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 Proclamations Proc. 7319 migratory birds, as well as habitat for many resident species. The area is important wintering habitat for bald eagles, white pelicans, and many spe- cies of waterfowl such as mallards, green-winged teal, pintails, goldeneye, gadwall, and buffleheads. The monument's bluff habitats provide valuable nesting sites for several bird species, including prairie falcons, and impor- tant perch sites for raptors such as peregrine falcons. Many species of mammals are also found within the monument, including elk, beaver, badgers, and bobcats. Insect populations, though less con- spicuous, include species that have been lost elsewhere due to habitat con- version, fragmentation, and application of pesticides. A recent biological inventory uncovered 41 species and 2 subspecies of insects new to science and many species not before identified in the State of Washington. Such rich and diverse insect populations are important to supporting the fauna in the monument. In addition to its vital biological resources, the monument contains signifi- cant geological and paleontological objects. The late-Miocene to late-Plio- cene Ringold Formation, known as the White Bluffs, was formed from river and lake sediments deposited by the ancestral Columbia River and its tribu- taries. These striking cliffs form the eastern bank of the Columbia for nearly half of the length of the Reach, and are significant for the mammalian fos- sils that they contain. Fossil remains from rhinoceros, camel, and mas- todon, among others, have been found within these bluffs. The Hanford Dune Field, located on the western shore of the Columbia in the southeastern part of the monument, is also of geologic significance. This active area of migrating barchan dunes and partially stabilized trans- verse dunes rises 10 to 16 feet above the ground, creating sandy habitats ranging from 2 to several hundred acres in size. The monument also contains important archaeological and historic infor- mation. More than 10,000 years of human activity in this largely arid envi- ronment have left extensive archaeological deposits. Areas upland from the river show evidence of concentrated human activity, and recent surveys in- dicate extensive use of arid lowlands for hunting. Hundreds of prehistoric archaeological sites have been recorded, including the remains of pithouses, graves, spirit quest monuments, hunting camps, game drive complexes, quarries, and hunting and kill sites. A number of Native Amer- ican groups still have cultural ties to the monument. The monument also contains some historic structures and other remains from more recent human activities, including homesteads from small towns established along the riverbanks in the early 20th century. Section 2 of the Act of June 8, 1906 (34 Stat. 225, 16 U.S.C. 431), author- izes the President, in his discretion, to declare by public proclamation his- toric landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest that are situated upon the lands owned or con- trolled by the Government of the United States to be national monuments, and to reserve as a part thereof parcels of land, the limits of which in all cases shall be confined to the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the objects to be protected. WHEREAS it appears that it would be in the public interest to reserve such lands as a national monument to be known as the Hanford Reach National Monument: 103

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