The White House announced Tuesday that President Biden will build two new national monuments in California.
Biden will officially designate Chuckwalla National Monument and Sattitra Highlands National Monument, protecting a total of 848,000 acres of special significance to the tribes.
These will likely be one of the last conservation efforts, if not the last, completed by the Biden administration before President-elect Trump takes office. According to the White House, Biden has conserved more land and water than any other president.
The 624,000-acre Chuckwalla National Monument in Southern California is located where the Mojave and Colorado deserts meet and will include mountain ranges, rock formations, woodlands, and canyons, including the Painted Canyon, known for its colorful walls. is.
It is home to wildlife such as the northern spotted owl, cascade frog, and long-tailed salamander, and includes lands important to indigenous peoples such as the Pit River and Modoc tribes.
The 224,000-acre Satytla Plateau National Monument is located in Northern California and features the dormant Medicine Lake Volcano.
Its landscape includes volcanic craters and cavernous lava tubes. It would include portions of the Modoc National Forest, Shasta-Trinity National Forest, and Klamath National Forest.
It is home to wildlife such as the northern spotted owl, cascade frog, and long-tailed frog.
It is home to salamanders and includes lands important to indigenous peoples such as the Pit River and Modoc tribes.
The White House said both monuments protect clean water, honor areas important to tribes and enhance access to nature.
During his term, Biden created 10 new national monuments and expanded five, including three that Trump cut. He has taken other conservation measures in recent days, including banning oil and gas drilling off the U.S. Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
