Members of Congress are proposing an expansion to the national monument by over 109,000 acres, increasing its size by nearly a third.

In an attempt to expand wilderness protections to the mountains and foothills just north of the Los Angeles Basin, California Representative Judy Chu and Senator Alex Padilla have asked President Biden to add 109,167 acres to the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, an act that would help to preserve an area that is rich in historical and ecological significance and is within only an hour’s drive of 18 million people.
The move would increase the monument by about a third and extend its boundaries to various San Fernando Valley neighborhoods, including park-poor Pacoima and Sylmar. It would also give the U.S. Forest Service greater ability to protect natural resources and manage crowds in areas not included in the 2014 monument designation by then-President Obama.
The proposal to expand the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument comes at a time when the Biden administration has committed to safeguarding Indigenous, cultural and environmental sites under its “America the Beautiful” initiative, which seeks to conserve 30% of the nation’s lands and coastal waters by 2030. Aligning with and expanding on this effort, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted the 2022 Parks Needs Assessment Plus (PNA+) Final Report as the county’s 30×30 plan on December 6, 2022.
For more information, please read the source article.
FULL STORY: Expansion proposed for the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument

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

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars
Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.

As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.

With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)