Schiff, Padilla, Butler Urge President Biden to Establish the Sáttítla National Monument in Northern California

August 30, 2024

Washington, D.C.- Today, Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) called on President Biden to use his authority under the Antiquities Act of 1906 to designate the Sáttítla National Monument in Northern California. The creation of the Sáttítla National Monument would protect over 206,000 acres of culturally significant, ecologically rich, and geologically unique public land within the Shasta-Trinity, Klamath, and Modoc National Forests in northeastern California.

The Sáttítla highlands are geologically unique and contain one of the headwaters of the entire California watershed. The volcanically formed aquifers below the surface capture snow melt, store as much water as California's 200 largest surface reservoirs, and discharge over 1.2 million acre-feet of snowmelt annually. The highlands also host a wide variety of aquatic and terrestrial habitat, including the Fall River trout fishery.

The establishment of the Sáttítla National Monument would also contribute to the Biden-Harris Administration's goal of permanently conserving 30 percent of U.S. lands and coastal waters by 2030, as well as address the three interlocking crises of nature loss, climate change, and inequitable access to the outdoors, furthering the Administration's America the Beautiful initiative.

"The area comprising Sáttítla contains countless tribal cultural resources that are reflective of the long-standing history of the region," wrote the lawmakers. "Safeguarding these sacred resources is one of the driving forces behind our effort to permanently protect this important area through designation of the Sáttítla National Monument."

"Our effort enjoys broad support from federal, tribal, state, and local entities and was crafted in close coordination with affected communities and key stakeholders after years of grassroots advocacy to bring greater protections and recreation opportunities in northern California," continued the lawmakers. "We are proud of the support we have built to date and are confident that any Antiquities Act designation would enjoy equally broad support."

"Sáttítla is not just a piece of land; it's the heart of our heritage and the source of life for current and future generations. Senator Padilla's leadership in protecting these sacred lands shows a deep respect for our history and a commitment to preserving it for our children and grandchildren. This is about honoring a promise to the Earth and to the people who have cherished it for centuries. Time is running out for the Biden Administration to act. While we know that protections like these can transcend presidential administrations, we no longer want to wait and get lost in the shuffle once more. Our Tribe, and so many others, have been asking for these kinds of protections for decades and the time to act is now! Thank you Senator Padilla, for hearing our call to action," said Yatch Bamford, Chairman of the Pit River Nation.

"Sáttítla is an area of profound cultural significance to the Pit River Tribe. It is the spiritual heart of many of the autonomous bands of this Tribe, and tribal members return to Sáttítla for reconnection, renewal, and healing. It is also a region with unique geology, remarkable biodiversity and a huge, pristine aquifer with great importance to California. We are proud to support Senator Padilla's request that President Biden protect this extraordinary place for future generations of Americans as a National Monument," said California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot.

"As Chair of the California Native American Legislative Caucus, I applaud Senator Padilla for working with the tribal leaders to protect land and water that benefits all California residents. Tribal leaders have been stewards of Sáttítla since time immemorial, and our community will continue to protect this sacred land for generations to come," said Assembly member James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino).

Additional quotes in support of the creation of the Sáttítla National Monument are available here.

A map of the proposal is available here.

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear President Biden:

We write to request that you issue a proclamation under the Antiquities Act of 1906 to designate the Sáttítla National Monument to protect more than 200,000 acres of public lands in the Shasta-Trinity, Klamath, and Modoc National Forests in northern California. We urge you to use your authority to protect this unique and sacred landscape, and we would be happy to host you for the visit this summer.

Since time immemorial, the Pit River Nation has regarded Sáttítla as sacred, and this area remains a spiritual center for the Pit River and Modoc Nations as well as for surrounding Native Americans who continue to use the area for religious activities, ceremonies, and gatherings. The area comprising Sáttítla contains countless tribal cultural resources that are reflective of the long-standing history of the region. Safeguarding these sacred resources is one of the driving forces behind our effort to permanently protect this important area through designation of the Sáttítla National Monument. This is also why our legislation would ensure the co-management of the Monument with federally recognized Tribes under relevant federal authority. We are proud to have secured the endorsement of several Tribal governments, as well as the National Congress of American Indians.

Sáttítla contains one of the headwaters of the entire California water system. The volcanically formed aquifers below the surface capture snow melt, store as much water as California's 200 largest surface reservoirs, and discharge over 1.2 million acre-feet of snowmelt annually. Protecting this water resource is critical for providing water to millions of Californians and for agricultural use downstream. The highlands are also of high value for fish and wildlife and host a variety of aquatic and terrestrial habitat, including the Fall River, which hosts a legendary trout fishery and is California's largest spring creek, which then flows from Shasta Lake all the way south to the San Francisco Bay.

Our effort enjoys broad support from federal, tribal, state, and local entities and was crafted in close coordination with affected communities and key stakeholders after years of grassroots advocacy to bring greater protections and recreation opportunities in northern California. We are proud of the support we have built to date and are confident that any Antiquities Act designation would enjoy equally broad support.

Establishing the Sáttítla National Monument would also contribute to the Administration's goal under Executive Order 14008 of permanently conserving 30 percent of the United States' lands and coastal waters by 2030, as well as the Administration's America the Beautiful initiative, which is intended to address the three interlocking crises of nature loss, climate change, and inequitable access to the outdoors.

Thank you for your leadership and consideration of our request. We look forward to working with you to permanently conserve this sacred, geologically unique landscape in northern California for future generations to enjoy, and we would be pleased to host you for an in-person visit in the very near future.

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