Governor Newsom celebrates President Biden’s action adding two new national monuments protecting sacred tribal lands

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom celebrated President Biden’s action today establishing the Chuckwalla and Sáttítla National Monuments. The designation adds protections to more than 840,000 acres of some of California’s most culturally and environmentally significant landscapes.

Both designations honor the leadership of tribes who have stewarded these lands for time immemorial and were advanced through decades of work by local community leaders, business owners, and environmental organizations.

The new national monuments add more than half a million acres to California’s historic 30×30 initiative – the state’s goal to conserve 30% of lands and coastal waters by 2030. This addition brings the state’s total lands conserved through the 30×30 initiative to 25.8% and 26.1 million acres. Today’s announcement follows President Biden’s action yesterday to protect the Pacific and Atlantic coasts from expanded offshore oil and gas drilling.

“California is now home to two new national monuments that honor the tribes that have stewarded these lands since time immemorial. 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. This is a huge boost for our efforts to protect 30% of California’s lands and coastal waters.”

Two new national monuments

The Chuckwalla National Monument, located in eastern Riverside County in the California desert adjacent to Joshua Tree National Park, spans lands of critical biodiversity, wildlife habitat, and migration corridors. It also preserves sacred places and landscapes central to the cultural traditions of the Iviatim, Nüwü, Pipa Aha Macav, Kwatsáan, and Maara’yam peoples. The designation not only safeguards the area’s ecological integrity but also enhances the region’s recreational opportunities, promoting public access to outdoor spaces for local communities.

“I am thrilled to celebrate the establishment of the new Chuckwalla National Monument,” said Evan Trubee, Owner of Big Wheel Tours and Palm Desert City Councilmember. “Protecting public lands here in the Coachella Valley preserves the wildlife and beautiful landscapes that make our desert home unique. It will help ensure access to the outdoors for our local communities and protect the nature that draws visitors to Riverside and Imperial Counties.”

In Northern California, the Sáttítla National Monument encompasses the Medicine Lake Highlands, an area of cultural significance to the Pit River Tribe. Since time immemorial, the lands and waters of Sáttítla have sustained Native peoples and provided critical water resources for downstream communities and ecosystems. The region’s volcanic aquifers capture snowmelt and store water equivalent to California’s 200 largest surface reservoirs, supplying clean water to the Fall River Springs — the state’s largest spring system and one of the most extensive aquifer networks in the Western United States.

The designation of Sáttítla National Monument protects these water resources, as well as vast forest canopies and thriving habitats for diverse plant and wildlife species. California agencies plan to allocate additional funding for wildfire prevention and resilience work to make local communities, state and private lands, and road systems in the area safer and more resilient to wildfire threats.

 “We could not be more excited that federal leaders are hearing our call to protect these sacred lands,” said Brandy McDaniels, Sáttítla National Monument Lead for the Pit River Nation. “There has been overwhelming support for this monument, as demonstrated at the USDA’s listening session recently. We have many diverse voices that are passionate about protecting what makes this region unique and following decades of defending our ancestral homelands, the Pit River Nation welcomes the news that our voices and the voices of our Ancestors are finally being heard. In the coming days we hope to learn more about the President’s plans, what his proclamation will detail, and how the Pit River Nation and the local community can work together to create a sustainable future for what we truly hope is about to become Sáttítla National Monument.”

National monuments create new jobs and businesses

National monuments do more than preserve beautiful and culturally significant places; they also drive substantial economic benefits for surrounding communities. Studies have consistently shown that conservation of public lands correlates with growth in local economies, particularly through tourism and recreation.

In the California Desert region, for example, monument designations have been associated with an average 10% increase in the number of local businesses and an 8.5% increase in jobs within 25 kilometers of designated areas over a 25-year period, according to a 2020 study by Resources for the Future. Tourism, a major driver of economic activity, has flourished in regions surrounding protected lands. Joshua Tree National Park alone saw 3,064,000 visitors in 2021 — a 119% increase since 2011 — contributing $121.9 million to local economies and supporting over 1,500 jobs.

Protected areas like Chuckwalla and Sáttítla create opportunities for businesses in sectors such as transportation, lodging, restaurants, retail, and outdoor recreation. A 2014 report by ECONorthwest estimated that recreation on BLM-managed lands within 50 miles of recreation sites in California generated $305.2 million (inflation-adjusted to 2022) in direct spending. This economic activity supports vital community services like safety, fire, recreation, and libraries through local tax revenues.