GRAND CANYON, Ariz. (KTNV) — Nearly a million acres near Grand Canyon National Park are being set aside by President Joe Biden to create a new national monument.
It will be called Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni - Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument. According to the White House, "
"Baaj nwaavjo" means "where Indigenous peoples roam" in the Havasupai langage while "i'tah kukveni" means "our ancestral footprints" in the Hopi language.
Biden visited Arizona on Tuesday to announce the new designation.
"Today marks a historic step preserving the majesty of this place," Biden said. "It's first among American landmarks, sacred to tribal nations, revered by every American. It speaks to the soul of our nation and reminds us of who we are. We are the United States of America, and there's nothing beyond our capacity if we work together."
He reflected back on the first time he visited the Grand Canyon.
"The first time I saw the Grand Canyon years ago, I was a young senator. As I looked out, a phrase came to mind: 'This is God's cathedral,'" Biden said. "It's a reminder because it's so magnificent."
The new monument, which is 917,618 acres, includes three areas to the south, northeast, and northwest of Grand Canyon National Park, which you can see in the map below. The new monument is outlined in red.
According to a press release, the White House said the area contains over 3,000 known cultural and historic sites, including 12 properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Those sites hold cultural and sacred significance to multiple tribal nations, including the Havasupai Tribe, Hopi Tribe, Hualapai Tribe, Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians, Las Vegas Paiute Tribe, Moapa Band of Paiutes, Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, Navajo Nation, San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe, Yavapai-Apache Nation, Pueblo of Zuno, and the Colorado River Indian Tribes.
"It will help ensure that indigenous people can continue to use these areas for religious ceremonies, hunting and gathering on plants, medicine and other materials, including some found nowhere else on Earth," Interior Secretary Deb Haaland told the Associated Press. "It will protect objects of historic and scientific importance for the benefit of tribes, the public and for future generations."
Haaland is the first Native American Cabinet secretary. She visited the area in May and told CNN that tribes like the Havasupai people "were driven out of their homelands" after Grand Canyon National Park was established in 1919.
"Their story is one shared by many tribes in the southwest who trace their origins to the Grand Canyon and the plateaus and tributaries that surround it, and who have persevered by continuing their longstanding practices on sacred homelands just outside the boundaries of the park," Haaland said. "Native American history is American history. Feeling seen means being appreciated for who we are: The original stewards of our shared lands and waters."
Biden added this is something tribal nations have worked toward for a long time.
"They fought for decades to be able to return to these lands — to protect them from mining, to protect water, and to protect their legacy for future generations," Biden said. "My administration has worked alongside tribal leaders to keep that promise."
RELATED LINK: Tribes want US protection for areas near Grand Canyon
He added it's important tribal nations are able to continue passing down their traditions, and it's a way for future generations to learn.
"These are investments in our planet, our people, and America itself. Conserving that not only protects the lives of the people that depend on them, it preserves key pieces of America's history for years to come," Biden said. "Our nation's history is etched in our people and our lands. Some seek to ban books and bury history. We're making it clear that we can't choose to know only what we want to know. We should learn everything — good, bad, and the truth about who we are as a nation. That's what great nations do, and we're the greatest of all nations. Only the truth brings healing and justice."
Tune in as I deliver remarks on conservation and sign a proclamation to establish the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument. https://t.co/15QuLkFobr
— President Biden (@POTUS) August 8, 2023
Federal officials said by preserving the land, it will also be a place for outdoor recreation like camping, hiking, biking, and other recreational activities. They add hunting and fishing will still be allowed throughout the monument, including the Kanab Creek area.
The White House said this designation will also honor existing mining claims in the area, which pre-date a 20-year mineral withdraw that began in 2012. Existing claims represent 1.3% of known uranium reserves. They add the two approved mining operations within the boundaries of the monument will be allowed to continue operations. It's an issue that some have been concerned about.
"It's really the uranium we don't want coming out of the ground, because it's going to affect everything around us — the trees, the land, the animals, the people," said Havasupai Tribal Councilwoman Dianna Sue White Dove Uqualla. "It's not going to stop."
However, some groups are against the new national monument. BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that states their mission is to "champion responsible use of public and private lands and encourages individual environmental stewardship." According to a press release on their website, the group is calling the new designation "a land grab."
"The Grand Canyon and the surrounding areas have numerous protections already in place. There are restrictions upon restrictions. A national monument will only create more restrictions to keep you, the people, from enjoying these lands," the statement reads. "What is the real purpose of this designation? Environmental groups want you off the land. All of you. Every form of use. They will do this by creating a monument and then leveraging that management into Wilderness designations."
The group said they're currently "litigating the abuse of the Antiquities Act." The act was first used by then-President Theodore Roosevelt back in 1906 to designate the Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming. Since then, 18 presidents of both parties have used the act to protect areas across the country, including the Statue of Liberty, Colorado's Canyon of the Ancients, and New Mexico's Gila Cliff Dwellings.
Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni is the fifth new national monument established by President Biden. Earlier this year, he also designated Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in Nevada.
RELATED LINK: Reaction: Biden's Nevada monument designation hailed by advocates
In his speech, Biden also said federal officials are working to protect 770,000 square miles of the Pacific Ocean southwest of Hawai'i with a new maritime sanctuary. When Biden took office, he set the goal of conserving 30% of U.S. land and water by 2030.
The White House also announced that $44 million is being aside to "strengthen climate resilience" across the National Parks system, and it includes projects across 39 states, including Nevada. Projects include assessing how climate change affects water supplies in areas affected by drought or restrictions like Death Valley National Park and fire management in six eco-regions in the western United States.
"Nature is one of our best tools in improving our resilience to climate change and creating a thriving sustainable economy," Haaland said. "We are making coordinated investments to safeguard our National Park System, advance nature-based solutions in our efforts to address the climate crisis, safeguard endangered species, and ensure clean air and clean water for all."
You can see the full list of projects here.
