[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 236 (Thursday, December 9, 2010)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 76611-76612]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-31127]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 236 / Thursday, December 9, 2010 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 76611]]

                Proclamation 8613 of December 6, 2010

                
50th Anniversary of the Arctic National Wildlife 
                Refuge

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Our public lands represent the American spirit and 
                reflect our history, culture, and deep respect for wild 
                and beautiful places. As we celebrate the 50th 
                anniversary of the establishment of the Arctic National 
                Wildlife Refuge, we remember that this breathtaking 
                terrain holds great significance to our Nation. 
                Stretching from the plains of the Arctic Sea to the 
                soaring mountains of the Brooks Range and lush boreal 
                forests of the Alaskan lowlands, the rugged splendor of 
                the Arctic Refuge is among the most profoundly 
                beautiful places in America.

                Following the efforts of visionary conservationists, 
                the Arctic National Wildlife Range was created in 1960 
                by President Dwight D. Eisenhower ``for the purpose of 
                preserving unique wildlife, wilderness, and 
                recreational values.'' In 1980, under President Jimmy 
                Carter, the area was renamed the Arctic National 
                Wildlife Refuge and expanded to further recognize and 
                protect the stunning variety of wildlife in the area. 
                For 50 years, the Fish and Wildlife Service of the 
                Department of the Interior has managed the Arctic 
                National Wildlife Refuge, carefully balancing the needs 
                of wildlife and their vital habitats.

                In the decades since its establishment, the Arctic 
                National Wildlife Refuge has continued to be one of our 
                Nation's most pristine and cherished areas. In the 
                decades to come, it should remain a place where 
                wildlife populations, from roaming herds of caribou to 
                grizzly bears and wolf packs, continue to thrive. The 
                19.6 million acres that comprise the Arctic Refuge are 
                also home to Native American tribes, including the 
                Inupiat and Gwich'in, and the resources of the Refuge 
                sustain these populations and protect their indigenous 
                traditions and way of life.

                Today, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge remains 
                distinct in the American landscape, and we must remain 
                committed to making responsible choices and ensuring 
                the continued conservation of these wild lands.

                Our Nation's great outdoors, whether our stunning 
                national parks and refuges or cherished green spaces in 
                our local communities, are truly a hallmark of our 
                American identity. In commemorating five decades of 
                protection and conservation of the Arctic National 
                Wildlife Refuge, I encourage all Americans to recognize 
                the beauty and diversity of all of America's open 
                spaces. We are all stewards and trustees of this land, 
                and we must ensure that our treasured wilderness and 
                other natural areas will be part of our national 
                heritage for generations to come.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the 
                United States, do hereby proclaim December 6, 2010, as 
                the 50th Anniversary of the Arctic National Wildlife 
                Refuge. I call upon all Americans to observe this 
                anniversary with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and 
                activities.

[[Page 76612]]

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                sixth day of December, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2010-31127
Filed 12-8-10; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-W1-P