[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 60 (Thursday, March 28, 2013)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 18783-18787]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-07406]




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  Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 60 / Thursday, March 28, 2013 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 18783]]


                Proclamation 8946 of March 25, 2013

                
Establishment of the R[iacute]o Grande del Norte 
                National Monument

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                In far northern New Mexico, the R[iacute]o Grande Wild 
                and Scenic River flows through a deep gorge at the edge 
                of the stark and sweeping expanse of the Taos Plateau. 
                Volcanic cones, including the Cerro de la Olla, Cerro 
                San Antonio, and Cerro del Yuta, jut up from this 
                surrounding plateau. Canyons, volcanic cones, wild 
                rivers, and native grasslands harbor vital wildlife 
                habitat, unique geologic resources, and imprints of 
                human passage through the landscape over the past 
                10,000 years. This extraordinary landscape of extreme 
                beauty and daunting harshness is known as the 
                R[iacute]o Grande del Norte, and its extraordinary 
                array of scientific and historic resources offer 
                opportunities to develop our understanding of the 
                forces that shaped northern New Mexico, including the 
                diverse ecological systems and human cultures that 
                remain present today.

                For millennia, humans have seasonally passed through 
                the R[iacute]o Grande del Norte, gathering resources 
                and finding spiritual meaning in its dramatic geologic 
                features. Although few have attempted to live year-
                round in this harsh landscape, the images carved into 
                the gorge's dark basalt cliffs and the artifacts 
                scattered across the forested slopes of the volcanic 
                cones bear ample testimony to the human use of the 
                area.

                The R[iacute]o Grande gorge lies within the traditional 
                area of the nearby Taos and Picuris Pueblos, as well as 
                the Jicarilla Apache and Ute Tribes, and hosts a 
                dazzling array of rock art. Carved into the boulders 
                and cliffs are hundreds of images ranging from 
                seemingly abstract swirls and dots to clear depictions 
                of human and animal figures. Dense collections of 
                petroglyphs are found near the hot springs that bubble 
                up in the deep heart of the gorge, with some dating 
                back to the Archaic Period (ca. 7,500 B.C.-500 A.D.). 
                In addition to petroglyphs, these lands harbor small 
                hunting blinds, pit houses, chipping stations, 
                potsherds, tools and projectile points, as well as 
                large ceramic vessels. The area is home to a rich array 
                of archaeological resources that represent diverse 
                cultural traditions. Archeological resources are found 
                throughout the proposed monument, with its rugged 
                terrain serving as the focal point for ongoing 
                archaeological research. More recent artifacts and 
                images mark the passage of settlers and Hispanic 
                explorers dating back to the early 18th century. 
                Ongoing explorations and inquiries of this unique 
                cultural landscape have resulted in continuous 
                discoveries that further illuminate northern New 
                Mexico's human history.

                Separated from the R[iacute]o Grande Wild and Scenic 
                River by a broad swath of sagebrush and grassland, the 
                R[iacute]o San Antonio gorge is another area of 
                concentrated artifact and petroglyph sites. People were 
                drawn to this area by the flowing water, hunting 
                opportunities, and nearby San Antonio Mountain, which 
                is thought to have been a major regional source for the 
                dacite used by nomadic peoples to create stone tools 
                thousands of years ago. This corner of the R[iacute]o 
                Grande del Norte landscape was traversed by traders and 
                other travelers during the 18th and 19th centuries, who 
                traded furs and other goods and later brought woolen 
                articles from New Mexico's sheep grazing communities to 
                markets throughout the Southwest.

[[Page 18784]]

                Between the R[iacute]o Grande gorge and the R[iacute]o 
                San Antonio gorge stretches a sweeping and austere 
                expanse of the Taos Plateau. The R[iacute]o Grande del 
                Norte landscape is a testament to the geologic past of 
                New Mexico and the 70 million year tectonic history of 
                the R[iacute]o Grande Rift, one of the world's major 
                rift systems. Composed of Servilleta lava basalts and 
                rhyolites, the Taos Plateau has long been a center of 
                research in geology and volcanology. Rising in stark 
                contrast from the plateau's broad expanse, Cerro de la 
                Olla, Cerro San Antonio, and other volcanic cones 
                provide visible reminders of the area's volatile past. 
                Cerro del Yuta, or Ute Mountain, the tallest of these 
                extinct volcanoes, rises above the plateau to an 
                elevation topping 10,000 feet. Springs within the 
                R[iacute]o Grande gorge have been measured emitting 
                6,000 gallons of water per minute into the river bed 
                and are thought to be part of a flooded lava tube 
                system.

                This northern New Mexico landscape also exhibits 
                significant ecological diversity in these different 
                geologic areas. From the cottonwood and willows along 
                the R[iacute]o Grande corridor, to the expansive 
                sagebrush plains above the gorge on the Taos Plateau, 
                the pi[ntilde]ons at the base of Ute Mountain, and the 
                spruce, aspen, and Douglas fir covering the mountain's 
                northern slopes, the diversity of both ecosystems and 
                species allows for, and has been the subject of, 
                substantial scientific research.

                The R[iacute]o Grande gorge connects the northern 
                reaches of the river's watershed with its middle and 
                lower stretches. Deep within the gorge, beneath soaring 
                cliffs that rise hundreds of feet above the river, 
                stands of willow and cottonwood thrive in riparian and 
                canyon ecosystems that have been present since the 
                river first appeared in the R[iacute]o Grande Rift 
                Valley. The river provides habitat for fish such as the 
                R[iacute]o Grande cutthroat trout as well as the 
                recently reintroduced North American river otter. The 
                R[iacute]o Grande del Norte is part of the Central 
                Migratory Flyway, a vital migration corridor for birds 
                such as Canada geese, herons, sandhill cranes, 
                hummingbirds, and American avocets. Several species of 
                bats make their home in the gorge, which also provides 
                important nesting habitat for golden eagles and 
                numerous other raptor species, as well as habitat for 
                the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher.

                Bald eagles roost above the river in winter and fly out 
                over the Taos Plateau's sagebrush shrub habitat and 
                native grasslands, which stretch for thousands of acres 
                to the west. The vast plateau harbors a significant 
                diversity of mammals and birds, from the eagles, hawks, 
                falcons, and owls soaring above the plateau to the 
                small mammals on which they prey. Many other bird 
                species, including Merriam's turkey, scaled quail, 
                mourning dove, mountain plover, and loggerhead shrike, 
                can be seen or heard on the plateau. Large mammals, 
                including the Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer, pronghorn, 
                and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, find their winter 
                homes on the plateau alongside a population of rare 
                Gunnison's prairie dogs. The R[iacute]o Grande del 
                Norte also provides habitat for many species of 
                predators, including the ringtail, black bear, coyote, 
                red fox, cougar, and bobcat.

                While diverse peoples have used this area 
                intermittently for thousands of years, its challenging 
                conditions make it inhospitable for permanent 
                settlement. In an area near the forested slopes of 
                Cerro Montoso, however, a group of eastern homesteaders 
                attempted to make a living in the years immediately 
                following World War I. The nearly forgotten story of 
                this fleeting community, recently revealed through 
                detailed historical research, is written on the 
                landscape by the remnants of homes, root cellars, 
                cistern-style water catchments, and cast metal toys. At 
                one site, researchers have found several World War I 
                brass uniform buttons, evidence of the veterans who 
                once made their homes on this rugged land.

                The protection of the R[iacute]o Grande del Norte will 
                preserve its cultural, prehistoric, and historic legacy 
                and maintain its diverse array of natural and 
                scientific resources, ensuring that the historic and 
                scientific values of this area remain for the benefit 
                of all Americans.

[[Page 18785]]

                WHEREAS section 2 of the Act of June 8, 1906 (34 Stat. 
                225, 16 U.S.C. 431) (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 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 is in the public interest to preserve the 
                objects of scientific and historic interest on the 
                R[iacute]o Grande del Norte lands;

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the 
                United States of America, by the authority vested in me 
                by section 2 of the Antiquities Act, hereby proclaim, 
                set apart, and reserve as the R[iacute]o Grande del 
                Norte National Monument (monument), the objects 
                identified above and all lands and interest in lands 
                owned or controlled by the Government of the United 
                States 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 encompass approximately 242,555 
                acres, which is the smallest area compatible with the 
                proper care and management of the objects to be 
                protected.

                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, leasing, or other disposition under the public 
                land laws, including 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 this proclamation.

                The establishment of this monument is subject to valid 
                existing rights. Lands and interests in lands within 
                the monument's boundaries not owned or controlled by 
                the United States shall be reserved as part of the 
                monument upon acquisition of ownership or control by 
                the United States.

                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, pursuant to applicable legal authorities, 
                including the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (82 Stat. 906, 
                16 U.S.C. 1271 et seq.), to implement the purposes of 
                this proclamation.

                For purposes of protecting and restoring the objects 
                identified above, the Secretary, through the BLM, shall 
                prepare and maintain a management plan for the monument 
                and shall provide for maximum public involvement in the 
                development of that plan including, but not limited to, 
                consultation with tribal, State, and local governments 
                as well as community land grant and acequia 
                associations.

                Except for emergency or authorized administrative 
                purposes, motorized vehicle use in the monument shall 
                be permitted only on designated roads and non-motorized 
                mechanized vehicle use shall be permitted only on 
                designated roads and trails.

                Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to 
                preclude the Secretary from renewing or authorizing the 
                upgrading of existing utility line rights-of-way within 
                the physical scope of each such right-of-way that 
                exists on the date of this proclamation. Additional 
                utility line rights-of-way or upgrades outside the 
                existing utility line rights-of-way may only be 
                authorized if consistent with the care and management 
                of the objects identified above.

                Nothing in this proclamation shall be deemed to enlarge 
                or diminish the rights of any Indian tribe or pueblo. 
                The Secretary shall, in consultation with Indian 
                tribes, ensure the protection of religious and cultural 
                sites in the monument and provide access to the sites 
                by members of Indian

[[Page 18786]]

                tribes for traditional cultural and customary uses, 
                consistent with the American Indian Religious Freedom 
                Act (92 Stat. 469, 42 U.S.C. 1996) and Executive Order 
                13007 of May 24, 1996 (Indian Sacred Sites).

                Laws, regulations, and policies followed by the BLM in 
                issuing and administering grazing permits or leases on 
                lands under its jurisdiction shall continue to apply 
                with regard to the lands in the monument, consistent 
                with the purposes of this proclamation.

                Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to 
                alter or affect the R[iacute]o Grande Compact between 
                the States of Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas, or to 
                create any reservation of water in the monument.

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

                Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to 
                preclude the traditional collection of firewood and 
                pi[ntilde]on nuts in the monument for personal non-
                commercial use consistent with the purposes of this 
                proclamation.

                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.

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

Billing code 3295-F3



[[Page 18787]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TD28MR13.010


[FR Doc. 2013-07406
Filed 3-27-13; 8:45 am]

Billing code 4310-10-C
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