Establishment of the California Coastal National Monument

President Clinton established the California Coastal National Monument under the Antiquities Act, permanently protecting all islands, rocks, exposed reefs, and pinnacles above mean high tide within 12 nautical miles of California's 840-mile coastline. The proclamation withdraws these federal lands from development, mining, and mineral leasing, assigning management to the Secretary of the Interior through the Bureau of Land Management.

Federal Register Open PDF 65 FR 2821

Key directives

Establish California Coastal National Monument comprising islands, rocks, exposed reefs, and pinnacles above mean high tide within 12 nautical miles of California shoreline
Withdraw all federal lands within monument boundaries from entry, location, selection, sale, leasing, mining laws, and mineral/geothermal leasing
Reserve non-federal lands for inclusion upon future acquisition by the United States
Assign management to Secretary of the Interior through Bureau of Land Management
Preserve valid existing rights and existing oil/gas lessee rights
Maintain state and federal jurisdiction over submerged lands unchanged

Who is ordered

Secretary of the Interior · Department of the Interior

Timeline

Immediate

Monument designation takes effect upon signing
Federal lands withdrawn from entry, location, sale, leasing, and mining
BLM assumes management responsibility

Near term (90d)

—

Long term

Ongoing BLM management and protection of monument resources
Potential future acquisition of non-federal lands into monument

Risks & tensions

Potential conflict with existing oil/gas interests in territorial waters, though explicitly grandfathered
Non-federal lands require future acquisition before inclusion, creating incomplete protection
Dominant reservation language may create legal ambiguity with pre-existing withdrawals