President Obama will roll out new protections for 1.8 million acres of land in southern California’s desert, designating it as a trio of national monuments.
The new monuments will almost double the amount of land Obama has set aside for conservation.
It brings the total land and water Obama has unilaterally protected under the Antiquities Act to about 265 million acres, far more than any previous president.
The three new monuments, dubbed Mojave Trails National Monument, Sand to Snow National Monument and Castle Mountains National Monument, will connect three existing protected areas and 15 designated wilderness areas, creating the world’s second largest preserve.
The White House said the action will indefinitely protect unique landscapes, natural resources, wildlife habitat, historic and cultural assets like the largest undeveloped stretch of historic Route 66, and provide recreational opportunities for a fast-growing area.
The White House said it shows “the administration’s strong commitment to aggressive action to protect the environment for future generations.”
Mojave Trails National Monument, at 1.6 million acres, is Obama’s biggest designation yet.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) had been a leading voice in support of the monument designations.
Obama will travel to the edge of the desert in Palm Springs, Calif., for the announcement Friday, as part of a multi-day trip that included various Los Angeles-area destinations Thursday.
Obama has used his national monument powers frequently in areas for which he and local leaders agree on the need for land protections, but Congress has not taken action on its own.
The designations frequently anger congressional Republicans, who say he is abusing his power and should not be allowed to act without the approval of Congress and state legislatures.
Conservation groups applauded the new California monuments.
“These national monuments will play a vital role in the long-term sustainability and health of the region, and the protection of our beautiful, diverse deserts,” Theresa Pierno, president of the National Parks Conservation Association, said in a statement.
“President Obama’s plan to designate the most expansive national monuments of his administration is a momentous action with positive implications for local economies, threatened historic and cultural areas, and migrating wildlife,” said Mike Matz, director of the United States public land program at Pew Charitable Trusts.
All of the areas getting new protections are already owned by the federal government. They will be managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service and the Forest Service.
I guess it’s a monument to thievery, and I’m sure it won’t be long before it’s owned by the chinks. (or the U.N.)
The lie is exposed right in the article:
“….creating the world’s second largest preserve.”
“….and provide recreational opportunities for a fast-growing area.”
He’s not talking about “fast-growing” trees. If it’s a “fast-growing area” he’s not preserving anything except his ability to sell it to foreigners.
On the money!
Yep!
1.8 million acres is part of Obummers retirement package. Just one of the perks for being a low-life, scumbag, banking lackey.
“It brings the total land and water Obama has unilaterally protected……….”
bwahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He must need to set those lands aside so he and his international cohorts can jump start those uranium mines. By the way, who gave him the authority to set all of our land to the UN or some monument? Where was my vote? Who made him dictator in chief?
Oh that’s right, we don’t have a government, but hey, let’s vote on who gets to be our next dictator in chief. Maybe at the end of the year, we’ll all just get a few more pebbles of food than Obama would give us just for the first 6 months that the candidate is in office and then it will all go back again.
Unfrigginbelievable what this country has become. A country of cowards and stupid people living in denial.
Everyone knows voting will not help and that it makes no difference, but they go ahead and do it anyways because it makes them think they have some kind of false power left so they don’t have to get up off their asses and do anything themselves that requires a fight for survival. It’s pathetic. Like I said, they’re all living in fear or denial. Sad times.
“Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) had been a leading voice in support of the monument designation”
That commie jewb#tch will be leading the way to the gallows, too.