Establishment of the Sonoran Desert National Monument

President Clinton established the 486,149-acre Sonoran Desert National Monument in Arizona under the Antiquities Act to protect biological, scientific, and historic resources. The proclamation imposes off-road vehicle restrictions, phases out grazing south of Interstate 8, withdraws lands from mining and mineral leasing, and assigns management to the Bureau of Land Management with a required management plan.

Federal Register Open PDF 66 FR 7354

Impact dates

Date TBD
Grazing permits south of Interstate 8 not renewed at end of current term
Date TBD
Secretary of Interior to prepare management plan with road closures/travel restrictions
Nov 6, 2001
Military withdrawal terminates; Secretary of Interior assumes management of Area A through BLM

Key directives

Establish Sonoran Desert National Monument on approximately 486,149 acres
Prohibit all motorized and mechanized vehicle use off-road except emergency or authorized administrative purposes
Withdraw Federal lands from entry, location, selection, sale, leasing under public land laws
Withdraw from mining laws and mineral/geothermal leasing laws
Secretary of Interior to manage through Bureau of Land Management
Area A managed under Public Law 99-606 section 3 until November 6, 2001, then BLM assumes management
Secretary of Interior to prepare management plan addressing road closures and travel restrictions
Grazing permits south of Interstate 8 not renewed at end of current term
Grazing north of Interstate 8 continues only if BLM determines compatibility with monument protection
Federal land management agencies to work with State authorities on water resources
Maintain current public access procedures for Area A unless Air Force agrees to compatible alternatives

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

Monument establishment takes effect
Off-road motorized/mechanized vehicle prohibition
Withdrawal from entry, location, sale, leasing under public land laws
Withdrawal from mining laws and mineral/geothermal leasing

Near term (90d)

Area A management transfers from military to BLM on November 6, 2001 (≈294 days from signing)
Grazing permits south of Interstate 8 not renewed at end of current terms

Long term

Secretary of Interior to prepare management plan with road closures/travel restrictions
BLM to determine grazing compatibility north of Interstate 8 with monument protection purposes

Risks & tensions

Grazing phase-out south of Interstate 8 will economically impact ranchers; political tension over 'taking' vs conservation
Area A military-to-BLM management transition may create coordination friction with Air Force operations
BLM discretion on grazing compatibility north of Interstate 8 creates implementation uncertainty
Water rights language preserves Federal position but defers to state negotiations, potential future conflict
Low-level military overflights permitted may conflict with wildlife protection goals
Mining and extraction industry opposition to withdrawal from mineral laws likely