President Biden is establishing two new national monuments in California, a move aimed at preserving cultural landscapes and honoring tribal heritage. The Chuckwalla National Monument in Southern California and the Sáttítla National Monument in Northern California will protect roughly 600,000 and 200,000 acres, respectively. The monuments will restrict drilling, mining, and other development.
These designations, announced Tuesday, align with Biden's "America the Beautiful" initiative, which seeks to conserve 30% of public lands and waters by 2030. The initiative also addresses climate change and acknowledges the importance of tribal heritage.
Native American tribes and environmental groups actively campaigned for these designations. The Pit River Tribe, in particular, played a key role in establishing the Sáttítla monument. Supporters argue that these monuments will protect significant tribal cultural areas, ensure public access to nature, and preserve historical sites.
The Chuckwalla monument, named after a desert lizard, lies south of Joshua Tree National Park. The area encompasses the Coachella Valley to the Colorado River, and the designation is intended to honor tribal sovereignty.
The new monuments are part of a larger trend, mirroring similar actions like the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah, which is managed in conjunction with five tribal nations. Advocates express hope that the monuments will create a platform for reconciliation and stewardship between local tribes and the federal government. This aligns with a recent effort to return tribal lands under a memorandum of understanding.
The establishment of these monuments comes amidst a broader pattern of monument expansions and designations in California in recent months, further highlighting the administration's commitment to environmental protection and tribal relations in the state. This includes the recent expansion of existing monuments and designation of a national marine sanctuary.
