FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 16, 2023
Contact: Will Pregman, wpregman@battlebornprogress.org, 702.752.0656
Monument Supporters Delighted by News of Upcoming Avi Kwa Ame Designation
LAS VEGAS, NV – Today, news reports indicated that President Biden intends to issue a designation for Avi Kwa Ame, the proposed national monument in southern Nevada.
The Honor Avi Kwa Ame coalition issued the following statement in response:
“The news being reported that the White House is very close to a designation on Avi Kwa Ame is welcomed by all of our coalition members. Tribal Nations, state leaders, and all the supporters of the Avi Kwa Ame monument campaign are eager to call Avi Kwa Ame a national monument in the coming days. Though we are still awaiting a public announcement from the White House of the official date of a designation ceremony or event, we feel very confident that such a notice will be coming any moment now.”
“Avi Kwa Ame is a land considered deeply sacred to Tribes in the southwest, as well as harboring unique and diverse desert species iconic to Nevada, such as towering Joshua Trees, the Desert Bighorn Sheep, and Desert Tortoise. Designating this monument also comes with the significant promise of new outdoor recreation jobs and opportunities, to bolster local economies, create jobs, and attract outdoor tourism to Nevada from locals and visitors alike.”
“We are overjoyed to know that President Biden agrees, and we thank him, his administration officials, and members of Nevada’s congressional delegation who helped make this long campaign a success. We look forward to celebrating Avi Kwa Ame National Monument for decades to come.”
About Honor Avi Kwa Ame: A coalition of tribes, local Searchlight, Boulder City and Laughlin residents, the Nevada Legislature, conservation groups, recreation interests, and others are working to establish the Avi Kwa Ame National Monument to permanently protect these treasured lands. Avi Kwa Ame is the Mojave name for Spirit Mountain and the surrounding landscape. The mountain, located on the eastern boundary of the proposed monument, and the surrounding landscape are sacred to twelve Native American tribes.
For a full list of Avi Kwa Ame National Monument supporters, click here.
About Avi Kwa Ame (Pronunciation: Ah-VEE kwa-meh): Sacred to 12 tribes, the proposed Avi Kwa Ame National Monument is at the center of Yuman creation stories and spiritual ideology and deserves permanent protection. Located between the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and the Nevada/California border, Avi Kwa Ame, the Mojave name for Spirit Mountain, could be Nevada’s 4th national monument. Covering hundreds of thousands of acres in southwestern Nevada, it is rich in both history and beauty. The proposed national monument includes petroglyphs; historic mining- and pioneer-era artifacts; rare and threatened wildlife such as the Mojave Desert tortoise and desert bighorn sheep.
To learn more, visit www.honoravikwaame.org. Follow along on social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
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