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Today, President Joe Biden will designate Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in southern Nevada and Castner Range National Monument in El Paso, Texas, ensuring federal protections for over half a million acres of U.S. land.
These will be his second and third designations using the Antiquities Act, with Avi Kwa Ame being his largest designation so far, adding over 500,000 acres toward his 30x30 initiative. Avi Kwa Ame is the Mojave name for Spirit Mountain, a peak that is considered sacred by the Fort Mojave Tribe, one of the leaders of the campaign to protect the area surrounding Avi Kwa Ame. The area is considered sacred by ten Yuman-speaking Tribes, as well as the Hopi and Chemehuevi Paiute.
Castner Range National Monument covers nearly 7,000 acres in the Franklin Mountains, which border the city of El Paso. Castner Range is a former military weapons testing site owned by the U.S. Department of Defense. It borders Franklin Mountains State Park, a popular recreation destination. The Range is also a biodiversity hotspot, serving as habitat for hundreds of species of Chihuahuan Desert plants, reptiles, birds, and mammals. The community of El Paso has been fighting more than 50 years to gain access to this landscape for the enjoyment of its residents, as well as greater protections for wildlife that depend on the area.
“The President’s actions today show that he is listening to communities and Tribal nations that have been calling for the protection of natural and cultural resources and for safe, equitable access to more public lands," said Center for Western Priorities Executive Director Jennifer Rokala. "But he still has a long way to go to reach the 30×30 goal. As President Biden continues to build his conservation legacy we encourage him to use his authority under the Antiquities Act to protect more public lands for future generations of Americans.”
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Today is a great day for Western public lands. I’m excited to see President Biden following through on his promise to Tribal nations by designating Avi Kwa Ame National Monument, and I’m happy to see the wishes of El Pasoans granted with the designation of Castner Range National Monument.”
