“We applaud California Senators Padilla and Butler and Representative Schiff for their proactive stance and for supporting the Pit River Nation’s request to have more than 200,000 acres of federally managed land in the Medicine Lake Highlands of Northern California, known as Sáttítla, protected as a national monument.

“The designation will safeguard the Pit River Tribe’s homelands, sacred and rich cultural heritage, and the forests and water that nourish California communities near and far. The protection of this national monument is an important step toward rectifying this imbalance by improving access to the outdoors for Latinos and communities of color in the area.

“Securing permanent protection for this land through monument designation would further help against the many threats of development that the Pit River Nation has fought against. Designating Sáttítla National Monument will honor Tribal stewardship, protect critical water sources, and ensure access to sacred, healing spaces for future generations of the Pit River Nation.

This Sáttítla National Monument designation would contribute to the state and federal commitments to conserving a minimum of 30 percent of our public lands and waters by 2030. With this designation, President Biden is currently on track to protect more public land than any other modern first-term President in history.