Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 120.djvu/3850

 Proclamation 8031 of June 15, 2006

Establishment of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

In the Pacific Ocean northwest of the principal islands of Hawaii lies an approximately 1,200 nautical mile stretch of coral islands, seamounts, banks, and shoals. The area, including the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve, the Midway National Wildlife Refuge, the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge, and the Battle of Midway National Memorial, supports a dynamic reef ecosystem with more than 7,000 marine species, of which approximately half are unique to the Hawaiian Island chain. This diverse ecosystem is home to many species of coral, fish, birds, marine mammals, and other flora and fauna including the endangered Hawaiian monk seal, the threatened green sea turtle, and the endangered leatherback and hawksbill sea turtles. In addition, this area has great cultural significance to Native Hawaiians and a connection to early Polynesian culture worthy of protection and understanding.

WHEREAS Executive Order 13089 of June 11, 1998, Executive Order 13178 of December 4, 2000, and Executive Order 13196 of January 18, 2001, as well as the process for designation of a National Marine Sanctuary undertaken by the Secretary of Commerce, have identified objects of historic or scientific interest that are situated upon the lands owned or controlled by the Government of the United States in the area of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands;

WHEREAS section 2 of the Act of June 8, 1906 (34 Stat. 225, 16 U.S.C. 431) (the "Antiquities Act") authorizes the President, in his discretion, to declare by public proclamation historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest that are situated upon lands owned or controlled 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 would be in the public interest to preserve the marine area of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and certain lands as necessary for the care and management of the historic and scientific objects therein,

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by section 2 of the Act of June 8, 1906 (34 Stat. 225, 16 U.S.C. 431), do proclaim that there are hereby set apart and reserved as the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument (the "monument" or "national monument") for the purpose of protecting the objects described above, all lands and interests in lands owned or controlled by the Government of the United States within the boundaries described on the accompanying map entitled "Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument" attached to and forming a part of this proclamation. The Federal land and interests in land reserved includes approximately 139,793 square miles of emergent and submerged lands and waters of