Highlight any text to annotate

This bill would establish a new Chuckwalla National Monument comprising approximately 661,000 acres of federal land in eastern Imperial and Riverside counties, California, and would expand Joshua Tree National Park by adding about 20,005 acres. The monument would be managed to protect ecological, cultural, historical, and recreational resources while ensuring collaborative management with federally recognized tribes that have ancestral ties to the area. The bill creates two governing bodies: a Tribal Commission made up of representatives from culturally affiliated tribes and an Advisory Council with 19 members representing local governments, conservation groups, and recreational interests. The Secretary of the Interior would have three years to develop a comprehensive management plan that incorporates traditional tribal knowledge and balances recreation uses like hiking, camping, and motorized vehicle travel on designated routes with protection of natural and cultural resources. The designation preserves existing rights for utilities, pipelines, and water infrastructure, allows continued hunting and fishing under state regulations, and prohibits new livestock grazing and mineral extraction on monument lands.

Add a comment

Sign in to comment on this bill.

Annotate the text

Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.