Biden Establishes National Monuments in Southwest and Texas.
President Biden has designated two new national monuments in the Southwest, protecting a half million acres in Nevada and 6,600 acres in Texas from development. The Spirit Mountain area in Nevada is the largest monument created to date to protect Native history and will protect critical habitat for desert tortoises, bald eagles, and peregrine falcons. The Castner Range in Texas includes archaeological sites and will expand access to nature for historically underserved communities. The monuments were established using the Antiquities Act of 1906 and will insulate them from development, potentially spurring pushback from renewable energy companies seeking to gain a foothold in the region.