[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 14 (Monday, January 22, 2001)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 7354-7358]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-2102]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2001 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 7354]]


                Proclamation 7397 of January 17, 2001

                
Establishment of the Sonoran Desert National 
                Monument

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                The Sonoran Desert National Monument is a magnificent 
                example of untrammeled Sonoran desert landscape. The 
                area encompasses a functioning desert ecosystem with an 
                extraordinary array of biological, scientific, and 
                historic resources. The most biologically diverse of 
                the North American deserts, the monument consists of 
                distinct mountain ranges separated by wide valleys, and 
                includes large saguaro cactus forest communities that 
                provide excellent habitat for a wide range of wildlife 
                species.

                The monument's biological resources include a 
                spectacular diversity of plant and animal species. The 
                higher peaks include unique woodland assemblages, while 
                the lower elevation lands offer one of the most 
                structurally complex examples of palo verde/mixed cacti 
                association in the Sonoran Desert. The dense stands of 
                leguminous trees and cacti are dominated by saguaros, 
                palo-verde trees, ironwood, prickly pear, and cholla. 
                Important natural water holes, known as tinajas, exist 
                throughout the monument. The endangered acuna pineapple 
                cactus is also found in the monument.

                The most striking aspect of the plant communities 
                within the monument are the abundant saguaro cactus 
                forests. The saguaro is a signature plant of the 
                Sonoran Desert. Individual saguaro plants are indeed 
                magnificent, but a forest of these plants, together 
                with the wide variety of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous 
                plants that make up the forest community, is an 
                impressive site to behold. The saguaro cactus forests 
                within the monument are a national treasure, rivaling 
                those within the Saguaro National Park.

                The rich diversity, density, and distribution of plants 
                in the Sand Tank Mountains area of the monument is 
                especially striking and can be attributed to the 
                management regime in place since the area was withdrawn 
                for military purposes in 1941. In particular, while 
                some public access to the area is allowed, no livestock 
                grazing has occurred for nearly 50 years. To extend the 
                extraordinary diversity and overall ecological health 
                of the Sand Tanks Mountains area, land adjacent and 
                with biological resources similar to the area withdrawn 
                for military purposes should be subject to a similar 
                management regime to the fullest extent possible.

                The monument contains an abundance of packrat middens, 
                allowing for scientific analysis of plant species and 
                climates in past eras. Scientific analysis of the 
                midden shows that the area received far more 
                precipitation 20,000 years ago, and slowly became more 
                arid. Vegetation for the area changed from juniper- 
                oak-pinion pine woodland to the vegetation found today 
                in the Sonoran Desert, although a few plants from the 
                more mesic period, including the Kofa Mountain 
                barberry, Arizona rosewood, and junipers, remain on 
                higher elevations of north-facing slopes.

                The lower elevations and flatter areas of the monument 
                contain the creosote-bursage plant community. This 
                plant community thrives in the open expanses between 
                the mountain ranges, and connects the other plant 
                communities together. Rare patches of desert grassland 
                can also be found throughout the monument, especially 
                in the Sand Tank Mountains area. The washes

[[Page 7355]]

                in the area support a much denser vegetation community 
                than the surrounding desert, including mesquite, 
                ironwood, paloverde, desert honeysuckle, chuperosa, and 
                desert willow, as well as a variety of herbaceous 
                plants. This vegetation offers the dense cover bird 
                species need for successful nesting, foraging, and 
                escape, and birds heavily use the washes during 
                migration.

                The diverse plant communities present in the monument 
                support a wide variety of wildlife, including the 
                endangered Sonoran pronghorn, a robust population of 
                desert bighorn sheep, especially in the Maricopa 
                Mountains area, and other mammalian species such as 
                mule deer, javelina, mountain lion, gray fox, and 
                bobcat. Bat species within the monument include the 
                endangered lesser long-nosed bat, the California leaf-
                nosed bat, and the cave myotis. Over 200 species of 
                birds are found in the monument, including 59 species 
                known to nest in the Vekol Valley area. Numerous 
                species of raptors and owls inhabit the monument, 
                including the elf owl and the western screech owl. The 
                monument also supports a diverse array of reptiles and 
                amphibians, including the Sonoran desert tortoise and 
                the red-backed whiptail. The Bureau of Land Management 
                has designated approximately 25,000 acres of land in 
                the Maricopa Mountains area as critical habitat for the 
                desert tortoise. The Vekol Valley and Sand Tank 
                Mountain areas contain especially diverse and robust 
                populations of amphibians. During summer rainfall 
                events, thousands of Sonoran green toads in the Vekol 
                Valley can be heard moving around and calling out.

                The monument also contains many significant 
                archaeological and historic sites, including rock art 
                sites, lithic quarries, and scattered artifacts. Vekol 
                Wash is believed to have been an important prehistoric 
                travel and trade corridor between the Hohokam and 
                tribes located in what is now Mexico. Signs of large 
                villages and permanent habitat sites occur throughout 
                the area, and particularly along the bajadas of the 
                Table Top Mountains. Occupants of these villages were 
                the ancestors of today's O'odham, Quechan, Cocopah, 
                Maricopa, and other tribes. The monument also contains 
                a much used trail corridor 23 miles long in which are 
                found remnants of several important historic trails, 
                including the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic 
                Trail, the Mormon Battalion Trail, and the Butterfield 
                Overland Stage Route.

                Section 2 of the Act of June 8, 1906 (34 Stat. 225, 16 
                U.S.C. 431), 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 
                Government of the United States to be national 
                monuments, and to reserve as a part thereof parcels of 
                land, the limits of which in all cases shall be 
                confined to the smallest area compatible with the 
                proper care and management of the objects to be 
                protected.

                WHEREAS, it appears that it would be in the public 
                interest to reserve such lands as a national monument 
                to be known as the Sonoran Desert National Monument.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the 
                United States of America, by the authority vested in me 
                by section 2 of the Act of June 8, 1906 (34 Stat. 225, 
                16 U.S.C. 431), do proclaim that there are hereby set 
                apart and reserved as the Sonoran Desert National 
                Monument, for the purpose of protecting the objects 
                identified above, all lands and interest in lands owned 
                or controlled by the United States within the 
                boundaries of the area described on the map entitled 
                ``Sonoran Desert National Monument'' attached to and 
                forming a part of this proclamation. The Federal land 
                and interests in land reserved consist of approximately 
                486,149 acres, which is the smallest area compatible 
                with the proper care and management of the objects to 
                be protected.

                For the purpose of protecting the objects identified 
                above, all motorized and mechanized vehicle use off 
                road will be prohibited, except for emergency or 
                authorized administrative purposes.

[[Page 7356]]

                Nothing in this proclamation shall be deemed to enlarge 
                or diminish the jurisdiction of the State of Arizona 
                with respect to fish and wildlife management.

                The establishment of this monument is subject to valid 
                existing rights.

                All Federal lands and interests in lands within the 
                boundaries of this monument are hereby appropriated and 
                withdrawn from all forms of entry, location, selection, 
                sale, or leasing or other disposition under the public 
                land laws, including but not limited to withdrawal 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. Lands 
                and interests in lands within the monument not owned by 
                the United States shall be reserved as a part of the 
                monument upon acquisition of title thereto by the 
                United States.

                This proclamation does not reserve water as a matter of 
                Federal law nor relinquish any water rights held by the 
                Federal Government existing on this date. The Federal 
                land management agencies shall work with appropriate 
                State authorities to ensure that water resources needed 
                for monument purposes are available.

                The Secretary of the Interior shall manage the monument 
                through the Bureau of Land Management, pursuant to 
                applicable legal authorities, to implement the purposes 
                of this proclamation. That portion identified as Area A 
                on the map, however, shall be managed under the 
                management arrangement established by section 3 of 
                Public Law No. 99-606, 100 Stat. 3460-61, until 
                November 6, 2001, at which time, pursuant to section 
                5(a) of Public Law No. 99-606, 100 Stat. 3462-63, the 
                military withdrawal terminates. At that time, the 
                Secretary of the Interior shall assume management 
                responsibility for Area A through the Bureau of Land 
                Management.

                The Secretary of the Interior shall prepare a 
                management plan that addresses the actions, including 
                road closures or travel restrictions, necessary to 
                protect the objects identified in this proclamation.

                Laws, regulations, and policies followed by the Bureau 
                of Land Management in issuing and administering grazing 
                permits or leases on all lands under its jurisdiction 
                shall continue to apply with regard to the lands in the 
                monument; provided, however, that grazing permits on 
                Federal lands within the monument south of Interstate 
                Highway 8 shall not be renewed at the end of their 
                current term; and provided further, that grazing on 
                Federal lands north of Interstate 8 shall be allowed to 
                continue only to the extent that the Bureau of Land 
                Management determines that grazing is compatible with 
                the paramount purpose of protecting the objects 
                identified in this proclamation.

                Nothing in this proclamation shall be deemed to revoke 
                any existing withdrawal, reservation, or appropriation; 
                however, the national monument shall be the dominant 
                reservation.

                Nothing in this proclamation shall preclude low level 
                overflights of military aircraft, the designation of 
                new units of special use airspace, or the use or 
                establishment of military flight training routes over 
                the lands included in this proclamation.

                In order to protect the public during operations at the 
                adjacent Barry M. Goldwater Range, and to continue 
                management practices that have resulted in an 
                exceptionally well preserved natural resource, the 
                current procedures for public access to the portion of 
                the monument depicted as Area A on the attached map 
                shall remain in full force and effect, except to the 
                extent that the United States Air Force agrees to 
                different procedures which the Bureau of Land 
                Management determines are compatible with the 
                protection of the objects identified in this 
                proclamation.

[[Page 7357]]

                Warning is hereby given to all unauthorized persons not 
                to appropriate, injure, destroy, or remove any feature 
                of this monument and not to locate or settle upon any 
                of the lands thereof.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                seventeenth day of January, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand one, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth.

                    (Presidential Sig.)

Billing code 3195-01-P

[[Page 7358]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TD22JA01.183


[FR Doc. 01-2102 Filed 1-19-01; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-01-C