Nevada Outdoor Business Coalition Applauds Designation of Avi Kwa Ame National Monument

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Zoë Houghton, zoe@nvobc.org

NEVADA – At the White House Conservation in Action Summit this past Tuesday, President Joe Biden signed a proclamation designating the territory of Avi Kwa Ame in Southern Nevada as a new national monument, answering the call from our members as well as Tribal leaders, conservationists, outdoor recreationalists, and local monument supporters to protect the landscape.

In response to the designation, the Nevada Outdoor Business Coalition (NVOBC) issued the following statement: 

“It brings us great joy to celebrate the designation of Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in the state of Nevada. As a coalition of entrepreneurs, business owners and leaders of the outdoor recreation industry in Nevada, we were proud to support the grassroots campaign to designate Avi Kwa Ame as a National Monument. Over 100 Nevada businesses signed our letter supporting the designation, and we are thrilled to see this National Monument go from mere proposal to reality. 

The protection of Avi Kwa Ame (or Spirit Mountain) ensures that over half a million acres of public land will provide continued access for endless recreational opportunities, encourage tourism, increase patronage at local businesses, and further promote Nevada as a desirable place to work and play. This designation not only safeguards our invaluable public lands, it also benefits Nevada’s growing outdoor industry, which supports 49,000 jobs and generates $3.9 billion for the state in annual economic activity. We thank President Biden, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, and Bureau of Land Management Director Tracey Stone-Manning for listening to Nevadans and issuing this designation today. We also thank Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen, Congresswoman Dina Titus, who sponsored the legislation, and Congresswoman Susie Lee for urging the administration to designate Avi Kwa Ame.

###

About Nevada Outdoor Business Coalition (NVOBC)

The NVOBC is the business voice of the outdoor industry in Nevada, with the goal of promoting and supporting policies and regulations that will contribute to building a more robust outdoor industry in the Silver State. Our Coalition includes a variety of outdoor businesses, from well-known retailers such as Patagonia and REI to restaurants that feed hungry outdoor enthusiasts after enjoying the state’s outdoors. Learn more at nvobc.org.

About Avi Kwa Ame (Pronunciation: Ah-VEE kwa-meh): Sacred to 12 tribes, the proposed Avi Kwa Ame National Monument is at the center of Yuman creation stories and spiritual ideology and deserves permanent protection. Located between the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and the Nevada/California border, Avi Kwa Ame, the Mojave name for Spirit Mountain, could be Nevada’s 4th national monument.  Covering nearly 450,000 acres in southwestern Nevada, it is rich in both history and beauty. The proposed national monument includes petroglyphs; historic mining- and pioneer-era artifacts; rare and threatened wildlife such as the Mojave Desert tortoise and desert bighorn sheep.To learn more, visit www.honoravikwaame.org. Follow along on social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter