Before his exit from the White House, President Joe Biden secured one more win for Indigenous people and the environment: He established the Chuckwalla and Sáttítla National Monuments in California, according to the California Governor's office.
These two sites, comprising more than 840,000 acres, are a valuable addition to California's 30x30 initiative — a push to conserve 30% of the state's land and coastal waters by 2030. As of this addition, the state sits at 25.8%, with 26.1 million acres preserved for future generations.
Neither designation would have happened without the tireless efforts of the Indigenous tribes in the area. The governor's office praised "decades of work by local community leaders, business owners, and environmental organizations," and Gov. Gavin Newsom highlighted these facts in his statement.
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"California is now home to two new national monuments that honor the tribes that have stewarded these lands since time immemorial," said Newsom. "Thanks to President Biden and the leadership of California tribes and local communities, we're protecting 840,000 acres of some of our state's most culturally significant lands."
The Chuckwalla National Monument, found in the desert area of eastern Riverside County beside Joshua Tree National Park, holds sites of sacred significance to the Iviatim, Nüwü, Pipa Aha Macav, Kwatsáan, and Maara'yam peoples. The area will now be safe from environmental destruction from human development while being more accessible to the public.
The Sáttítla National Monument is located in Northern California, comprising the Medicine Lake Highlands, a culturally significant site for the Pit River Tribe. It's also a critical area for Fall River Springs, which the governor's office describes as "the state's largest spring system and one of the most extensive aquifer networks in the Western United States." That makes it vital for everyone who relies on those aquifers for water.
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Not only that, but the establishment of national monuments is great for business and tourism in the surrounding area, which leads to job creation and an economic boost. It also benefits public services like safety, fire, recreation, and libraries, thanks to the added tax revenue from visitors.
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