[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 138 (Wednesday, July 19, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41049-41050]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-6350]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of National Natural Landmark Designation for Ashfall 
Fossil Beds, Antelope County, NE

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Public Notice of National Natural Landmark Designation.

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SUMMARY: The Acting Secretary of the Interior has determined that 
Ashfall Fossil Beds, located near Orchard in Antelope County, Nebraska, 
meets the criteria for national significance and has designed this site 
a National Natural Landmark.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Margaret Brooks at 520-670-6501 
extension 232.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 9, 2006, Acting Secretary Lynn 
Scarlett designated Ashfall Fossil Beds, a Nebraska State Historical 
Park, as a National Natural Landmark. Ashfall Fossil Beds meets the 
national significance criteria for a National Natural Landmark because 
it is the only location on earth where large numbers of fossil mammals 
have been found as whole, three-dimensionally preserved skeletons. A 
thick bed of volcanic ash contains hundreds of complete skeletons of 
extinct rhinos, camels, three-toed horses and many other vertebrates 
lying in their death poses in an ancient waterhole. The animals were 
killed and buried by ash from an enormous volcanic eruption some 10 
million years ago. This site is located near Orchard in Antelope County 
and is open to the public.
    The Secretary of the Interior established the National Natural

[[Page 41050]]

Landmark Program in 1962 under the authority of the Historic Sites Act 
of 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461 et seq.). The National Park Service (NPS) 
manages this program using regulations found at 36 CFR part 62. 
Potential natural landmarks are identified in studies by the NPS and 
from other sources, evaluated by expert natural scientists, and, if 
determined nationally significant, designated as landmarks by the 
Secretary of the Interior. When designated, a landmark is included in 
the National Registry of Natural Landmarks, which currently lists 580 
National Natural Landmarks nationwide. Of the 580 listed landmarks, 
half are administered solely by public agencies; i.e., Federal, State, 
county or municipal governments. Nearly one-third are owned solely by 
private parties. The remaining natural landmarks are owned or 
administered by a mixture of public and private owners. Because many 
natural landmarks are privately owned or not managed for public access, 
owner permission must be obtained to visit them. Designation does not 
infer a right of public access.
    National natural landmark designation is not a land withdrawal, 
does not change the ownership of an area and does not dictate activity. 
However, Federal agencies should consider impacts to the unique 
properties of these nationally significant areas in carrying out their 
responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 
4321 et seq.). Designation could result in State or local planning or 
land use implications. National Natural Landmark preservation is made 
possible by the long-term, voluntary commitments of public and private 
owners to protect the outstanding values of the areas. Information on 
the National Natural Landmark Program can be found in 36 CFR part 62 or 
on the Internet at www1.nature.nps.gov/nnl/index.htm.

    Dated: May 22, 2006.
Margaret A. Brooks,
National Natural Landmark Program Manager.
[FR Doc. 06-6350 Filed 7-18-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-M