Walnut Canyon Study Act of 2005

The Walnut Canyon Study Act of 2005 (S. 556) would have required the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture to conduct a joint study on the management of federal, state, and private lands surrounding the Walnut Canyon National Monument in Arizona. The study was intended to evaluate various options for protecting the area’s natural and cultural resources, including the possibility of expanding the monument’s boundaries or redesignating the land as a national park or preserve.

For local citizens and visitors, this bill aimed to determine the best way to maintain public access and existing land uses while ensuring the long-term conservation of the canyon. The process would have involved collaboration between federal agencies, a third-party consultant, and local government officials from Flagstaff and Coconino County to balance environmental protection with community needs. Although hearings were held on the proposal, the bill did not advance further in the legislative process.