President Biden, 

I support the Pit River Tribe’s request for national monument protections for Sáttítla - sacred and traditional cultural lands in the Medicine Lake Highlands of Northern California. Protections for the unique resources, cultural history, and Tribal connections to this region are long overdue and urgently needed.

These same lands, which have sustained Indigenous peoples for thousands of years, also serve as critical headwaters in California, providing pure water resources downstream for agriculture and millions of people. The volcanically formed aquifers below the surface capture snow melt and store as much water as California’s 200 largest surface reservoirs. These aquifers deliver clean water to the Fall River Springs — the largest spring system in the state, and one of the biggest aquifer networks in the Western United States. 

Sáttítla’s land and water are environmentally significant and critical to the health of millions of people, wildlife, and plants. The waters of nearby lakes and streams and the vast forest canopy provide a home to many unique plant and wildlife species that depend on these clean and healthy features to survive. 

The Pit River Tribe has continuously fought to defend the lands and waters of Sáttítla from geothermal energy development which would have devastating impacts. Permanently protecting these lands and waters will honor the Tribe’s long standing preservation efforts and acknowledge the growing support they have from people across the country, like me. 

Please use your authority under the Antiquities Act to take swift action to ensure Sáttítla is permanently protected.