Sander Kushen, sander.kushen@sierraclub.org
JOSHUA TREE, Calif. -- On Saturday, the Sierra Club and local leaders joined United States Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland to discuss the effort to establish the proposed Chuckwalla National Monument and expand Joshua Tree National Park.
The new National Monument would protect about 627,000 acres of the California Desert south of Joshua Tree National Park, reaching west from the Coachella Valley region to the east near the Colorado River. The effort would also expand Joshua Tree National Park to preserve about 17,000 acres of public lands east of the park.
Over 140,000 individual supporters across the country, seven local cities, five Chambers of Commerce and more than 100 local businesses have joined the call for the creation of the Chuckwalla National Monument. Advocates will continue to call on President Biden to use the Antiquities Act to officially designate the Monument by the end of this year.
In response, Moises Cisneros, Sierra Club’s California Deserts Senior Organizer, released the following statement:
“After more than five years of building community and political support, we are now closer than ever to protecting this culturally and environmentally important part of the California desert. Chuckwalla’s designation would protect fragile ecosystems, honor Tribal and cultural legacies on the land and expand access to nature for Southern California communities. The designation would be a boon for both residents and businesses—helping increase quality of life for nearby communities while also adding recreational opportunities that make local cities more attractive for businesses and investment.
“We thank the US Department of Interior and Secretary Haaland for engaging in this important conversation around protecting California’s deserts for generations to come.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.