The president tied the designation to his administration's larger push to combat climate change and noted the recent extreme heat.President Joe Biden signs a proclamation designating the Baaj Nwaavjo I'Tah Kukveni National Monument at the Red Butte Airfield Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, in Tusayan, Ariz.
The president tied the designation to his administration's larger push to combat climate change and noted this summer's extreme heat, which has been especially punishing in places like Phoenix. He said extreme heat was responsible for more deaths than other natural disasters like floods and hurricanes but added, "None of this need be inevitable."
The political stakes are high since Arizona is a key battleground state that Biden won narrowly in 2020. It is one of only a few genuinely competitive states heading into next year's election, making winning Arizona a critical part of Biden's efforts to secure a second term. "I've had a lot of mixed emotions leading up to this day," Tilousi said. "One, missing my elders that started this campaign. They've all passed away. ... They weren't here to witness this special moment physically but I know they're here in the clouds, in the wind."
The Interior Department, reacting to concerns over the risk of contaminating water, enacted a 20-year moratorium on the filing of new mining claims around the national park in 2012. Still, existing mining claims will not be affected by the designation, senior Biden administration officials say.