Washington, D.C. — Today, President Joe Biden is expected to announce plans to expand San Gabriel Mountains National Monument in Southern California to include 109,000 acres closest to the Greater Los Angeles community. This will increase access to nature for nearby communities, many of which are nonwhite, low income, and nature deprived. The administration also will expand Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument in Northern California to include nearly 14,000 additional acres.
In response, Nicole Gentile, senior director for Conservation at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
These monument expansions build on President Biden’s legacy of centering equity and justice in his conservation work. They will ensure that historically marginalized communities have access to, and are represented in, the country’s public lands. The San Gabriel Mountains National Monument expansion provides access to nature for millions of Southern Californians who live in one of the country’s largest urban hubs. This is an area where nature deprivation disproportionately affects people of color and low-income communities. The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument expansion honors and protects sacred lands and safeguards rich wildlife habitat. This expansion, combined with a commitment to explore Tribal co-stewardship, centers Indigenous voices, knowledge, and leadership on our public lands.
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For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected].