Tribal nations send letter defending creation of Chuckwalla Monument

COACHELLA, Calif. (KESQ) - The Tribal Nations of the Coachella Valley and the National Congress of American Indians sent a joint letter today to White House officials defending the creation of the Chuckwalla National Monument in Riverside County, amid fears the Trump Administration may rescind its creation.   

"We aim to partner with the Department of the Interior on developments associated with the Chuckwalla National Monument, lending our deep expertise to ensure the area is utilized respectfully by the local community and tourists from across the globe,'' the tribal officials wrote in the letter. "Out of respect for tribal sovereignty, we ask that you refrain from taking any actions associated with this area without appropriate and robust tribal consultation.''

President Joe Biden declared the national monument before leaving office in January, protecting 624,270 acres of desert habitat in Riverside and Imperial counties from development.

The New York Times and Washington Post both reported in mid-March that President Donald Trump was expected to rescind Biden's action. According to the papers, the White House released a fact sheet citing numerous executive orders rolling back actions of the Biden administration, including one "terminating proclamations declaring a million acres of new national monuments that lock up vast amounts of land that lock up economic development and energy production."  

However, that item was later removed, leaving the fate of the monument in question.  

The Post reported that Trump also planned to rescind the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument in Northern California.   

Both the Chuckwalla and Sáttítla monuments were established under the Antiquities Act of 1906, and it was unclear under what legal authority Trump could roll back their designations.

Thursday's letter defending the cultural importance of the Chuckwalla monument was sent by the Ft. Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe, Cahuilla Band of Indians, Colorado River Indian Tribes, Chemehuevi Indian Tribe and the National Congress of American Indians, a national intertribal government organization.

"'We request the opportunity to meet with you and your staff to fully explain our position and why this designation -- and the associated protections -- are so important to our Tribal Nations,'' the letter states.