The Castner Range National Monument in West Texas is the second of two new national monuments announced by President Joe Biden this week.
President Joe Biden this week designated a swath of West Texas desert near El Paso as the as the Castner Range National Monument, thus protecting the area from future development.
A “fact sheet” published by the White House on March 21 promised that the new national monument “will protect the cultural, scientific and historic objects found within the monument’s boundaries, honor our veterans, servicemembers, and Tribal Nations, and expand access to outdoor recreation on our public lands.”
The Castner Range National Monument is located on Fort Bliss, which served as a training and testing site for the U.S. Army during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. “Once the area is sufficiently remediated to be safe for public access, Castner Range will offer unique opportunities for the El Paso community to experience, explore, and learn from nature,” according to the fact sheet.
Sarah Bahari broke the news of the new national monument in Texas for the Dallas News. “Local and environmental advocates have long pushed for the designation, arguing it would increase outdoor access and drive economic development through tourism,” writes Bahari in the article. Planetizen picked up news of the potential for the site to become a national monument in 2021.
The announcement came on the same day as the Biden administration’s announcement regarding another new national monument, at Avi Kwa Ame, otherwise known as Spirit Mountain, in Nevada.
Read the full story: FACT SHEET: President Biden Designates Castner Range National Monument
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