Establishment of the Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 156 (Tuesday, August 15, 2023)]

[Presidential Documents]

[Pages 55331-55344]

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

[FR Doc No: 2023-17628]

Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 88 , No. 156 / Tuesday, August 15, 2023 /

Presidential Documents

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--

The President

[[Page 55331]]

Proclamation 10606 of August 8, 2023

Establishment of the Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni--

Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National

Monument

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Since time immemorial, many Tribes of the Southwest

have lived and prayed among the canyons and plateaus of

a landscape unlike any other in the world. The region

is described in numerous languages. Many of the

Indigenous names for the area reflect the deep

interconnection between the land and its Tribal

Nations. For example, the Havasupai call it baaj

nwaavjo, or ``where Indigenous peoples roam.'' To the

Hopi, it is i'tah kukveni, or ``our ancestral

footprints.'' In English, we call the canyon that lies

at the center of this region ``the Grand Canyon.''

In addition to its profound historical, cultural, and

religious significance, the Grand Canyon region is

known around the world for containing some of the

greatest natural wonders on the planet. The area

supports remarkable geology and a diversity of wildlife

and plants that flourish in its vast and well-connected

ecosystem.

historical, cultural, and

religious significance, the Grand Canyon region is

known around the world for containing some of the

greatest natural wonders on the planet. The area

supports remarkable geology and a diversity of wildlife

and plants that flourish in its vast and well-connected

ecosystem.

The Grand Canyon region has played a central role in

America's conservation history. In 1893, 2 years after

the establishment of the National Forest System, the

area was designated as the Grand Canyon Forest Reserve.

In 1908, 2 years after the Congress passed the

Antiquities Act, President Theodore Roosevelt used his

authority under the Act to protect some of the deepest

canyons along the Colorado River as a national

monument. In 1919, 3 years after the establishment of

the National Park Service, the Congress created Grand

Canyon National Park. Today, millions of people from

around the world come to the Grand Canyon region each

year to visit, learn in, and explore the national park

and the plateaus and canyons that surround it. The

conservation and stewardship of the broader Grand

Canyon region have helped safeguard the integrity of

vital natural resources important to the Nation's

health and well-being, including clean drinking water

that flows through the region's springs and streams and

into the Colorado River, before eventually reaching the

taps of millions of homes across the Southwest.

anyon region have helped safeguard the integrity of

vital natural resources important to the Nation's

health and well-being, including clean drinking water

that flows through the region's springs and streams and

into the Colorado River, before eventually reaching the

taps of millions of homes across the Southwest.

The history of the lands and resources in the Grand

Canyon region also tells a painful story about the

forced removal and dispossession of Tribal Nations and

Indigenous peoples. The Federal Government used the

establishment of Grand Canyon National Park to justify

denying Indigenous peoples access to their homelands,

preventing them from engaging in traditional cultural

and religious practices within the boundaries of the

park. Despite these barriers, Tribal Nations and

Indigenous peoples persevered and continued to conduct

their long-standing practices on sacred homelands just

outside the boundaries of the national park, among the

vast landscapes of plateaus, canyons, and tributaries

of the Colorado River.

The lands outside of the national park contain myriad

sensitive and distinctive resources that contribute to

the Grand Canyon region's renown. In many of these

lands outside of the national park, however, the

Federal Government permitted or encouraged intensive

resource exploration and extraction to meet the needs

of the nuclear age. For decades, the Tribal Nations and

Indigenous peoples of the Grand Canyon region have

worked to protect the health and wellness of their

people and the lands, waters,

[[Page 55332]]

Federal Government permitted or encouraged intensive

resource exploration and extraction to meet the needs

of the nuclear age. For decades, the Tribal Nations and

Indigenous peoples of the Grand Canyon region have

worked to protect the health and wellness of their

people and the lands, waters,

[[Page 55332]]

and cultural resources of the region from the effects

of this development, including by cleaning up the

abandoned mines and related pollution that has been

left behind.

Much of the health and vitality of the Grand Canyon

region today is attributable to the tireless work of

Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples, the lands' first

and steadfast stewards. In the tradition of their

ancestors, who fought to defend the sovereignty of

their nations and to regain access to places and sites

essential to their cultural and traditional practices,

Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples have remained

resolute in their commitment to protect the landscapes

of the region, which are integral to their identity and

indispensable to the health and well-being of millions

of people living in the Southwest.

essential to their cultural and traditional practices,

Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples have remained

resolute in their commitment to protect the landscapes

of the region, which are integral to their identity and

indispensable to the health and well-being of millions

of people living in the Southwest.

Efforts to address the legacy of dispossession and

exclusion of Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples in

the Grand Canyon region and to conserve the region's

cultural and natural resources beyond the boundaries of

Grand Canyon National Park span several decades. In

1975, the Congress took a first step toward addressing

these earlier injustices when it restored lands along

the Grand Canyon's rim to the Havasupai Tribe and

established cultural use lands as part of an expansion

of Grand Canyon National Park. More recently,

legislation has been introduced in multiple Congresses

to permanently conserve the lands to the south,

northeast, and northwest of Grand Canyon National Park

for the benefit of Tribes, the public, and future

generations. In addition, in 2012, the Secretary of the

Interior withdrew many of these lands from the location

of new mining claims for a 20-year period.

to permanently conserve the lands to the south,

northeast, and northwest of Grand Canyon National Park

for the benefit of Tribes, the public, and future

generations. In addition, in 2012, the Secretary of the

Interior withdrew many of these lands from the location

of new mining claims for a 20-year period.

Conserving lands that stretch beyond Grand Canyon

National Park through an abiding partnership between

the United States and the region's Tribal Nations will

ensure that current and future generations can learn

from and experience the compelling and abundant

historic and scientific objects found there, and will

also serve as an important next step in understanding

and addressing past injustices.

The natural and cultural objects of the lands have

historic and scientific value that is unique, rich, and

well-documented. The sweeping plateaus to the south,

northeast, and northwest of Grand Canyon National Park

constitute three distinct areas, each of which is an

integral part of the broader Grand Canyon ecosystem.

The northwestern area, which is administered by both

the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) within the

Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service

(Forest Service) within the Department of Agriculture,

begins at the western edge of the Kanab watershed and

northern boundary of Grand Canyon National Park and

stretches north to the Shinarump Cliffs and Moonshine

Ridge

ement (BLM) within the

Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service

(Forest Service) within the Department of Agriculture,

begins at the western edge of the Kanab watershed and

northern boundary of Grand Canyon National Park and

stretches north to the Shinarump Cliffs and Moonshine

Ridge. The northeastern area primarily includes parts

of House Rock Valley, which are administered by the BLM

and the Forest Service, and extends west from Marble

Canyon along the Colorado River to the edge of the

Kaibab Plateau. The southern area includes a portion of

the Coconino Plateau to the south of Grand Canyon

National Park that is managed by the Forest Service,

and extends from the border of the Havasupai Indian

Reservation in the west to the Navajo Nation in the

east.

While the greater Grand Canyon region is indisputably a

cultural resource in its entirety, the landscapes in

these three discrete areas are themselves historically

and scientifically significant. They give context to

the individual geologic features and other resources

found there, contain numerous archaeological sites, and

provide havens for sensitive and endangered species--

including the California condor, desert bighorn sheep,

and endemic plant and animal species--all of which

constitute objects of independent historic or

scientific interest. The landscapes are also integrally

connected to the Indigenous Knowledge amassed by the

Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples in the area over

countless generations

bighorn sheep,

and endemic plant and animal species--all of which

constitute objects of independent historic or

scientific interest. The landscapes are also integrally

connected to the Indigenous Knowledge amassed by the

Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples in the area over

countless generations. Some of the objects in these

areas are sacred to Tribal Nations; are sensitive,

rare, or vulnerable to vandalism and theft; or are

unsafe to visit. Therefore, revealing their specific

names or locations could pose a danger to the objects

or to the public.

[[Page 55333]]

These areas lie within the homelands of numerous Tribal

Nations--including the Havasupai Tribe, Hopi Tribe,

Hualapai Tribe, Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians, Las

Vegas Paiute Tribe, Moapa Band of Paiutes, Paiute

Indian Tribe of Utah, Navajo Nation, San Juan Southern

Paiute Tribe, Yavapai-Apache Nation, Pueblo of Zuni,

and the Colorado River Indian Tribes--who describe the

lands here as a cultural landscape to which their

ancestors belong. The surrounding plateaus, canyons,

and tributaries of the Colorado River are central and

sacred components of the origin and history of multiple

Tribal Nations, weaving together overlapping spiritual,

cultural, and territorial systems. Many Tribes note

that their ancestors are buried here and refer to these

areas as their eternal home, a place of healing, and a

source of spiritual sustenance

sacred components of the origin and history of multiple

Tribal Nations, weaving together overlapping spiritual,

cultural, and territorial systems. Many Tribes note

that their ancestors are buried here and refer to these

areas as their eternal home, a place of healing, and a

source of spiritual sustenance. Like their ancestors,

Indigenous peoples continue to use these areas for

religious ceremonies; hunting; and gathering of plants,

medicines, and other materials, including some found

nowhere else on Earth.

The areas to the south, northeast, and northwest of

Grand Canyon National Park contain over 3,000 known

cultural and historic sites, including 12 properties

listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and

likely a great many more in areas not yet surveyed. All

three areas contain locations that are sacred or

significant to the Apache, Havasupai, Hopi, Hualapai,

Navajo, Southern Paiute, Yavapai, and Zuni Peoples,

whose ancestors lived, hunted, farmed, and gathered

here, some moving among camps in different places to

take advantage of the best seasonal times and locations

to hunt or harvest resources. More than 50 species of

plants that grow in these areas, including catsclaw,

willow, soapweed, and pi[ntilde]on, have been

identified as important to Tribal Nations

here, some moving among camps in different places to

take advantage of the best seasonal times and locations

to hunt or harvest resources. More than 50 species of

plants that grow in these areas, including catsclaw,

willow, soapweed, and pi[ntilde]on, have been

identified as important to Tribal Nations. Historic

shared use by different Tribes of the plateaus in the

three areas, including for farming, hunting, and

resource gathering on the Coconino Plateau, helped

build strong, intergenerational relationships among the

Tribal Nations that call this region home.

For hundreds of years, Tribal Nations and Indigenous

peoples used trails across portions of all three

distinct landscapes to access sacred or important sites

in surrounding areas such as the Grand Canyon, Mount

Trumbull, and the Hopi salt mine. For example, routes

throughout the southern area connect the Grand Canyon

with the Paiute, Hopi, and Navajo homelands.

Historically significant pathways in all three areas

can still be seen on the landscape, and in many cases,

they continue to be actively used.

In the northwestern area, within the larger Kanab Creek

drainage and particularly along Kanab Creek, there is

evidence of ancient villages and habitations, including

cliff houses, storage sites, granaries, pictographs,

and pottery. The Kanab Plateau contains dwelling sites,

including one known to have been occupied nearly 1,000

years ago, evidencing agricultural use and hunting by

early inhabitants

ere is

evidence of ancient villages and habitations, including

cliff houses, storage sites, granaries, pictographs,

and pottery. The Kanab Plateau contains dwelling sites,

including one known to have been occupied nearly 1,000

years ago, evidencing agricultural use and hunting by

early inhabitants. The Kaibab Band of Paiute farmed in

the area, which served as an important trade and

transportation route, resource procurement and hunting

area, and refuge during Euro-American encroachment into

traditional territories. The pictographs and

petroglyphs found in the Kanab Creek drainage present a

spectacular collection of rock art. One pictograph and

petroglyph site in Kanab Creek Canyon has been used for

over 2,000 years, including for Ghost Dance ceremonies

in the 19th century. Also in the northwest, the BLM

manages the Moonshine Spring and its associated

historic cultural sites as the Moonshine Ridge Area of

Critical Environmental Concern. Nearby Antelope Spring,

Shinarump Cliffs, and Yellowstone Spring house

historically important cultural sites, and the

northwestern portion of the area is a historically

significant resource and hunting area for the Southern

Paiute.

tes as the Moonshine Ridge Area of

Critical Environmental Concern. Nearby Antelope Spring,

Shinarump Cliffs, and Yellowstone Spring house

historically important cultural sites, and the

northwestern portion of the area is a historically

significant resource and hunting area for the Southern

Paiute.

In House Rock Valley in the northeastern area, many

remnants of homes, storage buildings, pottery, and

tools illustrate the area's rich and extensive human

history. The area has long been historically important

to Tribal Nations for hunting and resource gathering,

including to the Kaibab Band of Paiute for hunting deer

and pronghorn and gathering pi[ntilde]on nuts, and to

the San Juan Paiute for seasonal seed collection.

[[Page 55334]]

In the southern area, visible for miles in all

directions, rises Red Butte, a towering landmark that

is eligible for inclusion on the National Register of

Historic Places as a traditional cultural property.

Called Wii'i Gdwiisa by the Havasupai and Ts[eacute]

zhin Ii'ahi by the Navajo, it is defined by an eroded

rock and basalt cap from ancient lava and is sacred to

the Havasupai, Hualapai, Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni

Peoples. Red Butte and the surrounding area are central

to Tribal creation stories, and dense concentration of

flaked stone tools and pottery provide evidence of

thousands of years of human habitation there.

Additionally, more recent Navajo and Havasupai

encampments in the area date to the early to middle

1900s

utte and the surrounding area are central

to Tribal creation stories, and dense concentration of

flaked stone tools and pottery provide evidence of

thousands of years of human habitation there.

Additionally, more recent Navajo and Havasupai

encampments in the area date to the early to middle

1900s. South of Red Butte, Gray Mountain, called

Dzi[lstrok]beeh by the Navajo, is mentioned in Navajo

ceremonial songs, stories, and rituals, and has long

served as a refuge for the Navajo people.

There are many other physical remnants of human

habitation in the southern area, including lithic sites

containing stone tools that may be more than 10,000

years old and more recent sites containing finely

decorated pottery sherds that are between 800 and 1,100

years old. Across the southern area, there is evidence

of tool production using local materials and the

historic use of fire for land management. Rock

paintings, cave shelters, shrines, pit houses, masonry

structures, and sites for religious ceremonies can be

found throughout.

The southern area also provides important opportunities

for research about ancient occupation, including a

long-term archaeological study area in the upper basin

of the Coconino Plateau where research has been

conducted for decades

tures, and sites for religious ceremonies can be

found throughout.

The southern area also provides important opportunities

for research about ancient occupation, including a

long-term archaeological study area in the upper basin

of the Coconino Plateau where research has been

conducted for decades. This study area has led to

research on the sourcing of materials for pottery, the

conditions that influenced where people lived and

congregated, the history and use of anthropogenic fire,

methods for recording archaeological sites, methods for

protecting cultural resources, and human modification

of bedrock, among other topics. Additionally, research

has occurred in the area on the relationship between

historic climate change and human occupation, including

how climate changes affected construction techniques by

the Indigenous peoples in the region, the viability of

farming, the use of fire, and available resources.

A defining feature of the three areas is their unique

sedimentary and tectonic history, which has resulted in

high scientific interest and made the groundwater

dynamics of the region among the best studied in the

United States. Subsequent studies of the areas'

hydrology may prove important to understanding the

formation of the Grand Canyon and the dynamics of

groundwater and aquifers in the arid Colorado Plateau.

Groundwater moving through this complex and distinctive

system eventually flows into the meandering and

majestic Colorado River, across hundreds of miles of

arid and desert lands

erstanding the

formation of the Grand Canyon and the dynamics of

groundwater and aquifers in the arid Colorado Plateau.

Groundwater moving through this complex and distinctive

system eventually flows into the meandering and

majestic Colorado River, across hundreds of miles of

arid and desert lands. The areas' unique hydrology has

supported Indigenous peoples and other forms of life

since time immemorial and continues to play an

essential role in providing drinking water and

supporting agricultural production and other services

for millions of people across the Southwest.

The three areas' extensive fractures and faults direct

the flow of water, resulting in the formation of seeps

and springs that serve as small oases in the otherwise

hot, dry landscape, and support some of the most

biodiverse habitats in the Colorado Plateau. The

hydrologic features of these landscapes are unique and

highly interconnected, with groundwater moving through

the Redwall-Muav aquifer in the south and through

fractures and linked cave passages. The Havasupai and

Hualapai Tribes, as well as the town of Tusayan,

Arizona, and other towns in the region, rely on the

southern area's groundwater. Ultimately, the areas'

groundwater flows to the surrounding tributaries, into

the Colorado River, and through the Grand Canyon,

serving as one of many features tying this landscape

together

ell as the town of Tusayan,

Arizona, and other towns in the region, rely on the

southern area's groundwater. Ultimately, the areas'

groundwater flows to the surrounding tributaries, into

the Colorado River, and through the Grand Canyon,

serving as one of many features tying this landscape

together. Much of the water in the areas to the

northeast, northwest, and south of the Grand Canyon,

from creeks to streams, only runs seasonally based on

melting snowpack and monsoon rains.

[[Page 55335]]

The geology and hydrologic system of the Grand Canyon

and these three landscapes are deeply intertwined.

Located within the Colorado Plateau and adjacent to the

Grand Canyon, the areas' remarkable geology is

characterized by exposed sedimentary rock and high,

sometimes deeply incised, plateaus. The Mississippian-

aged Redwall Limestone, known for the stunning red

cliffs of the Grand Canyon itself, is present

throughout the three landscapes and is the most

abundant component of the Redwall-Muav aquifer. This

aquifer overlaps with the southern portion of the Grand

Canyon landscape, underneath the Coconino Plateau.

Dissolution of the Redwall and associated Muav

limestones has resulted in the formation of hundreds of

karst features such as caves, caverns, and channels.

abundant component of the Redwall-Muav aquifer. This

aquifer overlaps with the southern portion of the Grand

Canyon landscape, underneath the Coconino Plateau.

Dissolution of the Redwall and associated Muav

limestones has resulted in the formation of hundreds of

karst features such as caves, caverns, and channels.

In the northeastern area, the Glen Canyon Group--a

geologic formation composed of Navajo Sandstone, the

Kayenta Formation, and the Moenave Formation--

represents a continuation of the strikingly beautiful

and significant geology found at the adjacent Vermilion

Cliffs National Monument. The Kaibab Formation, another

geologic formation that is prevalent throughout all

three areas, forms most of the rim rock of the Grand

Canyon and is responsible for additional significant

cave and karst formations in these three regions as

well as in Wupahtki National Monument and Grand Canyon

National Park itself.

The Toroweap Fault crosses the northwestern area and is

one of the most active faults in Arizona. Due to the

relative prevalence of seismic activity, scientists

have studied the area to better understand tectonism

and faulting, the geologic history of the Colorado

Plateau, and the hydrologic history of the Colorado

River. Similarly, the Kanab Plateau, also in the

northwestern area, has been important for studies of

faulting and tectonism, stratigraphy and sediment

deposition, and hydrology.

rstand tectonism

and faulting, the geologic history of the Colorado

Plateau, and the hydrologic history of the Colorado

River. Similarly, the Kanab Plateau, also in the

northwestern area, has been important for studies of

faulting and tectonism, stratigraphy and sediment

deposition, and hydrology.

In the northeastern area, scientists have studied the

House Rock Valley, known in the Southern Paiute

language as Aesak, meaning ``basket shaped,'' to

understand patterns of deposition and erosion.

Stratigraphy--the study of rock layers--in this area

has been important for developing a broader

understanding of how the Grand Canyon formed.

In the southern area, the Coconino Plateau provides

important opportunities to enhance understanding of

tectonic uplift, canyon incision, and hydrological

dynamics of regional aquifers. Over time, studies of

the landscape's geology have also helped improve

understanding of the geologic history of the Grand

Canyon and Colorado Plateau as a whole. These studies

have produced new theories regarding when and how the

geologic structures in the area formed or eroded. Sites

in this landscape have also been instrumental to long-

term scientific studies of air pollution, airborne

particulates, and visibility, as well as to studies on

the use of satellite imagery to map geological

formations. Paleontological resources are also found

throughout the area, with fossils documented in written

scientific literature for nearly 150 years

term scientific studies of air pollution, airborne

particulates, and visibility, as well as to studies on

the use of satellite imagery to map geological

formations. Paleontological resources are also found

throughout the area, with fossils documented in written

scientific literature for nearly 150 years. The Kanab

Creek area in particular is known for brachiopod

fossils that date back to the Carboniferous period.

The areas to the northeast, northwest, and south of the

Grand Canyon are home to an abundant diversity of plant

and animal species of scientific interest. Spanning a

vast and unique range of geological and ecological

systems, the areas showcase ecological transitions,

ranging from the Mojave Desert and riparian habitats at

low elevations; to Great Basin grassland, Great Basin

woodland, and Great Basin desert scrubland at

intermediate elevations; to Rocky Mountain subalpine

conifer forests, subalpine grasslands, and montane

conifer forests at higher elevations. Ponderosa pine

stands, some with old growth characteristics, can also

be found at higher elevations.

Riparian vegetation in the area is rare and precious in

this largely arid region. The northwest area houses

parts of Kanab Creek, a stream with largely

intermittent flow that is home to native riparian plant

species. The occasional perennial pools help to support

the Kaibab National Forest's only cottonwood-willow

riparian forest, an important habitat type in Arizona

and the broader Southwest. Kanab Creek provides a

habitat for federally

[[Page 55336]]

intermittent flow that is home to native riparian plant

species. The occasional perennial pools help to support

the Kaibab National Forest's only cottonwood-willow

riparian forest, an important habitat type in Arizona

and the broader Southwest. Kanab Creek provides a

habitat for federally

[[Page 55336]]

listed bird species, including potentially the

threatened western yellow-billed cuckoo and endangered

southwestern willow flycatcher, both of which have been

sighted nearby. The creek also provides a habitat for

sensitive amphibian species, including potentially the

northern leopard frog.

In the grasslands found throughout the northwestern and

southern areas, dominant vegetation species include

native grasses, shrubs such as sagebrush and saltbush,

and nearby juniper woodlands and savannas. The southern

area is home to endemic and sensitive plant species,

such as the Arizona leatherflower, Arizona phlox,

Tusayan rabbitbrush, and Morton wild buckwheat.

Grassland mammals, such as the pronghorn, and birds and

raptors, such as the ferruginous hawk and the western

burrowing owl, can also be found there.

area is home to endemic and sensitive plant species,

such as the Arizona leatherflower, Arizona phlox,

Tusayan rabbitbrush, and Morton wild buckwheat.

Grassland mammals, such as the pronghorn, and birds and

raptors, such as the ferruginous hawk and the western

burrowing owl, can also be found there.

Within the Great Basin desert-scrub habitat of the

northwestern and northeastern areas, shrub species such

as sagebrush and rabbitbrush grow alongside native

grasses, wildflowers and other forbs, and occasionally

cacti. This habitat type is home to unique mammal

species including the Townsend's ground squirrel, the

northern grasshopper mouse, and the more broadly

distributed mule deer and bighorn sheep. Birds and

reptiles characteristic of this community include the

sage thrasher, sage sparrow, desert horned lizard, and

Great Basin and Plateau tiger whiptails. The

northeastern area also includes a portion of an

important fall raptor migration route. The endangered

Brady pincushion cactus and candidate species Paradine

plains cactus, along with the sensitive Marble Canyon

milkvetch and Paria Plateau fishhook cactus, can all be

found in the northeastern area. The Siler pincushion

cactus can be found in the far reaches of the

northwestern area, particularly in the Moonshine Ridge

and Johnson Springs Areas of Critical Environmental

Concern.

the sensitive Marble Canyon

milkvetch and Paria Plateau fishhook cactus, can all be

found in the northeastern area. The Siler pincushion

cactus can be found in the far reaches of the

northwestern area, particularly in the Moonshine Ridge

and Johnson Springs Areas of Critical Environmental

Concern.

Pi[ntilde]on and juniper woodlands are present at

intermediate elevations and are particularly prevalent

in the northwestern and southern areas. The

pi[ntilde]on and juniper trees are accompanied by a

sparse understory of native grasses and shrubs. This

community is home to birds such as the pinyon jay and

juniper titmouse. Along with characteristic reptiles

and small mammals, this ecosystem also provides

important winter range for elk and mule deer.

Petran montane conifer forests are found at the highest

elevations, primarily in the southern area. Ponderosa

pine dominates these forests, but Douglas fir, white

fir, Gambel oak, and other tree and brush species can

also be found there. Several mammal species are

dependent on ponderosa pine, including the Abert's

squirrel. Bird species representative of this area

include the northern goshawk, Merriam's turkey, and a

variety of raptors and neotropical migratory songbirds.

Elk and mountain lions are also found there.

also be found there. Several mammal species are

dependent on ponderosa pine, including the Abert's

squirrel. Bird species representative of this area

include the northern goshawk, Merriam's turkey, and a

variety of raptors and neotropical migratory songbirds.

Elk and mountain lions are also found there.

The landscape is also home to other significant species

of scientific interest. The endemic Grand Canyon

ringlet butterfly and Tusayan rabbitbrush are present

in the southern area, as may be the endangered and

endemic Sentry milkvetch. The endangered Fickeisen

plains cactus can be found in all three areas. The

endemic Kaibab monkey grasshopper occasionally can be

found along the eastern edge of the Kaibab uplift in

the northeastern area. The endemic Grand Canyon rose,

which has been identified as at risk by the BLM (termed

BLM-sensitive), can be found in the northwestern area,

the northeastern area, and potentially also the

southern area.

The area provides an important habitat for many notable

mammal species, including desert bighorn sheep, which

frequent canyons in the area. Kanab Creek's Hack Canyon

is one of two canyons where sheep were extirpated and

reintroduced in the 1980s, and the population there is

studied for its contributions to genetic diversity of

the species and to enhance understanding of predation

by mountain lions

, which

frequent canyons in the area. Kanab Creek's Hack Canyon

is one of two canyons where sheep were extirpated and

reintroduced in the 1980s, and the population there is

studied for its contributions to genetic diversity of

the species and to enhance understanding of predation

by mountain lions. Pronghorn, elk, bison, and mountain

lions can be found on and around the area's plateaus,

in addition to mule deer, which travel through the

northwestern and northeastern areas as part of an

important migratory corridor. The sensitive Allen's

lappet-browed

[[Page 55337]]

bat, along with five other sensitive bat species, can

be found in the northeastern and northwestern areas,

and possibly the southern area as well, and the endemic

and sensitive House Rock Valley chisel-toothed kangaroo

rat can be found in the northeastern area. The House

Rock Wildlife Area, part of which falls within the

northeastern area, contains a herd of bison that is an

important contributor to the genetic diversity of bison

populations across the United States. House Rock also

provides a habitat for pronghorn and a winter range for

mule deer.

area. The House

Rock Wildlife Area, part of which falls within the

northeastern area, contains a herd of bison that is an

important contributor to the genetic diversity of bison

populations across the United States. House Rock also

provides a habitat for pronghorn and a winter range for

mule deer.

Cliffs and rock outcrops throughout the landscapes are

home to unique birds including peregrine falcons, bald

eagles, golden eagles, and a reintroduced population of

endangered California condors. The threatened Mexican

spotted owl nests in the northwestern area. Over time,

the area has been scientifically important for

ecological studies of climate change, ecosystem

ecology, vegetation communities, historical fire

regimes, and bat ecology. The area also contains all or

portions of five separate habitat linkages identified

as important to wildlife habitat connectivity and

threatened by development by the Arizona Wildlife

Linkages Workgroup, a working group of public and

private organizations and agencies in Arizona.

In addition to sustaining Indigenous peoples,

vegetation, and wildlife since time immemorial, the

northeastern, northwestern, and southern areas also

have supported more recent Euro-American settlers. For

example, visitors to the northwestern part of this area

can trace the route taken by the 1776 Dominguez-

Escalante expedition in search of a northern route

between Santa Fe and Monterrey

, the

northeastern, northwestern, and southern areas also

have supported more recent Euro-American settlers. For

example, visitors to the northwestern part of this area

can trace the route taken by the 1776 Dominguez-

Escalante expedition in search of a northern route

between Santa Fe and Monterrey. Mormon settlers in the

late 19th century developed the Honeymoon Trail in the

northeastern area to travel between their homes in

Arizona and the temple in St. George, Utah, following

trails used by Tribal Nations to access sites such as

Deer and House Rock Springs.

These settlers, along with early miners, loggers, and

ranchers, left behind scattered remnants of their

presence throughout the areas. Hull Cabin, built in

1889 by sheep ranchers within the southern area and

near the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, is listed on

the National Register of Historic Places. The cabin is

currently maintained for visitors and memorializes the

area's early ranching and early Forest Service

administrative use of the area. The Emerald/Anita mine

and associated Camp Anita, which briefly operated at

the end of the 19th century, evidences Arizona's copper

mining history, while the Apex Logging Camp contains

evidence of the timber industry between 1928 and 1936

and is the focus of ongoing research by an

archaeological field school

/Anita mine

and associated Camp Anita, which briefly operated at

the end of the 19th century, evidences Arizona's copper

mining history, while the Apex Logging Camp contains

evidence of the timber industry between 1928 and 1936

and is the focus of ongoing research by an

archaeological field school. Located at the top of the

steepest grade on the Grand Canyon Railroad line, the

town of Apex was once the headquarters camp of the

Saginaw and Manistee Lumber Company and provided wood

that was used to build the railroad, timber the mines,

and construct the resorts along the South Rim of the

Grand Canyon. Remnants of these structures, such as the

foundation of a one-room school house constructed from

two converted box cars, building platforms, domestic

trash scatters, and railroad beds can still be seen

today and help tell the story of Apex and its outlying

camps, which between 1928 and 1936 provided a home for

lumberjacks and locomotive crews.

The southern area also includes three other noteworthy

historic sites: The decommissioned Red Butte Airfield,

which is listed on the National Register of Historic

Places, operated in the 1920s to bring visitors,

including celebrities like Amelia Earhart, Charles

Lindbergh, and Will Rogers, to view the wonders of the

Grand Canyon. The Grandview Lookout Tower and its two-

room cabin, located near the South Rim of the Grand

Canyon, were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps

in 1936 to aid the Forest Service and the National Park

Service in detecting wildland fires

Lindbergh, and Will Rogers, to view the wonders of the

Grand Canyon. The Grandview Lookout Tower and its two-

room cabin, located near the South Rim of the Grand

Canyon, were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps

in 1936 to aid the Forest Service and the National Park

Service in detecting wildland fires. And the Tusayan

Ranger Station, which is also listed on the National

Register of Historic Places, comprises six historic

buildings constructed between 1939 and 1942, including

a house, a barn, and a corral.

Protecting the areas to the northeast, northwest, and

south of the Grand Canyon will preserve an important

spiritual, cultural, prehistoric, and historic

[[Page 55338]]

legacy; maintain a diverse array of natural and

scientific resources; and help ensure that the

prehistoric, historic, and scientific value of the

areas endures for the benefit of all Americans. As

described above, the areas contain numerous objects of

historic and scientific interest, and they provide

exceptional outdoor recreational opportunities,

including hiking, hunting, fishing, biking, horseback

riding, backpacking, scenic driving, and wildlife-

viewing, all of which are important to the travel- and

tourism-based economy of the region.

of

historic and scientific interest, and they provide

exceptional outdoor recreational opportunities,

including hiking, hunting, fishing, biking, horseback

riding, backpacking, scenic driving, and wildlife-

viewing, all of which are important to the travel- and

tourism-based economy of the region.

WHEREAS, section 320301 of title 54, United States Code

(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; and

WHEREAS, the landscapes of the areas to the northeast,

northwest, and south of the Grand Canyon have been

profoundly sacred to Tribal Nations and Indigenous

peoples of the Southwest since time immemorial; and

WHEREAS, I find that the unique historic and scientific

characteristics of the landscapes, and the collection

of objects and resources therein, make the landscapes

more than the mere sum of their parts, and thus the

entire landscapes within the boundaries of each area

reserved by this proclamation are themselves objects of

historic and scientific interest in need of protection

under section 320301 of title 54, United States Code;

and

ein, make the landscapes

more than the mere sum of their parts, and thus the

entire landscapes within the boundaries of each area

reserved by this proclamation are themselves objects of

historic and scientific interest in need of protection

under section 320301 of title 54, United States Code;

and

WHEREAS, I find that all the objects identified above

are objects of historic or scientific interest in need

of protection under section 320301 of title 54, United

States Code, regardless of whether they are expressly

identified as objects of historic or scientific

interest in the text of this proclamation; and

WHEREAS, I find that there are threats to the objects

identified above, and, in the absence of a reservation

under the Antiquities Act, these objects are not

adequately protected by the current withdrawal,

administrative designations, or otherwise applicable

law because current protections do not require

executive departments and agencies (agencies) to ensure

the proper care and management of the objects and some

objects fall outside of the boundaries of the current

withdrawal; thus a national monument reserving the

lands identified herein is necessary to protect the

objects of historic and scientific interest identified

above for current and future generations; and

the proper care and management of the objects and some

objects fall outside of the boundaries of the current

withdrawal; thus a national monument reserving the

lands identified herein is necessary to protect the

objects of historic and scientific interest identified

above 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 proper care and management of

the objects of scientific or historic interest

identified above, as required by the Antiquities Act,

including the landscapes within the boundaries of the

three areas reserved and, independently, the collection

of objects within those landscapes; and

WHEREAS, it is in the public interest to ensure the

preservation, restoration, and protection of the

objects of scientific and historic interest identified

above, including the entire landscapes within the

boundaries reserved 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 that

are situated upon lands and interests in lands owned or

controlled by the Federal Government to be the Baaj

Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni--Ancestral Footprints of the

Grand Canyon National Monument (monument) and, for the

purpose of protecting those objects, reserve as part

thereof all lands and interests in lands that are owned

or controlled by the Federal Government wit

controlled by the Federal Government to be the Baaj

Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni--Ancestral Footprints of the

Grand Canyon National Monument (monument) and, for the

purpose of protecting those objects, reserve as part

thereof all lands and interests in lands that are owned

or controlled by the Federal Government within the

boundaries described on the accompanying map, which is

attached

[[Page 55339]]

hereto and forms a part of this proclamation. These

reserved Federal lands and interests in lands encompass

approximately 917,618 acres. As a result of the

distribution of the objects across the Baaj Nwaavjo

I'tah Kukveni--Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon

areas, and additionally and independently, because the

landscapes within each of the three monument areas are

objects of scientific and historic interest 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.

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

or laws applicable to the Forest Service, other than by

exchange that furthers the protective purposes of the

monument; from location, entry, and patent under the

mining laws; and from disposition under all laws

relating to mineral and geothermal leasing.

sale, or other disposition under the public land laws

or laws applicable to the Forest Service, other than by

exchange that furthers the protective purposes of the

monument; from location, entry, and patent under the

mining laws; and from disposition under all laws

relating to mineral and geothermal leasing.

This proclamation is subject to valid existing rights.

If the Federal Government subsequently acquires any

lands or interests in lands not currently 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 of the type

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 construed to

alter the valid existing water rights of any party,

including the United States, or to alter or affect

agreements governing the management and administration

of the Colorado River, including any existing

interstate water compact.

Government.

Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to

alter the valid existing water rights of any party,

including the United States, or to alter or affect

agreements governing the management and administration

of the Colorado River, including any existing

interstate water compact.

The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of

Agriculture (Secretaries) shall manage the monument

through the BLM and Forest Service, respectively, in

accordance with the terms, conditions, and management

direction provided by this proclamation. The Forest

Service shall manage the portion of the monument within

the boundaries of the National Forest System and the

BLM shall manage the remainder of the monument. The

lands administered by the Forest Service shall be

managed as part of the Kaibab National Forest. The

lands administered by the BLM shall be managed as a

unit of the National Landscape Conservation System.

For purposes of protecting and restoring the objects

identified above, the Secretaries shall jointly prepare

a management plan for the monument and shall promulgate

such rules and regulations for the management of the

monument as they deem appropriate for those purposes.

The Secretaries, through the BLM and Forest Service,

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 management of the

monument as they deem appropriate for those purposes.

The Secretaries, through the BLM and Forest Service,

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. In promulgating any management rules

and regulations governing National Forest System lands

within the monument and developing the management plan,

the Secretary of Agriculture, through the Forest

Service, shall consult with the Secretary of the

Interior, through the BLM.

The Secretaries shall provide for maximum public

involvement in the development of the management plan,

as well as consultation with federally recognized

Tribal Nations and conferral with State and local

governments. In preparing the management plan, the

Secretaries shall take into account, to the maximum

extent practicable, maintaining the undeveloped

character of the lands within the monument; minimizing

impacts from surface-disturbing activities; providing

appropriate access for livestock grazing, recreation,

hunting, fishing, dispersed camping, wildlife

management, and scientific research; and emphasizing

the retention of natural quiet, dark night skies and

scenic attributes of the landscape. In the development

and implementation of the management plan, the

Secretaries shall maximize opportunities, pursuant to

applicable legal authorities, for shared resources,

operational

[[Page 55340]]

phasizing

the retention of natural quiet, dark night skies and

scenic attributes of the landscape. In the development

and implementation of the management plan, the

Secretaries shall maximize opportunities, pursuant to

applicable legal authorities, for shared resources,

operational

[[Page 55340]]

efficiency, and cooperation, and shall, to the maximum

extent practicable, carefully incorporate the

Indigenous Knowledge or special expertise offered by

Tribal Nations and work with Tribal Nations to

appropriately protect that knowledge.

The Secretaries shall explore opportunities for Tribal

Nations to participate in co-stewardship of the

monument; explore entering into cooperative agreements

or, pursuant to the Indian Self-Determination and

Education Assistance Act, 25 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.,

contracts with Tribes or Tribal organizations to

perform administrative or management functions within

the monument; and explore providing technical and

financial assistance to improve the capacity of Tribal

Nations to develop, enter into, and carry out

activities under such cooperative agreements or

contracts. The Secretaries shall further explore

opportunities for funding agreements with Tribal

Nations relating to the management and protection of

traditional cultural properties and other culturally

significant programming associated with the monument.

activities under such cooperative agreements or

contracts. The Secretaries shall further explore

opportunities for funding agreements with Tribal

Nations relating to the management and protection of

traditional cultural properties and other culturally

significant programming associated with the monument.

The Secretaries shall consider appropriate mechanisms

to provide for temporary closures to the general public

of specific portions of the monument to protect the

privacy of cultural, religious, and gathering

activities of members of Tribal Nations.

The Secretaries, through the BLM and Forest Service,

shall establish an advisory committee under the Federal

Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. 1001 et seq., to

provide information and advice regarding the

development of the management plan and, as appropriate,

management of the monument. The advisory committee

shall consist of a fair and balanced representation of

interested stakeholders, including the Arizona Game and

Fish Department; other State agencies and local

governments; Tribal Nations; recreational users;

conservation organizations; wildlife, hunting, and

fishing organizations; the scientific community; the

ranching community; business owners; and the general

public in the region.

g the Arizona Game and

Fish Department; other State agencies and local

governments; Tribal Nations; recreational users;

conservation organizations; wildlife, hunting, and

fishing organizations; the scientific community; the

ranching community; business owners; and the general

public in the region.

In recognition of the importance of collaboration with

Tribal Nations to the proper care and management of the

objects identified above, and to ensure that management

of the monument reflects tribal expertise and

Indigenous Knowledge, a Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni--

Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon Commission

(Commission) is hereby established to provide guidance

and recommendations on the development and

implementation of the management plan and on the

management of the monument. The Commission shall

consist of one elected officer each from any Tribal

Nation with ancestral ties to the area that has entered

a cooperative agreement or similar arrangement with the

Secretaries, through the BLM or Forest Service, in

which the Tribal Nation and the Secretaries agree to

co-stewardship of the monument through shared

responsibilities or administration; has expressed, by

Tribal resolution, an intention to join the Commission;

and has designated an elected officer as the respective

Tribe's representative

ervice, in

which the Tribal Nation and the Secretaries agree to

co-stewardship of the monument through shared

responsibilities or administration; has expressed, by

Tribal resolution, an intention to join the Commission;

and has designated an elected officer as the respective

Tribe's representative. The Commission may adopt such

procedures as it deems necessary to govern its

activities, so that it may effectively partner with

agencies by making continuing contributions to inform

decisions regarding the management of the monument. The

Secretaries shall explore opportunities to provide

support to the Commission to enable participation in

the planning and management of the monument.

The Secretaries shall meaningfully engage the

Commission, or, should the Commission no longer exist,

the relevant Tribal Nations through some other entity

composed of one elected Tribal government officer from

each of the Tribes represented on the Commission

(comparable entity), in the development of the

management plan and to inform the subsequent management

of the monument. To that end, the Secretaries shall, in

developing, revising, or amending the management plan,

carefully and fully consider integrating the Indigenous

Knowledge and special expertise of the members of the

Commission or comparable entity. The management plan

for the monument shall also set forth parameters for

continued meaningful engagement with

[[Page 55341]]

the Commission or comparable entity in the

implementation of the management plan.

ous

Knowledge and special expertise of the members of the

Commission or comparable entity. The management plan

for the monument shall also set forth parameters for

continued meaningful engagement with

[[Page 55341]]

the Commission or comparable entity in the

implementation of the management plan.

Nothing in this proclamation shall be deemed to alter,

modify, abrogate, enlarge, or diminish the rights or

jurisdiction of any Tribal Nation. The Secretaries

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 shall 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), the Religious Freedom

Restoration Act (42 U.S.C. 2000bb et seq.), Executive

Order 13007 of May 24, 1996 (Indian Sacred Sites), and

the November 10, 2021, Memorandum of Understanding

Regarding Interagency Coordination and Collaboration

for the Protection of Indigenous Sacred Sites. Such

uses shall include, but are not limited to, the

collection of medicines, berries, plants and other

vegetation for cradle boards and other purposes, and

firewood for ceremonial practices and personal

noncommercial use, so long as each use is carried out

in a manner consistent with the proper care and

management of the objects identified above.

e

collection of medicines, berries, plants and other

vegetation for cradle boards and other purposes, and

firewood for ceremonial practices and personal

noncommercial use, so long as each use is carried out

in a manner consistent with the proper care and

management of the objects identified above.

Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to

preclude the renewal or assignment of, or interfere

with the operation, maintenance, replacement,

modification, upgrade, or access to, existing or

previously approved flood control, utility, pipeline,

and telecommunications sites or facilities; roads or

highway corridors; seismic monitoring facilities;

wildlife management structures; or water

infrastructure, including wildlife water developments

or water district facilities, within the boundaries of

existing or previously approved authorizations within

the monument. Existing or previously approved flood

control, utility, pipeline, telecommunications, and

seismic monitoring facilities; roads or highway

corridors; wildlife management structures; and water

infrastructure, including wildlife water developments

or water district facilities, may be expanded, and new

facilities of such kind may be constructed, to the

extent consistent with the proper care and management

of the objects identified above and subject to the

Secretaries' authorities, other applicable law, and the

provisions of this proclamation related to roads and

trails.

may be expanded, and new

facilities of such kind may be constructed, to the

extent consistent with the proper care and management

of the objects identified above and subject to the

Secretaries' authorities, other applicable law, and the

provisions of this proclamation related to roads and

trails.

For purposes of protecting and restoring the objects

identified above, the Secretaries shall prepare a

transportation plan that designates the roads and

trails on which motorized and non-motorized mechanized

vehicle use, including mountain biking, will be

allowed. The transportation plan shall include

management decisions, including road closures and

travel restrictions consistent with applicable law,

necessary to protect the objects identified in this

proclamation. Except for emergency purposes, authorized

administrative purposes, wildlife management conducted

by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, and the

retrieval of legally harvested elk and bison, which are

otherwise consistent with applicable law, motorized

vehicle use in the monument may be permitted only on

roads and trails documented as existing in BLM and

Forest Service route inventories that exist as of the

date of this proclamation. Any additional roads or

trails designated for motorized vehicle use must be

designated only for public safety needs or the

protection of the objects identified above.

roads and trails documented as existing in BLM and

Forest Service route inventories that exist as of the

date of this proclamation. Any additional roads or

trails designated for motorized vehicle use must be

designated only for public safety needs or the

protection of the objects identified above.

The Secretaries shall explore mechanisms, consistent

with applicable law, to enable the protection of

Indigenous Knowledge or other information relating to

the nature and specific location of cultural resources

within the monument and, to the extent practicable,

shall explain any limitations on the ability to protect

such information from disclosure before it is shared

with agencies.

Nothing in this proclamation shall be deemed to

prohibit grazing pursuant to existing leases or permits

within the monument, or the renewal or assignment of

such leases or permits, which the BLM and Forest

Service shall continue to manage pursuant to their

respective laws, regulations, and policies.

[[Page 55342]]

Nothing in this proclamation shall affect the BLM's or

Forest Service's ability to authorize access to and

remediation or monitoring of contaminated lands within

the monument, including for remediation of mine, mill,

or tailing sites, or for the restoration of natural

resources.

s.

[[Page 55342]]

Nothing in this proclamation shall affect the BLM's or

Forest Service's ability to authorize access to and

remediation or monitoring of contaminated lands within

the monument, including for remediation of mine, mill,

or tailing sites, or for the restoration of natural

resources.

Nothing in this proclamation shall preclude low-level

overflights of military aircraft, flight testing or

evaluation, the designation of new units of special use

airspace, the use or establishment of military flight

training routes, or low-level overflights and landings

for wildlife management conducted by the Arizona Game

and Fish Department over the lands reserved by this

proclamation. Nothing in this proclamation shall

preclude air or ground access to existing or new

electronic tracking communications sites associated

with special use airspace and military training routes.

Nothing in this proclamation shall be deemed to enlarge

or diminish the jurisdiction or authority of the State

of Arizona with respect to fish and wildlife

management, including hunting and fishing, on the lands

reserved by this proclamation, or to affect the State's

access to the monument for wildlife management,

including access prior to and during the development of

the management and transportation plans provided for

above

ct to fish and wildlife

management, including hunting and fishing, on the lands

reserved by this proclamation, or to affect the State's

access to the monument for wildlife management,

including access prior to and during the development of

the management and transportation plans provided for

above. The Secretaries shall seek to develop and

implement science-based habitat and ecological

restoration projects within the monument and shall seek

to collaborate with the State of Arizona on wildlife

management within the monument, including through the

development of new, or the continuation of existing,

memoranda of understanding with the Arizona Game and

Fish Department.

The Secretaries may carry out vegetative management

treatments within the monument to the extent consistent

with the proper care and management of the objects

identified above, with a focus on addressing ecological

restoration; wildlife connectivity; or the risk of

wildfire, insect infestation, invasive species, or

disease that would endanger the objects identified in

this proclamation or imperil public safety. Nothing in

this proclamation shall be construed to alter the

authority of any party with respect to the use of

prescribed fire within the monument.

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.

lter the

authority of any party with respect to the use of

prescribed fire within the monument.

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.

[[Page 55343]]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this

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

thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of the

United States of America the two hundred and forty-

eighth.

(Presidential Sig.)

Billing code 3395-F3-P

[[Page 55344]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TD15AU23.007

[FR Doc. 2023-17628

Filed 8-14-23; 8:45 am]

Billing code 4310-10-C