At the White House Conservation in Action Summit on Tuesday, President Biden named Castner Range in Texas and Avi Kwa Ame, also known as Spirit Mountain, in Nevada as national monuments.

Video Transcript

JOE BIDEN: I'm proud to use my authority under the Antiquities Act to establish the, and I want you to know it's a big deal, the Havanaqua may-- I'm having trouble.

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JOE BIDEN: Thank you. I got it.

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[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

JOE BIDEN: I just know it as Spirit Mountain in Nevada. It's one of our most beautiful landscapes and ties together one of the largest contiguous wildlife corridors in the United States, 500,000 acres.

[CHEERING]

Breathtaking deserts, valleys, mountain ranges, rich in biodiversity, sacred lands that are central to the creation story of so many tribes who have been here since time immemorial. Look, it's a place of reverence, it's a place of spirituality, and it's a place of healing. And now, it will be recognized for the significance, it holds and be preserved forever. Forever.

[CHEERING]

Second thing we're doing is we're protecting the Castner Range in Texas as a national monument.

[CHEERING]

This is managed by the United States Army at Fort Bliss and it tells the story of the tribal nations who lived there and the members of our armed forces who trained in those lands. It's also a place of incredible beauty. And right now, right now, as winter gives way to spring, Mexican gold poppies are bursting into bloom.

You see, what I wanted to do is have all this in a video behind me here, because when you see it, it's just breathtaking. Transforming desert plains and hills into a sea of vibrant yellow and oranges, framed in the rugged mountains and the blue sky. The people of El Paso have fought to protect this for 50 years. Their work has finally paid off.

[CHEERING]

And now, we'll clear the area of old munitions, create access to the outdoors for communities and parks, and we're going to create spaces that are harder and harder to find. And importantly, Castner Range will be preserved for future generations.