The Biden administration plans to expand two national monuments in California this week during an event at the White House, said two people familiar with the plans.
President Joe Biden is expected to use his presidential authority to add land to the monuments — the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument near Los Angeles and the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument north of Sacramento — at a White House event planned for Thursday, according to two people who were granted anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the moves publicly.
The Biden administration has made a major push on environmental and conservation issues in recent weeks. The president rolled out a series of major climate and environmental rules this month and touted his efforts to conserve land and water last week during an Earth Day speech.
The expected move to expand the two national monuments in California, which were designated during the Obama administration, also comes as Biden is facing pressure to use his executive authority to designate new monuments and expand existing monuments under the Antiquities Act.
