Does the designation of the Monument affect private property or access to private property inside its boundaries?
No. The Antiquities Act of 1906 granted the President authority to proclaim National Monuments only on “…lands owned or controlled by the Government of the United States.” Private lands are not subject to the provisions of the proclamation that created Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. The Antiquities Act of 1906 does not provide any authority for condemnation– so unless a landowner willingly chooses to exchange or sell their private land to the US Government, private land will remain in private ownership indefinitely.
