US President Joe Biden this Tuesday formalized the designation of the Grand Canyon as a national monument, realizing the decades-old visions of environmentalists and Native American tribes.
The decision, made during Biden’s trip to three states, will help preserve a space of about 4,046 square miles stretching north to south of Grand Canyon National Park.
Indian tribes in Arizona have lobbied the president to use his authority to create a national monument called Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni.
The words ‘Baaj Nwaavjo’ mean ‘where the tribes walk’ to the Havasupai people, while to the Hopi tribe it translates as ‘our footprint’.
“Preserving these lands is good, not just for Arizona, but for the planet,” said Biden, speaking in front of a mountainous view, emphasizing that his decision is “good for the economy, good for the soul of the nation .”
Biden linked his decision to broader measures to combat climate change, highlighting the current extreme heat wave, which has had a particular impact on places like the city of Phoenix.
After noting that extreme heat was responsible for more deaths than other phenomena such as floods and hurricanes, he added, “None of this is inevitable.”
At the time, Biden criticized supporters of former President Donald Trump’s movement for opposing the promotion of clean energy and the expansion of federal environmental protections.
The US president was speaking near Red Butte, a culturally significant site for the Havasupai and Hopi tribes, to an audience that consisted of several people in traditional Native dress, including feathered headbands.
Source: DN
