The announcement by President Biden to establish the Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in southern Nevada, which includes Spirit Mountain and is considered sacred by Indigenous tribes, has been heavily criticized by Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo.

He stated that it would have a negative impact on the residents for generations to come. Lombardo claimed that he had reached out to Biden regarding the 506,814-acre monument designation in his state but never received a response.

“Since I took office, the Biden White House has not consulted with my administration about any of the details of the proposed Avi Kwa Ame national monument which, given the size of the proposal, seems badly out of step,” Lombardo, who took office in January, said in a statement, as reported by Fox News.

“Upon learning that the President was considering unilateral action, I reached out to the White House to raise several concerns, citing the potential for terminal disruption of rare earth mineral mining projects and long-planned, bipartisan economic development efforts,” he continued. “While I’m still waiting for a response, I’m not surprised.”

The Avi Kwa Ame National Monument, which has just been designated, is situated close to several national wilderness areas, including the Mojave Desert.

The area has significant mineral reserves and is also being considered for large-scale renewable energy projects by developers, Fox News reported.

Nevada is known for its large deposits of lithium, a crucial mineral for green energy technologies such as electric vehicle batteries.

Written by staff.