Establishment of the Pompeys Pillar National Monument

President Clinton used the Antiquities Act to designate approximately 51 acres at Pompeys Pillar, Montana as a national monument, withdrawing federal lands from development and placing them under Bureau of Land Management management. The proclamation protects Native American petroglyphs, Lewis and Clark historical evidence, and pioneer-era inscriptions while preserving existing Crow Tribe mineral rights and Montana fish and wildlife jurisdiction.

Federal Register Open PDF 66 FR 7351

Key directives

Designate Pompeys Pillar National Monument on approximately 51 acres
Withdraw federal lands from all forms of entry, location, selection, sale, leasing, mining, and mineral/geothermal leasing
Secretary of Interior shall manage monument through Bureau of Land Management
Secretary shall work with appropriate State authorities to ensure water resources needed for monument purposes are available
Non-federal lands reserved upon acquisition by United States

Who is ordered

Secretary of the Interior · Department of the Interior

Timeline

Immediate

National monument designation takes effect
Federal lands withdrawn from entry, sale, leasing, mining, and mineral/geothermal disposition
BLM assumes management responsibility

Near term (90d)

Secretary of Interior to coordinate with Montana state authorities on water resource availability for monument purposes

Long term

Ongoing BLM management under applicable legal authorities
Potential acquisition of non-federal lands for inclusion in monument
Long-term preservation of cultural and historical resources

Risks & tensions

Mineral estate held by US in trust for Crow Tribe preserved as 'valid existing right'—potential future conflict if development sought
Water rights deliberately not reserved as federal matter; state coordination required may create jurisdictional friction
'Smallest area compatible' standard used (51 acres) may limit buffer protection against external development pressures