Vermilion Cliffs National Monument

Impact dates

1. Date TBD

   Transportation plan addressing road closures and travel restrictions

Key directives

• Designate approximately 293,000 acres as Vermilion Cliffs National Monument
• Withdraw federal lands from all forms of entry, location, selection, sale, leasing under public land laws
• Withdraw from mining laws and mineral/geothermal leasing laws
• Prohibit all motorized and mechanized vehicle use off road except emergency or authorized administrative purposes
• Secretary of the Interior to manage monument through Bureau of Land Management
• Secretary of the Interior to prepare transportation plan addressing road closures and travel restrictions
• Secretary to work with State authorities to ensure water resources needed for monument purposes are available
• Continue applying BLM grazing permit/lease laws and regulations

Who is ordered

• Secretary of the Interior · Department of the Interior

Timeline

Risks & tensions

• No explicit deadline stated for transportation plan preparation
• Subject to 'valid existing rights' creating potential legal uncertainty
• Non-federal lands only reserved upon US acquisition, leaving gaps in monument boundaries
• Explicit non-reservation of water rights may create future resource conflicts
• Grazing continuation may conflict with conservation objectives