(KTNV) — President Joe Biden announced a long-advocated for national monument designation in Southern Nevada on Tuesday.
The new Avi Kwa Ame National Monument will encompass more than 500,000 acres of land in Southern Nevada and southwestern California. For decades, tribal leaders in the region have called for federal protections of land sacred to multiple tribes.
The land includes Spirit Mountain, as well as one of the world's largest Joshua tree forests.
Biden's proclamation under the Antiquities Act was praised Tuesday by Indigenous leaders, conservationists, and Nevada's Democratic Congressional delegation. Gov. Joe Lombardo called the move a "federal confiscation" of Nevada land.
In a statement announcing the new monument, the Biden administration noted land included in the designation is federally owned and said existing state and private lands within the boundary wouldn't be impacted.
Reactions to Biden's monument designation:
Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV01), who led the legislative effort to designate Avi Kwa Ame, issued the following statement on Tuesday:
“One cannot overstate the importance of the sacred land of Avi Kwa Ame to Southern Nevada’s native tribes. And for the Yuman speakers and the Hopi and Chemehuevi Paiute who place it at the center of all creation, along with every Nevadan who knows the value of our cherished public lands, designating Spirit Mountain as a national monument will protect this treasured space for future generations.
“Having led the charge to protect Gold Butte, Basin and Range, and Tule Springs Fossil Beds, I’ve been proud to work with indigenous leaders, environmental champions, and grassroots organizations across Nevada to keep our public lands safe. Without their unflinching dedication over many years this would not have happened. I’m hugely grateful that President Biden and Interior Secretary Haaland have heeded our call to permanently protect Avi Kwa Ame.”
In his statement, Gov. Joe Lombardo said his efforts to engage the White House in a dialogue about the monument went unanswered:
"As President Biden designates Avi Kwa Ame as a national monument today, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo released the following statement this morning:"Since I took office, the Biden White House has not consulted with my administration about any of the details of the proposed Avi Kwa Ame national monument which, given the size of the proposal, seems badly out of step. Upon learning that the President was considering unilateral action, I reached out to the White House to raise several concerns, citing the potential for terminal disruption of rare earth mineral mining projects and long-planned, bi-partisan economic development efforts. While I’m still waiting for a response, I’m not surprised. This kind of ‘Washington Knows Best’ policy might win plaudits from unaccountable special interests, but it’s going to cost our state jobs and economic opportunity – all while making land more expensive and more difficult to develop for affordable housing and critical infrastructure projects. The federal confiscation of 506,814 acres of Nevada land is a historic mistake that will cost Nevadans for generations to come."
Clark County officials said county staff are reviewing the designation to better understand its impact on county operations, but noted the county has supported efforts to protect the area. The county issued this statement:
“Clark County recognizes the need to maintain the beauty of this sacred land and has supported efforts to protect the landscape through a resolution by the Board of County Commissioners. We are working to review President Biden’s designation today to better understand the impact to our region, both in its size as well as to the operations of Harry Reid International Airport. We are grateful for the dialogue with the White House and Nevada’s congressional delegation as this has moved forward.”
Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) issued this statement:
“Today’s designation will preserve and protect an area of great cultural significance to Tribal nations for generations to come. This sacred land is rich with natural beauty, diverse wildlife, and immense ecological importance. As a firm and strong supporter of the Avi Kwa Ame National Monument, it was an honor to join so many Nevadans to celebrate the permanent protection of this land.”
Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV03) noted the land's "immense cultural, recreational, and ecological value" in a statement issued Tuesday:
“For over a year, I’ve stood alongside environmental advocates and tribal leaders in calling for Avi Kwa Ame to become our nation’s next national monument. Today, we have made that dream a reality. To the activists and advocates who started this movement, and to this Administration for taking the final steps today in making history, thank you. This land holds immense cultural, recreational, and ecological value. Today’s action honors our commitment to the 12 tribes who consider these lands to be sacred and the abundance of diverse ecological treasures they encompass.”
The Nevada Conservation League said the new national monument "honors tribes, protects wildlife, and supports economic growth."
In a statement to media, Craig Bakerjian, the league's Avi Kwa Ame campaign manager, said the following:
"We thank the Biden administration for taking a major step toward fulfilling the promise to conserve and restore our country’s lands and waters to address the climate crisis. We are also grateful to Secretary Haaland, Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen and Representatives Titus and Lee for their efforts to help protect Avi Kwa Ame in southern Nevada. Today, by designating Avi Kwa Ame National Monument, we can finally honor tribes who hold this place sacred to them and have worked diligently and collaboratively to protect it. We can also protect the home of some of the most stunning, biologically diverse land that is a habitat to the endangered desert tortoise, desert bighorn sheep, and some of the oldest, largest Joshua trees on the planet, while providing a boost to Nevada’s outdoor recreation economy. The protection of Avi Kwa Ame enjoys broad support from conservationists, recreationists, businesses, and gateway communities to protect Avi Kwa Ame and is a testament to the hard work of local leaders and groups, who have worked in collaboration to preserve this vital part of our history and protect it from industrial development proposals. Today, we celebrate this achievement for our public lands, and tomorrow, we will continue our work with tribes, conservationists, and local communities to protect the natural landscapes that make Nevada home. We hope the President will build on this momentum to preserve vital places for similar communities all across the country.”
Great Old Broads for Wilderness compared the monument to Utah's Bears Ears. noting that it "creates an unbroken series of protected landscapes stretching from Death Valley National Park in California to Lake Mead National Recreation Area in southern Nevada."
Broads executive director Sara Husby issued this statement:
“Great Old Broads for Wilderness is honored to support the protection of a landscape that is not only sacred to several Tribes in the region, it also creates a vital connection to other protected areas and provides vital habitat benefiting wildlife, plants, and fragile ecosystems. This monument designation, similar to Bears Ears, is another contribution to the current movement honoring Native American ancestral lands, and further preserves the unique beauty of the Mojave Desert."
