National monument proposed for Nevada site sacred to tribes

By KEN RITTER
Associated Press

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A Nevada congresswoman and several elected and tribal officials announced support for national monument designation over a broad area south of Las Vegas they say is biologically diverse and rich with Native American cultural significance. U.S. Rep. Dina Titus, a Democrat from Las Vegas, said Friday she intends to introduce legislation in Congress in coming days. The protected area would encompass a rugged and arid landscape generally between the Colorado River and the Mojave National Preserve in California. It would include Spirit Mountain, a peak known as “Avi Kwa Ame” by the Fort Mojave Tribe and listed in 1999 on the National Register of Historic Places as a place sacred to Indian tribes.