Backpacker Magazine: The president can abolish national monuments, DOJ says—and names two for potential rollback
The Department of Justice says the president has the authority to revoke national monument designations—and it’s already identified two that could be on the chopping block: Sáttítla Highlands and Chuckwalla National Monument, both created by President Joe Biden in the final days of his term.
Krystian Lahage, the public policy officer for the Mojave Desert Land Trust, said that Chuckwalla’s 624,270 acres protect a host of endemic animals. Two-thirds of it is critical habitat for California’s state reptile, the endangered desert tortoise. It also contains historic sites that are important to local Native tribes, including the Cahuilla, Chemehuevi, Mojave, Quechan, and Serrano people. Besides that, the area is host to popular hikes like the Chuckwalla Mountain and Painted Canyon trails, off-grid backpacking opportunities, stargazing, and birding spots.
Lahage says he doesn’t believe there is any oil or critical minerals within the boundaries of the monument. In contrast, he says, there is an ongoing need for more protected open space in the deserts of southern California.
“This is an area that opens up this vast public land and public space, so that folks can have more opportunities to recreate, to preserve their cultural history,” he said. “Should development happen, it’s not just that hikers and conservationists aren’t going to benefit from this monument anymore. If you’re an OHV driver and you have a favorite trail, [like] the Bradshaw Trail, and there’s a development, you’re going to have inhibited access. That goes to any other form of recreation you can think of that occurs in the monument. So the real threat here is just this loss of of a resource to the community.” Lahage points out that Chuckwalla has enjoyed broad support from both the community and local elected officials on both sides of the aisle.