Establishment of the Hanford Reach National Monument

President Clinton established the 195,000-acre Hanford Reach National Monument in Washington State under the Antiquities Act to protect scientific, historic, and biological resources, including the last free-flowing stretch of the Columbia River and rare shrub-steppe ecosystems. The proclamation withdraws federal lands from development, prohibits off-road motorized vehicles and livestock grazing, assigns management to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Department of Energy, and reserves water rights while preserving existing utility operations and tribal rights.

Federal Register Open PDF 65 FR 37253

Impact dates

Jun 9, 2000
Proclamation effective; monument established; lands withdrawn; water rights reserved; vehicle and grazing prohibitions take effect

Key directives

Establish Hanford Reach National Monument on approximately 195,000 acres
Withdraw all federal lands from entry, location, selection, sale, leasing under public land laws
Withdraw lands from mining laws and mineral/geothermal leasing
Secretary of Interior and Secretary of Energy shall prohibit off-road motorized/mechanized vehicle use except emergencies or federally authorized purposes
Secretary of Interior shall prohibit livestock grazing
Reserve water quantity in Columbia River sufficient for monument purposes
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to manage monument under agreements with DOE
DOE to manage lands not covered by FWS agreements
Secretary of Energy to consult with Secretary of Interior on management plans for DOE portions
FWS to assume management of DOE lands as they become suitable
Preserve existing utility operations and allow expansion of transmission facilities
DOE environmental remediation responsibilities unaffected

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

National monument established effective date of proclamation (June 9, 2000)
Federal lands withdrawn from entry, sale, leasing, mining, and mineral/geothermal leasing
Water rights in Columbia River reserved
Off-road motorized/mechanized vehicle use prohibited except for emergencies or federally authorized purposes
Livestock grazing prohibited

Near term (90d)

Management agreements between U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Department of Energy to be developed/implemented
Management plans and regulations to be developed by Secretary of Energy for DOE-managed portions

Long term

Gradual transfer of DOE-managed lands to FWS as they become suitable for wildlife management
Ongoing environmental remediation by DOE under existing environmental laws
Long-term ecological protection and scientific study of monument resources

Risks & tensions

Dual management structure between DOE and FWS may create coordination challenges
DOE retains control of contaminated lands during remediation, creating tension between cleanup timeline and conservation goals
Livestock grazing prohibition may generate opposition from ranching interests
Water rights reservation may conflict with state of Washington and other water users
Tribal rights preserved but not defined, leaving potential for future disputes
Utility facility expansion allowed 'as authorized by other applicable law' creates ambiguity about what development is permissible