Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument

Papahānaumokuākea Alaka‘i ‘Ahahu‘i (PA‘A)

Establishment of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument

Following a tradition started by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1909, on June 15, 2006, President George W. Bush established the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument, setting apart 139,793 square miles of federal lands and waters to protect the area’s significant natural, cultural, and historic resources. The monument will be managed by the Department of the Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in close coordination with the State of Hawai‘i.

Included within the National Monument are two National Wildlife Refuges: the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge extending from Nihoa Island to Pearl and Hermes Atoll, and Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge. Midway Atoll also is designated as the Battle of Midway National Memorial. The National Monument also includes the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve administered by NOAA and the State Marine Refuge managed by the State of Hawai‘i.

Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Management Plan

The management plan files are very large. If you are having difficulty viewing the files in your browser, right click on the file and choose "save target as" - this allows you to save the file to your hard drive for easier viewing or you may download the individual chapters.

Volume I - Draft Monument Management Plan

• Chapter 1 - Introduction
• Chapter 2 - Management Framework
• Chapter 3 - Action Plans
• Chapter 4 - Glossary and References

Volume II - Environmental Assessment

• Chapter 1 - Introduction
• Chapter 2 - Affected Environment
• Chapter 3 - Environmental Consequences
• Chapter 4 - Other Required NEPA Analysis
• Chapter 5 - Agency and Public Participation
• Chapter 6 - References
• Chapter 7- List of Preparers
• Appendix A - Cultural Impact Assessment

Volume III - Appendices: Supporting Documents and References

• Appendix A - Permitting Process
• Appendix B - Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge Draft Conceptual Site Plan
• Appendix C - Midway Atoll Draft Visitor Services Plan
• Appendix D - FWS Compatibility Determinations
• Appendix E - Maintenance of Wilderness Character of the Proposed Hawaiian Islands Wilderness
• Appendix F - Presidential Proclamations 8031 and 8112
• Appendix G - Monument Regulations
• Appendix H - Monument Memorandum of Agreement
• Appendix I - Operational Protocols and Best Management Practices

Volume IV - Midway Atoll NWR Conceptual Site Plan

As part of the planning process, we invited you to identify new issues to be considered in the management plan. Those issues, combined with the issues identified during the sanctuary designation planning process and the comments submitted on the Midway Atoll Interim Visitor Services Plan, have been summarized into a scoping report. The report, as well as a summary report, are available at the links below.

For more information, please click on the links below:

Presidential Proclamation - Establishment of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument

President's Remarks - President Bush Establishes Northwestern Hawaiian Islands National Monument

White House Fact Sheet - The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument: A Commitment to Good Stewardship of Our Natural Resources

Final Rule - Published in the Federal Register

Presidential Proclamation - Amending Proclamation 8031 of June 15, 2006, to read, "Establishment of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument

Mrs. Bush's Remarks

Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, Hawai‘i; Monument Management Plan
Notice; Preparation of a Management Plan, and Environmental Assessment

News Release - Hawai'i's Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Considered for Initial Nomination to World Heritage List (Mar. 2008)

News Release - Announcing public comment period to provide input on the Monument Natural Resources Science Plan (October 25, 2007)

News Release - One Year Anniversary of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (June 15, 2007)

News Release - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Selects Co-Manager of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (May 15, 2007)

News Release - Agencies Publish Rules on Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Monument (August 29, 2006)

News Release - President Sets Aside Largest Marine Conservation Area on Earth (June 15, 2006)

News Release - Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Planning Underway (April 4, 2007)

Ka Palapala Ho‘omaopopo: Papahānaumokuākea - The Informative Letter: Papahānaumokuākea (Apr. 2008)

Ka Palapala Ho‘omaopopo: Papahānaumokuākea - The Informative Letter: Papahānaumokuākea (Feb. 2008)

Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument