Biden Designates 2 New National Monuments in Nevada and Texas

U.S. President Joe Biden signs an executive order for public safety and justice reform for Native American communities at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington on Nov. 15, 2021. Alex Wong/Getty Images

President Joe Biden announced the designation of two national monuments in Nevada and Texas on March 21 that will preserve nearly 514,000 acres of land from new development.

In Nevada, the Avi Kwa Ame National Monument—also known as Spirit Mountain—is considered sacred by several Native American tribes. Advocates say the monument will help preserve ancestral native lands.

The area is home to one of the world’s largest Joshua tree forests and provides a habitat for desert bighorn sheep, desert tortoise, and Gila monster lizards, the White House said.

Biden first said he intended to protect the area in November at the White House Tribal Nations Summit.

“When it comes to Spirit Mountain and its surrounding ridges and canyons in southern Nevada, I’m committed to protecting this sacred place that is central to the creation story of so many tribes that are here today,” he said at the summit.

Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.) speaks as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 10, 2021. Ting Shen-Pool/Getty Images

In February, Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.) spearheaded legislation in the House of Representatives pushing for Avi Kwa Ame’s national monument designation. The Avi Kwa Ame National Monument Establishment Act of 2022 was introduced as one route to get the national monument designation.

“Preserving treasured spaces has always been important to me, and I am grateful for the many grassroots organizations and community leaders who have been instrumental over the years in safeguarding these sloping bajadas, scenic canyons, and ancient cultural sites for future generations to enjoy,” Titus said in a November statement.

Biden used the Antiquities Act of 1906 to establish the monument.

Tribal members thanked Biden for his plans after his announcement in November and urged him to designate the area immediately and without alterations to the proposed boundaries.

Second Monument

In Texas, Biden established the Castner Range National Monument in El Paso.

The designation will protect the cultural, scientific, and historic objects found within the monument’s boundaries; honor U.S. veterans, service members, and tribal nations; and expand access to outdoor recreation on public lands, the White House said.

Castner is a former training and testing location for the U.S. Army and has more than 40 known archeological sites with pottery remnants, petroglyphs, and living structures.

The location is also rich in desert species such as spring blooms of the Mexican poppy and provides habitat for wildlife like the golden eagle, Texas horned lizard, and western burrowing owl. The designation will provide communities that have historically had less access to public lands with opportunities to experience nature and explore, the White House said.

Biden’s first designation of a national monument was Camp Hale–Continental Divide National Monument in Colorado in October.

The president will also direct the commerce secretary to consider initiating a new marine sanctuary designation for all U.S. waters around the Pacific Remote Islands.

The designation would expand the existing Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument established by former President George W. Bush in 2009 and expanded by former President Barack Obama in 2014.

Biden’s actions come as he faces sharp criticism from environmental groups over his approval of the big Willow oil drilling project in Alaska on March 13.