Proclamation 4615

by Jimmy Carter

By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation

The area of northwest Alaska known as Cape Krusenstern contains an archeological record of great significance. The Cape's bluffs and its series of one hundred fourteen horizontal beach ridges hold an archeological record of every major cultural period associated with habitation of the Alaska coastline in the last 5000 years.

The unglaciated lands lying inland, including the Kakagrak Hills, the Rabbit Creek area and others, have an older archeological record dating back to pre-Eskimo periods of at least 8000 years ago. This continuum of evidence is of great historic and scientific importance in the study of human survival and cultural evolution.

There are in this area examples of other unique natural processes. The climatological conditions are conducive to the formation of Naleds, one spectacular example of which occurs in the area. In the same inland area at Kilikmak Creek is found the only known Alaskan example of a still recognizable Illinoisian glacial esker, a formation which is over 100,000 years old.

The unique geologic process of erosion and sediment transport in this area created and continues to create the beach ridges in which is preserved the archeological record of the beach civilizations. Also found in the area is a wide variety of plant and animal species, from the marine life along the shoreline and its lagoons to the inland populations such as musk-oxen, Dall sheep, caribou and many smaller species.

The land withdrawn and reserved by this Proclamation for the protection of the geological, archeological, biological and other phenomena enumerated above supports now, as it has in the past, the unique subsistence culture of the local residents. The continued existence of this culture, which depends on subsistence hunting, and its availability for study, enhance the historic and scientific values of the natural objects protected herein because of the ongoing interaction of the subsistence culture with those objects. Accordingly, the opportunity for the local residents to engage in subsistence hunting is a value to be protected and will continue under the administration of the monument.

Section 2 of the Act of June 8, 1906 (34 Stat. 225, 16 U.S.C. 431), 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 the lands owned or controlled by the Government of the United States to be national monuments, and to reserve as 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.

Now, THEREFORE, I, JIMMY CARTER, 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 Cape Krusenstern National Monument all lands, including submerged lands, and waters owned or controlled by the United States within the boundaries of the area depicted as the Cape Krusenstern National Monument on the map numbered CAKR-90,008 attached to and forming a part of this Proclamation. The area reserved consists of approximately 560,000 acres, and is the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the objects to be protected. Lands, including submerged lands, and waters within these boundaries not owned by the United States shall be reserved as a part of the monument upon acquisition of title thereto by the United States.

All lands, including submerged lands, and all waters within the boundaries of this monument are hereby appropriated and withdrawn from entry, location, selection, sale or other disposition under the public land laws, other than exchange. There is also reserved all water necessary to the proper care and management of those objects protected by this monument and for the proper administration of the monument in accordance with applicable laws.

The establishment of this monument is subject to valid existing rights, including, but not limited to, valid selections under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, as amended (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), and under or confirmed in the Alaska Statehood Act (48 U.S.C. Note preceding Section 21).

Nothing in this Proclamation shall be deemed to revoke any existing withdrawal under Section 17(d)(1) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1616(d) (1)); however, the national monument shall be the dominant reservation. Nothing in this Proclamation is intended to modify or revoke the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding dated September 1, 1972, entered into between the State of Alaska and the United States as part of the negotiated settlement of Alaska v. Morton, Civil No. A-48-72 (D. Alaska, Complaint filed April 10, 1972).

The Secretary of the Interior shall promulgate such regulations as are appropriate, including regulation of the opportunity to engage in a subsistence lifestyle by local residents. The Secretary may close the national monument, or any portion thereof, to subsistence uses of a particular fish, wildlife or plant population if necessary for reasons of public safety, administration, or to ensure the natural stability or continued viability of such population.

Warning is hereby given to all unauthorized persons not to appropriate, injure, destroy or remove any feature of this monument and not to locate or settle upon any of the lands thereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of December, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and seventy-eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and third.

JIMMY CARTER

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 2:57 p.m., December 1, 1978]