Padilla Statement on Establishment of Sáttítla National Monument
Padilla’s efforts have helped protect nearly 1 million acres of California’s public lands
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) issued the following statement after President Biden announced he will establish the Sáttítla National Monument in northern California using his authority under the Antiquities Act of 1906:
“Sáttítla has long served as the spiritual center for the Pit River and Modoc Nations, and establishing it as a national monument will ensure that its sacred and ecological benefits endure for generations to come. This designation will advance our conservation goals and protect vital recreational opportunities for local communities by conserving hundreds of thousands of acres of federal land. I applaud President Biden for recognizing the lasting importance of this unique landscape and building on his impressive record, which has helped us safeguard nearly 1 million acres of California’s public lands.”
The creation of the Sáttítla National Monument will protect over 224,000 acres of culturally significant, ecologically rich, and geologically unique public land within the Shasta-Trinity, Klamath, and Modoc National Forests in northeastern California. Last year, Padilla, Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and former Senator Laphonza Butler called on President Biden to designate the monument. Padilla and Butler also introduced legislation to establish the monument.
The Pit River Nation regards Sáttítla as sacred land, and this area remains a spiritual center for the Pit River and Modoc Nations, as well as for surrounding Native Americans who continue to use the area for religious activities, ceremonies, and gatherings.
The Sáttítla highlands are geologically unique and contain one of the headwaters of the entire California watershed. The volcanically formed aquifers below the surface capture snow melt, store as much water as California’s 200 largest surface reservoirs, and discharge over 1.2 million acre-feet of snowmelt annually. The highlands also host a wide variety of aquatic and terrestrial habitat, including the Fall River trout fishery.
The establishment of the Sáttítla National Monument will also contribute to the Administration’s and California’s goals of permanently conserving 30 percent of U.S. lands and coastal waters by 2030, as well as address the three interlocking crises of nature loss, climate change, and inequitable access to the outdoors, furthering the Administration’s America the Beautiful initiative.
Senator Padilla has spearheaded numerous successful efforts to create new and expand existing national monuments to protect nearly 1 million acres of California’s public lands and advance tribally led conservation efforts. Earlier today, he successfully secured the establishment of the 624,000-acre Chuckwalla National Monument in eastern Imperial and Riverside counties. Last year, Padilla secured the expansion of the San Gabriel Mountains and Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monuments following his introduction of the PUBLIC Lands Act and the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument Expansion Act to permanently protect both areas. Padilla also led letters urging President Biden to use his authority under the Antiquities Act of 1906 to expand the monuments.
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