NEWS RELEASE: Chuckwalla Monument Public Meeting with Interior Department Brings Hope to Pit River Tribe Looking for Monument Designation for Sàttítla

BURNEY, Calif. (June 14, 2024) –  Today in Riverside, CA the Interior Department and Bureau of Land Management held a public meeting to receive input and feedback on a proposal to establish the Chuckwalla National Monument to protect Indigenous lands in an area near Joshua Tree National Park. The lands proposed for protection include the homelands of the Iviatim, Nüwü, Pipa Aha Macav, Kwatsáan, and Maara’yam peoples. The Cahuilla, Chemehuevi, Mohave (Colorado River Indian Tribes/CRIT Mohave), Quechan, and Serrano nations.

The following statement is from Brandy McDaniels, Sáttítla working group lead for the Pit River Nation:

“It’s a big day for our peoples across the West who have been advocating for better management and protection for lands that hold the narratives of our ancestors and continue to provide a place of teaching, healing, and nourishment for our Tribal Nations today. We stand in solidarity with those working to protect Chuckwalla as a national monument. 

Today’s hearing and the recent monument expansions in California show that the Biden Administration is paying attention and recognizes the moment we have before us. We need their continued leadership and their swift action to ensure these kinds of conversations continue to move forward, including in places like Sáttítla. We value the hard work and perseverance required by Tribal Nations to protect Sacred landscapes and appreciate the growing support we have seen for the President using his powers to protect important Tribal lands across the nation.”