Basin & Range Watch Celebrates the New Avi Kwa Ame National Monument
Spirit Mountain.
SEARCHLIGHT, Nev.— Basin and Range Watch hailed the formation of a new national monument today, as President Biden signed the proclamation under his power using the Antiquities Act, designating Avi Kwa Ame National Monument.
The new park unit protects a diversity of Mojave Desert lands in the southern tip of Nevada, including Joshua tree woodlands, unique desert grasslands, natural cactus gardens, and cultural landscapes important to the Fort Mojave Paiute, Chemehuevi, and other Tribes along the Colorado River in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah.
Desert bighorn sheep inhabit the rocky ridges and mountains, while Mojave desert tortoises, Gila monsters and diamondback rattlesnakes occupy desert basins. The Joshua tree woodlands hold several bird species that are found nowhere else in Nevada, including gilded flickers, Harris’s hawks, and occasional curve-billed thrashers.
Basin and Range Watch petitioned the Bureau of Land Management to designate Avi Kwa Ame as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern in 2018, after multiple battles to fend off industrial-scale energy projects in the area. Western Watersheds Project and Basin and Range Watch also organized a Bioblitz in 2022 to help document the many species of desert plants and animals here.
The hills and broad valleys have come under threat of energy sprawl by both wind and solar project developers. A coalition of local residents and Basin and Range Watch sued the Bureau of Land Management to halt a giant wind project, and successfully prevented its construction on these sensitive habitats. In 2015 District Court Judge Miranda Du vacated the federal permits for construction of the Searchlight Wind Project in Southern Nevada. Judge Du found that environmental analyses prepared by the BLM and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service inadequately evaluated the dangers that the industrial-scale wind project would pose to golden eagles, desert tortoises, and bats.
In 2015 a Swedish company submitted an application to BLM to construct another wind facility, the Crescent Peak Wind Project, on 33,000 acres of the Castle Mountains along the California/Nevada boundary and up to the border of the Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness Area. This project would have been mostly within the National Monument boundary. A coalition of environmental groups, tribes, and hunters petitioned the Secretary of the Interior to protect these mountains for bighorn sheep, eagles, and visual resources. In 2018 the Interior Department issued a letter directing BLM to deny the application.
Yet the same developer returned with a new wind application on the Castle Mountains, calling it Kulning Wind Project. Objections voiced by tribes and conservation groups about conflicts with land preservation convinced BLM to place this project on a “low priority” status.”
Recently, Avantus (formerly 8minute Energy) sought to adjust the monument boundary to accommodate their proposed Angora Solar Project on 2,500 acres, most of which overlaps the boundary of the Monument.
In 2018, Basin and Range Watch wrote up a nomination to protect the area as the proposed Castle Mountains Area of Critical Environmental Concern, and gained a wide array of signatories to support the nomination to the Bureau of Land Management. We believe this helped to crystalize a new National Monument campaign in the area.
“We have been working with tribal members across Nevada and California, from Ivanpah Valley to Chuckwalla Valley and along the lower Colorado River to support their push to protect important cultural landscapes in the region, including the Salt Song Trail, and the viewsheds around Spirit Mountain,” explained Kevin Emmerich, Co-Founder of Basin and Range Watch. “We were pleased to see this National Monument designated and are happy that our work to prevent industrial wind energy development on monument lands was so successful.”
Tribal Chairman Timothy Williams of the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe, at the White House.
President Biden announces the designation of Avi Kwa Ame National Monument.
Biden Plans to Designate Avi Kwa Ame as a New National Monument
March 8 UPDATE - Biden canceled the Avi Kwa Ame National Monument designation on his Nevada trip. We do not know why.
March 8, 2023 - Las Vegas NV. JUST IN: President Biden and Interior Secretary Haaland are preparing to designate #AviKwaAme in southern Nevada as the next national monument! This is thanks to supporters of protecting sacred Tribal lands speaking up to #HonorAviKwaAme! Stay tuned next week!
See the Nevada Independent: https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/sources-biden-plans-to-designate-avi-kwa-ame-on-las-vegas-trip
Tracy Stone-Manning Visits Nevada to Listen to Comments on the Monument Proposal
^Two-hundred people fill the room at the Aquarius Casino in Laughlin to support the designation of Avi Kwa Ame National Monument.
November 17, 2022 - Laughlin, NV - the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) hosted a public meeting in Clark County, Nevada, to hear from the community about management of the region’s public lands, including a proposal to designate existing public lands as a national monument in southern Nevada. See https://www.blm.gov/press-release/bureau-land-management-host-community-meeting-regarding-proposed-avi-kwa-ame-national
Basin and Range Watch was there, supporting the monument designation. Our notes and photos are below.
^BLM Director Stone-Manning.
BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Laura Daniel-Davis participated in the meeting as part of the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to support locally led efforts across the country to conserve important places. In September, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland visited public lands in southern Nevada to meet with Tribal and local community leaders and to experience the landscape that is considered sacred by a number of Tribal Nations, including the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe.
The community meeting listened to local, county, state, and Tribal representatives calling for the protection of the Avi Kwa Ame (Spirit Mountain) landscape as a national monument to be managed by the BLM.
Avi Kwa Ame is sacred to 12 tribes, and the proposed Avi Kwa Ame National Monument is at the center of Yuman creation stories and spiritual ideology. Basin and Range Watch attended, and gave support for 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 southern Nevada, the area covers a diverse Mojavean-Sonoran desert grassland, large Joshua tree savannas, Mojave desert tortoise habitat, and significant culrural landscapes.
^Sunset in Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness Area, looking eastwrds across Piute Valley, Nevada.
Avi Kwa Ame is considered sacred to the Mojave, Hualapai, Yavapai, Havasupai, Quechan, Maricopa, Pai Pai, and Kumeyaay, as well as the Hopi and Chemehuevi Paiute. Spirit Mountain is designated a Traditional Cultural Property on the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of its religious and cultural importance.
In the southern part of the proposed Monument is a section of the historic Mojave Trail/Road, originally used by Mojave and other Native Americans to transport goods from the southwest to trade with the Chumash and other coastal tribes. This trail originated at a crossing at the Colorado River and connected numerous springs and water sources throughout the Mojave Desert that formed the backbone of the Mojave Trail.
Historic cattle ranching in the area began in the first decade of the 20th century with the Rock Springs Land and Cattle Company (RSLCC). Walking Box Ranch, where film stars Rex Bell and his wife Clara Bow lived, took over the operations in the early 1930s.
The area has an association with the United States Army Camel Corps when 25 camels were used in an expedition through the southern part of the area to blaze a new wagon route from Texas to California.
^Proposed Avi Kwa Ame National Monument map.
Sign the petition in support of the National Monument here: https://honorspiritmountain.org
BLM-Department of Interior Listening Session
BLM and the Department of Interior solicited comments during this listening session. Basin and Range Watch made supporting written comments on a BLM form (we had signed up to give oral comments, but many people had already signed up and time was limited to two hours). We recorded our notes in the room, following.
In the room with BLM Director Tracy Stone Manning were Department of the Interior Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Laura Daniel-Davis, and BLM Nevada state Director John Rabe; plus more than 200 people.
At the meeting, the City of Henderson gave support. Clark County represe ntatives also supported the monument designation.
The Ft. Mojave tribe, Quechuan, Kaibab, Hualapai, and other tribes offered support to protect their culture and land.
Staff of Represenative Dina Titus (NV-D) read a letter of support. Titus had introduced legislation earlier that would create a national monument, and this helped gain support. The current pivot is to ask for an Antiquities Act designation by President Biden.
^BLM Nevada State Director John Rabe.
^Tribal Chairman Timothy Williams of the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe gives a stirring speach in support of the monument. The Fort Mojave Indian Tribe sent a letter to the Nevada delegation requesting the area be protected as a national monument in September 2019. People in the audience loudly applauded Chairman Williams, and Native people yelled in support.
A representative of the Clark County Aviation Department made a comment concerning the need to not restrict airspace over the proposed Lean Dry Lake airport which would serve Las Vegas. Work with us and the BLM, was the ask.
The Boulder City Council supported the national monument. They called it important. A unanimous council voted yes for a support resolution. The monument would protect the local flora and fauna, and protect the heritage and culture of people who have been here longer than we have.
^Spirit Mountain on the Bureau of Land Management side, within the proposed monument. Christmas Trees Pass Road.
Taylor Patterson of Native Vote Nevada, Bishop Paiute, made a supportive comment next. "We are part of this land. Creator put us here to protect this land."
Deryn Pete, chairwoman of the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe, said they support sacred places, for the 10 tribes.
Darren Daboda of the Quechan tribe also supported, and talked about how the Salt Song Trail covers a large area, with many tribes and places a part of it: Cedar City, Kaibab, Shiviwitz, San Juan, Moapa. Spirit Mtn is a part of the Salt Song Trail--sacred to many tribes. The songs tell of cultural landmarks for runners and messengers traveling across the deserts of many states. "These mountain ranges are out GPS," said Daboda.
Daniel Bullets, Cultural Resource Director for Kaibab Band of Paiute Indian, said, "We travel, we journey in the desert. Seeing this landscape reminded us of those times. There are trails on both sides of the [Colorado] River shared with tribes, and we intermarried. The Salt Songs are practiced religiously. Sacredness is about connecting."
^Spirit Mountain on the Bureau of Land Management side, within the proposed monument.
Martina Dawley, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Hualapai Tribe of Arizona, commented that this is a significant area. "We bring our youth out here and elders here at least twice a year. We connect with spirits here. We come from here. We came from the canes in the river."
Jaymee Moore with Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) said that large solar projects rapidly erase our cultural sites, archaeology, and that artifacts are taken in buckets to museums. It is all sacred. Must establish this national monument. There should be no industrialization. CRIT passed resolution to support this designation. They continue to teach youth about the desert, their home. Moore then concluded in her Yuman languge: "The land, the water, the people are always with us."
We noted that the many Indigenous people in the audience cheered and whooped after each Native speaker, in support of their public comments.
Manfred Scott of Mojave and Maricopa tribal affiliation had warnings to offer. He pointed out that in his view no collaboration, and no consultation with BLM had happened. He wondered aloud in his comment about whether this is this enough protection? He was concerned about damage topetroglyphs, as there were recent examples of tagging and destruction of petroglyphs in souther Nevada. More recreation means more archaeology damage. The Quechan Tribal name means "Descending down the Mountain." He said how his tribe originated here, and then went down the river. He emphasized how tribes need more collaboration. Everything is too fast-tracked, he said. Basin and Range Watch agreed with this comment, in our written comment: that greater emphasis must be placed on tribal co-management and protecting sensitive cultural resources from damage, and limiting recreation in certain areas.
Sheridan Silversmith, Secretary for the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe, voiced support for the national monument designation, as this is a sacred landmark.
^Rock formation on Spirit Mountain on the Bureau of Land Management side, within the proposed monument.
Ashley Lee, an Off-Road (OHV) organizer in Nevada supported the national monument, with the caveat that it must protect 500 miles of backcountry roads. Four-wheel-drive clubs wrote letters of support.
^ For the last 3.5 years Alan O’Neal, former Superintendent of Lake Mead National Recreation Area, worked with local communities and adjusted the boundary of the proposed Avi Kwa Ame National Monument. Here he gives a comment.
Jose Witt from the Nevada Wildlife Association made a comment that the area holds important desert bighorn habitat, and there is a need to allow continued management for the sheep.
Grace Palermo from Friends of Nevada Wilderness commented that the area contains 3 existing Wilderness Areas. A national monument would create an overlay to protect more.
Hermi Hiatt, a plant ecologist from Las Vegas made a supportive comment, emphasizing the botanical diversity in the region.
^Desert grasslands of grama grass (Bouteloua spp.) in Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness Area.
Linda Bullen, and environmental attorney, made a comment that she supported the designation, but that the process needed more public participation. Bullen represents Kulning Wind Project, and many solar projects.
A representative of the Avantus solar company (formerly 8 minute) made a comment that they support a monument, but have a NV Energy solar project in the area. There is a sliver of monument overlapping this project, that was planned 5 yrs-ago. The coal power plant in adjacent Arizona is closed, so this location would utilize the substation and transmission. Avantus asked to consider this slight boundary adjustment so that the monument would not overlap the solar application.
Sierra Club members were present all wearing t-shirts with an Avi Kwa Ame National Monument logo.
Red Rock Audubon avian biologist Alex Harper commented that eagles nest in the mountain ranges here. There is rich biodiversity. Birdwatching at Wee Thump is popular to see species that cannot be seen anywhere else in Nevada, such as Bendire's thrashers.
NV Conservation League stated that this undisturbed land can fight the climate crisis, has dark night skies, and is important for recreation. "Such a unique proposal."
Boulder City Chamber of Commerce gave aletter of support.The designation would protect hunting, hiking, camping, OHV recreation, and the rural character. Cultural and historic values should be preserved. Well-being for 10 groups of Yuman speaking peoples would be protected. Tourism is the city’s driver. There are 7-8 million visitors to Lake Mead National Recreation Area. annually; this will also drive tourism.
Louis Boubala commented that parks are important to the Nevada economy and to business. Recreation, outdoors, mixed use, and protection of cultural resources can be acheived. Monuments are a boon to gateway communities. Putting a name to this land will help. Colorado river tours support the designation.
Judy Bundorf, a 69-year resident of southern Nevada and board member of Friends of Walking Box Ranc, commented that she lives in Searchlight part-time with a home. She has seen a huge variety and number of birds, eagles, hummingbirds, kit foxes. She enjoys hiking and exploring backroads, and star gazing. Friends of Walking Box Ranch is working with BLM to have it publicly open in the future. She ended her comment with the quote, “The desert is calling and I must go.”
^Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness Area, within the proposed boundaries of Avi Kwa Ame National Monument, Nevada. After a rainy summer, the native desert grasslands were lush, drying out in this photo taken in November, 2022. Grama grasses (Bouteloua spp.), fluff grass (Dasyochloa pulchella), three-awn (Aristida spp.), and others grow in Mojave desert shrubland and Joshua tree savanna.
Native American Land Conservancy representative Cassandra Pino said they support the tribes here. "This living landscapes is foundational for tribes, where their languages come from." Protect this land as a National Monument. This would create one of largest contiguous blocks of conserved land in country, as it connects to other protected places.
Jim Stanger of Friends of Sloan Canyon said the region is important for star gazing. The large Joshua tree forests are important. He has seen the desert bighorn here.
Conservation Lands Foundation representative Bertha Gutierrez said they fully support the monument. Diverse areas such as the Dead Mountains, Highland Range, New York Mountains currently have no conservation prescription. "As animmigrant," she commentded, "I’m excited for the next generations to experience this land."
Chris Clarke of the Mojave National Preserve Conservancy commented that we need to designate this National Monument as described as in the legislation. Put that solar sliver on rooftops, he recommended.
Mojave yucca seen from Christmas Tree Pass Road, looking westward across Piute Valley to the Castle Mountains--Avi Kwa Ame National Monument would encompass this landscape and better protect it.
^Spirit Mountain seen across Piute Valley, from Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness Area.
New National Monument Push in Crescent Peak Wind Area
Clark County, Nevada - We support this new national monument proposal under an Antiquities Act designation. If it is congressional, it may be attached to the Clark County Lands Bill which will end up giving 45,000 acres of public land in Ivanpah Valley away to developers--all essential habitat for the federally Threatened Mojave desert tortoise. Basin and Range Watch was a main plaintiff in the case that stopped the Searchlight Wind Project and played a major role in stopping the Crescent Peak Wind Project--both in the area.
In this video, and accompanying article, former Lake Mead National Recreation Area Superintendent and adviser for the National Parks Conservation Association Alan O'Neill says, "We were fighting for eight years, two really bad wind projects. You know the Searchlight wind project and the Crescent Peak wind project."
Actually, to set the record straight, it was Basin and Range Watch that has been fighting for 8 years to stave off industrial wind development in the Searchlight surroundings, and other groups only came along very late to help us with opposing Crescent Peak Wind Project after we spent considerable effort to raise awareness of how special this area is.
We spread petitions around years ago to seek to protect the Castle Mountains and Crescent Peak area in southern Nevada to be designated as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern, and make the public lands surrounding Searchlight into a wind-free zone with special management by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). We held rallies. We organized a BioBlitz to record the amazing biodiversity of the Mojave Desert grasslands and Joshua tree savanas around Crescent Peak. We lobbied our congressional representatives. We successfully sued BLM to stop the Searchlight Wind Project and won in court after a lengthy battle, and the district court judge vacated the Right-of-Way of the wind applicant (back then the energy giant Duke Energy). We could have used help from these groups, but no one wanted to touch a wind project back then, even next to Spirit Mountain.
These activities are what gave others the idea for Avi Kwa Ame National Monument around Spirit Mountain. We support this designation as long as it is not tied to dirty land-grab bills in Congress. We support a national monument designation by the president using authority under the Antiquities Act.
^We were hiking and exploring the Castle Peaks on both sides of the border of Nevada and California before even the Castle Mountains National Monument was designated, and we helped support that. Basin and Range Watch has a long history protecting this desert.
The area around Searchlight is not mapped within this proposed national monument, however, and could still be up for a future wind energy proposal.
O'Neill says this has been a constant battle for conservation groups to protect Bureau of Land Management public lands that are rural and undeveloped. We sure could use some help opposing other utility-scale energy developments proposed for public lands next to Lake Mead National Monument, such as Battle Born Solar Project near Moapa. Basin and Range Watch was the only consevation group to oppose the badly-sited and gigantic Gemini Solar Project which was approved recently to be built on pristine Mojave Desert public lands that has high recreational value. No other group helped us, and that one may get built soon.
Spirit Mountain is sacred to 12 Native American tribes in the area. They are constantly concerned about efforts of energy developers, the article says. We support a tribal push to better protect these beautiful and unique lands.
^The Castle Peaks as seen from the proposed AviKwa Ame National Monument.
^Wild desert grasslands and Joshua tree savanna in the Castle Mountains, Nevada.
^Spirit Mountain in the far disatnce across Piute Valley, seen from the Castle Mountains in Nevada. This would become a new national monument of the President designated it under the Antiquites Act.
HOME.....Searchlight Wind Project.....Crescent Peak Wind Project.....BioBlitz.....ACEC push
