FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 30, 2022
Contact: Will Pregman, wpregman@battlebornprogress.
Supporters of Southern Nevada Proposed Monument React to News of Upcoming Designation by the White House
NEVADA – In response to breaking news that the Biden-Harris Administration plans to announce a formal designation of Avi Kwa Ame to be Nevada’s next national monument, the Honor Avi Kwa Ame coalition partners issued the following statement:
“We are thrilled and overjoyed by the news of an upcoming announcement by the White House in the near future that the nearly 450,000 acre landscape known as Avi Kwa Ame will be designated as a new national monument. Earlier in November, Tribal leaders and members, monument supporters, and the general public made their voices heard about this culturally and ecologically significant proposal and the need to safeguard these resources for future generations. Over 200 supporters packed a meeting room in Laughlin and were near-unanimous in their support for protecting this special place, based on its spiritual and cultural significance to Tribal nations, its ecological importance for the southwest, and how its breathtaking beauty inspires artists, outdoor recreationalists, & local residents alike. This effort to expand federal protection for Avi Kwa Ame has been years in the making, and finally it is nearing success thanks to the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to supporting locally led efforts across the country to conserve important places.
After Congresswoman Dina Titus opened the door with legislation, and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland’s visit to the proposed site in September, it is a testament to the hard work by Tribes and supporters of Avi Kwa Ame over the past several months that these plans are nearing fruition. We hope that the final designation respects the original boundaries for the proposed monument put forward by the Tribes who have led this effort. We eagerly await further communications from the White House and Interior Department to finalize this designation and see through this campaign to protect this sacred area for future generations.”
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 nearly 450,000 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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