand

Staircase-Escalante lands, including the entire

monument landscape, reserved within the boundaries

established by this proclamation;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of

the United States of America, by the authority vested

in me by section 320301 of title 54, United States

Code, hereby proclaim the objects identified above and

in

[[Page 57345]]

Proclamation 6920 that are situated upon lands and

interests in lands owned or controlled by the Federal

Government to be the Grand Staircase-Escalante National

Monument (monument) and, for the purpose of protecting

those objects, reserve as part thereof all lands and

interests in lands not currently reserved as part of a

monument reservation and that are 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. These reserved

Federal lands and interests in lands consist of those

lands reserved as part of the Grand Staircase-Escalante

National Monument as of December 3, 2017, encompassing

approximately 1.87 million acres

described on the accompanying map, which is attached to

and forms a part of this proclamation. These reserved

Federal lands and interests in lands consist of those

lands reserved as part of the Grand Staircase-Escalante

National Monument as of December 3, 2017, encompassing

approximately 1.87 million acres. As a result of the

distribution of the objects across the Grand Staircase-

Escalante landscape, and additionally and

independently, because the landscape itself is an

object in need of protection, the boundaries described

on the accompanying map are confined to the smallest

area compatible with the proper care and management of

the objects of historic or scientific interest

identified above and in Proclamation 6920.

All Federal lands and interests in lands within the

boundaries of the monument 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, other than by exchange that

furthers the protective purposes of the monument.

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, other than by exchange that

furthers the protective purposes of the monument.

This proclamation is subject to valid existing rights.

If the Federal Government subsequently 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.

The Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) shall manage

the monument through the Bureau of Land Management

(BLM), as a unit of the National Landscape Conservation

System, and in accordance with the terms, conditions,

and management direction provided by this proclamation

and, unless otherwise specifically provided herein,

those provided by Proclamation 6920, the latter of

which are incorporated herein by reference. To the

extent any provision of Proclamation 9682 is

inconsistent with Proclamation 6920 or this

proclamation, the terms of this proclamation and

Proclamation 6920 shall govern

ecifically provided herein,

those provided by Proclamation 6920, the latter of

which are incorporated herein by reference. To the

extent any provision of Proclamation 9682 is

inconsistent with Proclamation 6920 or this

proclamation, the terms of this proclamation and

Proclamation 6920 shall govern. To further the orderly

management of monument lands, the monument will be

managed as a single unit comprising the entire 1.87

million-acre Grand Staircase-Escalante National

Monument.

For purposes of protecting and restoring the objects

identified above and in Proclamation 6920, the

Secretary shall prepare and maintain a new management

plan for the entire monument. The Secretary, through

the BLM, shall consult with other Federal land

management agencies or agency components in the local

area, including the National Park Service, in

developing the management plan. The Secretary shall

provide for maximum public involvement in the

development of that plan, including consultation with

federally recognized Tribal Nations and State and local

governments. In the development and implementation of

the management plan, the Secretary shall maximize

opportunities, pursuant to applicable legal

authorities, for shared resources, operational

efficiency, and cooperation.

consultation with

federally recognized Tribal Nations and State and local

governments. In the development and implementation of

the management plan, the Secretary shall maximize

opportunities, pursuant to applicable legal

authorities, for shared resources, operational

efficiency, and cooperation.

The Secretary, through the BLM, shall maintain an

advisory committee under the Federal Advisory Committee

Act (5 U.S.C. App.) with the specific purpose of

providing information and advice regarding the

development of the management plan and, as appropriate,

management of the monument, including scientific

research that occurs therein. This advisory committee

shall consist of a fair and balanced representation of

interested stakeholders, including State and local

governments, Tribal Nations, recreational users,

conservation organizations, educators, local business

owners, private landowners, and the scientific

community, which may include members with

[[Page 57346]]

expertise in archaeology, paleontology, entomology,

geology, botany, wildlife biology, social science, or

systems ecology.

reational users,

conservation organizations, educators, local business

owners, private landowners, and the scientific

community, which may include members with

[[Page 57346]]

expertise in archaeology, paleontology, entomology,

geology, botany, wildlife biology, social science, or

systems ecology.

Nothing in this proclamation shall be deemed to enlarge

or diminish the rights or jurisdiction of any Tribal

Nation. The Secretary shall, to the maximum extent

permitted by law and in consultation with Tribal

Nations, ensure the protection of sacred sites and

cultural properties and sites in the monument and

provide access to Tribal members for traditional

cultural, spiritual, 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), including collection of

medicines, berries and other vegetation, forest

products, and firewood for personal noncommercial use

in a manner consistent with the care and management of

the objects identified above and in Proclamation 6920.

The Secretary shall manage livestock grazing as

authorized under existing permits or leases, and

subject to appropriate terms and conditions in

accordance with existing laws and regulations,

consistent with the care and management of the objects

identified above and in Proclamation 6920

tion 6920.

The Secretary shall manage livestock grazing as

authorized under existing permits or leases, and

subject to appropriate terms and conditions in

accordance with existing laws and regulations,

consistent with the care and management of the objects

identified above and in Proclamation 6920. Should

grazing permits or leases be voluntarily relinquished

by existing holders, the Secretary shall retire from

livestock grazing the lands covered by such permits or

leases pursuant to the processes of applicable law.

Forage shall not be reallocated for livestock grazing

purposes unless the Secretary specifically finds that

such reallocation will advance the purposes of this

proclamation and Proclamation 6920.

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 the monument and not to locate or settle upon any of

the lands thereof.

If any provision of this proclamation, including its

application to a particular parcel of land, is held to

be invalid, the remainder of this proclamation and its

application to other parcels of land shall not be

affected thereby.

monument and not to locate or settle upon any of

the lands thereof.

If any provision of this proclamation, including its

application to a particular parcel of land, is held to

be invalid, the remainder of this proclamation and its

application to other parcels of land shall not be

affected thereby.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this

eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord two

thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the

United States of America the two hundred and forty-

sixth.

(Presidential Sig.)

Billing code 3395-F2-P

[[Page 57347]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TD15OC21.007

[FR Doc. 2021-22673

Filed 10-14-21; 8:45 am]

Billing code 4310-10-C