STATEMENT: Patrick Gaspard Praises New National Monuments and Conservation Announcements

Washington D.C. — Today, the White House will host a Conservation in Action Summit highlighting the Biden administration’s actions and investments to advance conservation, restoration, and stewardship efforts in communities nationwide. Ahead of the event, the administration made a series of conservation announcements and used the Antiquities Act to formally designate Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in Nevada and Castner Range National Monument in Texas. The moves advance the administration’s goal to conserve 30 percent of the nation’s lands and waters by 2030. In response, Patrick Gaspard, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:

Today, President Biden took major steps toward his commitment to conserve our most treasured public lands and waters for the benefit of current and future generations. By listening to and supporting community leaders, the president is helping to jump-start the nationwide mission he announced at the start of his presidency to conserve lands and ocean.

These two monument designations will help preserve more nature for the benefit of historically underrepresented communities. Protecting both Castner Range and Avi Kwa Ame addresses the problem of nature deprivation that has disproportionately affected people of color and low-income communities. The Avi Kwa Ame monument helps preserve the history, culture, and stories of sacred lands in Nevada and, together with other announcements today from the administration and external partners, represents a major milestone in the Biden administration’s work to support Indigenous-led conservation.

Related resources:

• “Protecting Avi Kwa Ame as a National Monument Would Honor Tribes and Increase Access to Nature” by Sam Zeno
• “16 National Monuments and Marine Sanctuaries Biden Should Create or Expand” by Drew McConville, Angelo Villagomez, Sam Zeno, Michael Freeman, and Nicole Gentile

For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected].