Biden to create 2 national monuments in California, protecting tribal and natural lands

Editor’s Note: After publishing this story, The Bee learned that it includes unattributed passages from the Los Angeles Times story “Biden to create two new California national monuments protecting tribal lands.” This is a journalistic breach and a violation of our standards. We apologize to our readers and to the Los Angeles Times.

President Joe Biden will designate two new national monuments in California, safeguarding nearly 850,000 acres of tribal lands with ecological and cultural significance. The actions seek to protect areas in the lake-dotted forests in the state’s northernmost reaches and in Southern California near Joshua Tree.

The Biden administration will establish the 644,000-acre Chuckwalla National Monument and the 200,000-acre Sáttítla National Monument in upcoming days, said a congressional source familiar with the matter. The action follows years of advocacy by Indigenous communities and conservationists to preserve the lands, which hold spiritual and ecological value.

The proclamations continue Biden’s use of the Antiquities Act to expand federal protections for public lands. He has established or expanded multiple national monuments, including expansion of the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument.

The Sáttítla National Monument encompasses parts of the Shasta-Trinity, Klamath and Modoc national forests. This area is sacred to the 11 bands of the Pit River Tribe, who consider the Medicine Lake Highlands their ancestral homeland and the site of their creation narrative.

This monument’s landscape features lush forests, vibrant wildflowers and intricate cave systems, as well as water sources vital to the state’s drinking supply. Designation as a national monument is expected to protect the area from geothermal energy development, which has faced opposition from tribal members.

“Sáttítla National Monument stands as a profound opportunity to honor the Pit River Nation’s enduring fight to protect our homelands and to safeguard California’s water and cultural heritage for future generations,” said Yatch Bamford, chairman of the Pit River Nation, in a recent statement. “Protecting Sáttítla would not just preserve sacred lands — it would cement a legacy of respect, reconciliation, and responsibility to the planet and its people.”

In Southern California, the Chuckwalla National Monument has been a longstanding priority for the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, who have inhabited the desert for millennia. The monument’s name honors the robust Chuckwalla lizards native to the area, which also supports bighorn sheep, desert tortoises and other wildlife.

Located southeast of Joshua Tree National Park, the site is characterized by vibrant geological formations. Interest groups and industry have opposed the national monument designation there, arguing that it could limit opportunities for solar energy development and mining.

This story was originally published January 3, 2025 at 10:45 AM with the headline "Biden to create 2 national monuments in California, protecting tribal and natural lands."