An opinion piece written by a Texas Congressional representative explains how the proposed Castner Range National Monument would expand on "America's Best Idea."

Public lands, administered by the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and state agencies and created through the Antiquities Act and congressional action, have protected millions of acres of land and water from the degradation of humanity, according to an opinion piece written by Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) and Mark Magaña. But the county's public lands have always been a sad reflection of its broader racial and economic inequities:
This movement established what many called America's Best Idea, but also reproduced many of the inequalities we see so clearly in so many of our institutions - our federally protected lands, waters, and oceans have for too long been overwhelmingly inaccessible, stripped of their cultural significance to indigenous people, and often unwelcoming to people of color and immigrants.
The proposed Castner Range National Monument would change that history, according tp the article, by creating protected open spaces close to the city of El Paso, "home to one of the nation's oldest and largest Latino populations."
The article is pressing for President Joe Biden to invoke the Antiquities Act in declaring the area a national monument, elaborating on the case for Castner Range to be added to the list of lands protected by the federal government:
Castner Range has all the hallmarks of a 21st century conservation movement centered on justice and equity. It will connect underserved communities of El Paso to the Franklin Mountains and one of the largest urban state parks in the country, where tens of thousands of families enjoy hiking the arroyos, biking, camping - cooking carne asada surrounded by Mexican poppies, barrel cactus, and long views into our sister city of Juárez.
More reasons for President Biden to make the caster Range National Monument official are included in the source article.
FULL STORY: Public lands that look like America

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

US Senate Reverses California EV Mandate
The state planned to phase out the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035, a goal some carmakers deemed impossible to meet.

Trump Cuts Decimate Mapping Agency
The National Geodetic Survey maintains and updates critical spatial reference systems used extensively in both the public and private sectors.

Washington Passes First US ‘Shared Streets’ Law
Cities will be allowed to lower speed limits to 10 miles per hour and prioritize pedestrians on certain streets.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions