President Joe Biden used his authority under the Antiquities Act to expand the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument near Los Angeles, his administration announced Thursday. The expanded monument will include 105,919 acres considered the “gateway” to the Angeles National Forest and the National Monument. The Biden administration also announced the expansion of Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument in Northern California.

“We are thrilled that the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument is expanding,” said Rudy Ortega Jr., L.H.D.,  president, Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians. “We thank the Biden administration for making this longstanding vision a reality. Expanding the Monument helps protect lands of cultural importance to my people who are part of this nation’s history and who have cared for these lands since time immemorial. It also further protects areas that are critical for our environment and the wildlife and plants that depend on this landscape. Over 80,000 acres of the expansion are located within our Fernandeño territory, with 30 percent of our 900-plus tribal citizens descending from villages that predate the existence of California.”

The expansion of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument will help ensure equitable access to nature, conserve a critical drinking water source for Los Angeles County, address the climate and biodiversity crisis, contribute to state and federal goals to conserve 30% of lands and coastal waters by 2030, and honor the landscape’s cultural and historical significance.

“What a momentous day for Angelenos,” said U.S. Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28). “Thanks to the passionate advocacy for many decades of a vibrant, diverse coalition of Indigenous community leaders, community activists, and nature-lovers across Southern California, President Biden is expanding the boundaries of the existing San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and protecting more of a national treasure in our backyard. I’m exceptionally proud to have worked in Congress with Senator Padilla, other elected officials, and many local advocacy groups for over a decade to highlight the significance of the San Gabriel Mountains to our environment, economy, water, recreation, and health. President Biden’s actions here bring us closer to achieving his goal of conserving 30 percent of U.S. land and water by 2030 and help cement his legacy as a champion of conservation and our environment. As we celebrate this proclamation, let’s recommit to protecting these pristine public lands for the future and working together to give everyone access to their immense benefits.”

Along with the news of the Monument expansion, over $1 million in corporate, philanthropic, and state government support to help ensure equitable access to and sustainable recreation within the Monument was announced Thursday. Leading philanthropies, business, and state government are committing over $1 million in support of the San Gabriel Mountains Community Collaborative to continue to promote equitable access to and sustainable recreation within the monument. Supporters include REI Co-op, Resources Legacy Fund, the Rivian Foundation, Western Conservation Foundation, The Wilderness Society, the Wyss Foundation, and the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy, which is part of the California Natural Resources Agency.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose Fifth District includes the Santa Clarita Valley, issued the following statement Thursday reacting to President Biden signing a proclamation that expands the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument:

“Today’s approved expansion of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument is a big deal. It will drive the federal government to invest more resources to permanently protect and conserve these important natural lands. As more development comes to Los Angeles County, I believe it is critical to conserve open spaces that help our local residents and visitors connect to nature and wildlife. Preserving these special lands for future generations is important.”

The California State Water Resources Control Board also plans to fund efforts to reduce discharges of trash and other pollutants along the East Fork of the San Gabriel River, providing a cleaner and healthier watershed to recreate in. And the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy is investing $2.5 million in enhancement and access efforts along the East Fork of the San Gabriel River, part of the National Monument. Construction is anticipated to start on the San Gabriel River Confluence with Cattle Canyon Improvements Project (also known as the “East Fork Project”) in 2024, with improvements including safe and dedicated access trails to the river and recreational amenities like stairs, restrooms, trash bins, picnic tables, and formalized parking.

“We add our voices in celebration of expanding the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument,” said Chief Anthony Morales, Gabrieleno San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians. “The San Gabriel Mountains are historically significant to our tribe, our people, and our culture. Protecting more of this important region helps protect our traditional plants and cultural resources. We join Senator Padilla and Representative Chu in thanking President Biden for using the Antiquities Act to expand the monument.”

Momentum also continues to grow around stewardship of these lands, with youth field rangers and outdoor apprentices slated to work in highly visited areas of the Forest and the National Monument.

Over 18 million people live within a 90-mile radius of these public lands. The San Gabriel Mountains are the backyard for many urban and culturally diverse communities in Los Angeles County that have limited access to green spaces in their neighborhoods. The newly expanded monument now includes popular trails and places of interest such as the Cobb Estate, Eaton Canyon, the historic Sam Merrill Trail, Millard Canyon, and Brown Mountain.

“Our local community is overjoyed to see this next step in a 20-year effort to permanently protect the San Gabriel Mountains,” said Belén Bernal, executive director, Nature for All. “The area included in the expanded San Gabriel Mountains National Monument is the closest section of the National Forest to the San Fernando Valley; this action helps ensure environmental justice for communities who lack access to green and open spaces throughout Los Angeles County. Thank you, President Biden, for taking this action to benefit the health and well-being of millions of Angelenos and to Vice President Harris for championing the protection of these special public lands!”

The expansion is supported by 115 elected officials, the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, the Gabrieleno San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians, Los Angeles County, and the Cities of Alhambra, Baldwin Park, Duarte, Glendale, Huntington Park, Long Beach, Maywood, Montebello, Monterey Park, Pasadena, Pomona, Pico Rivera, San Fernando, Santa Clarita, South El Monte, South Pasadena, and Sun Valley.

San Gabriel Mountains Protection Act National Monument Expansion. Click on map to enlarge photo.

“The San Gabriel Mountains National Monument is one of California’s great treasures, and I am pleased to celebrate its expansion,” said Thomas Wong, mayor, city of Monterey Park. “I thank President Biden for taking action to include the upper Los Angeles River watershed in the Angeles National Forest. This is an important source of our region’s drinking water and open space. I’m also grateful to Senator Padilla, Senator Butler, and Representative Chu for their work championing the expansion.”

U. S. Sen. Alex Padilla, U.S. Sen. Laphonza Butler and U.S. Rep. Judy Chu previously called on the President to expand the monument and introduced legislation to achieve this goal. Vice President Kamala Harris also championed similar legislation when she served as California’s Senator. In November 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) held a listening session during which hundreds of attendees called on the Administration to take action.

President Biden will expand the monument using the Antiquities Act, which grants U.S. Presidents the ability to designate federal public lands, waters, and cultural and historical sites as national monuments with a presidential proclamation.

In addition, $2 million from the California Conservation Corps, the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians’ Tiuvac’a’ai’ (Healthy Lands) Tribal Conservation Corps is funding six positions, with hope for an additional 12 future positions. F0r more information, click [here].

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About the Nature for All Coalition and San Gabriel Mountains Forever

The Nature for All Coalition, made up of local and national nonprofits, works to protect the public lands and green, open spaces around Los Angeles, and create opportunities for Angelenos to connect and care for nature.

Beginning in 2000, Nature for All – alongside many national and state environmental groups – began working to build an extraordinary collaboration between social justice, immigrant, religious, veteran, business, recreationist, environmental, and civic organizations, as well as water entities and elected officials. Together, these organizations are helping to secure the protections and recreational access improvements necessary to meet the needs of over 18 million people in the Los Angeles region.

San Gabriel Mountains Forever is an initiative of Nature for All, formed in 2008. The effort focuses on protecting the public lands and rivers of the San Gabriel Mountains forever to ensure equitable access to the outdoors for the region’s residents.