• According to reports, Biden is expected to designate two new national monuments before handing over to Trump: Chuckwalla and Sáttítla.
• The first, in particular, would expand Joshua Tree national park by 7,000 hectares, creating the largest contiguous protected area in the country.
• The new protected area will be managed by the government in collaboration with the Cahuilla Native American community.

One of the final legacies of outgoing United States president Joe Biden could be a significant signal for the kind of environmental protection that his successor Donald Trump — who takes office on January 20th — appears intent on pushing to the sidelines: specifically, the designation of two new national monuments in California: the Chuckwalla national monument in southern California and the Sáttítla national monument in northern California. The two moves, which CBS News reports are imminent, would represent a further step toward the Biden administration's goal of protecting at least 30 per cent of the country's lands and waters by 2030. The designation of the Chuckwalla national monument, in particular, will expand Joshua Tree national park by nearly 7,000 hectares, creating the largest contiguous protected area in the country.

What are United States environmental national monuments

United States national monuments are protected areas similar to a national park, but established directly by the president of the United States without requiring congressional approval. Located between the Colorado River and the Coachella Valley, the Chuckwalla National Monument will protect approximately 260,000 hectares of desert habitat in Riverside and Imperial counties: this is a territory rich in biodiversity, home to iconic species such as the chuckwalla lizard — which gives the region its name — the desert bighorn sheep and the desert tortoise. The area also encompasses already-protected regions, such as the Mecca Hills and the Chuckwalla Mountains, as well as historic sites connected to the Second World War and hiking trails.

The designation of Chuckwalla as a monument would also represent a victory for Native American communities, including the Cahuilla, the Chemehuevi and the Mohave, who have played a crucial role in the campaign — active since 2023 — for its establishment: according to CBS previews, management of the monument will be shared between the Bureau of Land Management and the Cahuilla tribe, in order to also ensure respect for indigenous cultural heritage.

Juliet Eilperin @eilperin

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SCOOP from @maxinejoselow Biden will designate the Chuckwalla and Sáttítla national monuments in California, which would safeguard landscapes that Native American tribes have revered for thousands of years. washingtonpost.com/climate-soluti…

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But the area stands out above all for its strategic value: the creation of the Chuckwalla National Monument will prevent environmentally harmful activities such as mining, drilling and logging, while limiting the development of solar and wind farms, seeking to strike a balance between the energy transition and environmental conservation.
In northern California, meanwhile, the Sáttítla national monument will focus, according to reports this time from the Washington Post, on protecting ancient forests — a natural heritage threatened by logging and climate change. Although the details regarding the area's extent and specifics are still being finalised, this initiative underscores the administration's commitment to safeguarding forest ecosystems.

The Antiquities Act as a tool for protection

US Department of the Interior ✓ @Interior

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The 8 presidents who shaped America's public lands: on.doi.gov/20Zegrl

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Biden will make use of the powers granted by the Antiquities Act, a law that allows presidents to protect territories through executive action. And if he does so, it will not be the first time: since taking office, the outgoing president has already invoked this authority 13 times, establishing six new monuments, expanding two others and protecting more than 18 million acres of land and water. The new monuments in California join a list that includes sites of great historical and cultural significance, such as the monument in Pennsylvania dedicated to Native American boarding schools and the one in Maine honouring the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet.