Biden Designates Chuckwalla and Sáttítla Highlands as New National Monuments in California

Jan 15, 2025, 12:31 AM

President Joe Biden has designated two new national monuments in California, the Chuckwalla National Monument and the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument. The Chuckwalla National Monument, spanning over 624,000 acres in southern California, is significant to the Cahuilla, Chemehuevi, Mojave, Quechan, and Serrano tribes and is located near Joshua Tree National Park. The Sáttítla Highlands National Monument, covering 224,000 acres in northern California, is sacred to the Pit River and Modoc tribes and features the dormant Medicine Lake volcano. These designations are part of Biden's conservation efforts, aiming to protect more land and water than any previous president. The establishment of these monuments was announced after wildfires in California had previously delayed the event.