Biden Designates Chuckwalla and Sáttítla National Monuments in California, Protecting 850K Acres of Tribal Lands

Jan 7, 2025, 11:00 AM

President Joe Biden is set to designate two new national monuments in California, honoring Native American tribes and contributing to his 'America the Beautiful' initiative aimed at conserving 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030. The Chuckwalla National Monument, located in Southern California near Joshua Tree National Park, will span 624,000 acres, while the Sáttítla National Monument in Northern California will cover approximately 225,000 acres, totaling nearly 850,000 acres. These designations will bar drilling, mining, and other development on the protected lands, enhancing access to nature and protecting areas of cultural significance to tribal nations and Indigenous peoples, including the Cahuilla, Chemehuevi, Mojave, Quechan, and Serrano Nations. The move is part of a broader effort to address climate change and historical injustices, and it aligns with Biden's recent actions to ban new offshore oil and gas drilling in most U.S. coastal waters. The Chuckwalla monument will also contribute to the creation of the largest tract of protected land in the continental United States, forming part of the Moab to Mojave Conservation Corridor.