Avi Kwa Ame National Monument Establishment Act of 2023

The Federal public lands in southernmost Nevada comprise a nationally significant cultural and natural landscape.

These lands are considered sacred by numerous Indian Tribes, and the lands are tied to the Indian Tribes’ creation, cosmology, and well-being, containing numerous cultural sites and objects.

Avi Kwa Ame, or Spirit Mountain, located on the eastern edge of the proposed monument, is designated a Traditional Cultural Property on the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of its religious and cultural importance.

The lands showcase the progression of human history in the Eastern Mojave Desert, a literal crossroads of the American West. There are significant elements of Native American, Western-American, and Mining History, including the historic Mojave Trail/Road, originally used by Mojave and other Native Americans to transport goods from the southwest to trade with the Chumash and other coastal Tribes and later used in Western expansion, as well as the historic Walking Box Ranch which figures prominently in the history of movie making in America.

The lands contain several prominent geological features, such as the volcanic Highland Range within the northern section of the Avi Kwa Ame landscape, which is about 10 miles long and remarkably rugged and ragged. The multicolored volcanic peaks, several thousand feet in elevation, tower above the surrounding valley and are remarkably scenic and are a designated Crucial Bighorn Sheep Habitat area.

The lands are a rare biological hotspot that contain intact ecosystems, Joshua tree forests, outstanding wildlife habitat, and essential wildlife migration corridors.

The remote nature of the area protects the ability to enjoy increasingly rare natural quiet and dark night sky and solitude.

The lands provide important recreational opportunities.

Establishing the Federal public lands within the Avi Kwa Ame landscape as a national monument will permanently protect these natural and cultural resources for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations.

Advisory council— The term Advisory Council means the Avi Kwa Ame National Monument Advisory Council established under section 5(a).

Indian Tribe— The term Indian Tribe has the meaning given in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).

Management plan— The term management plan means the management plan prepared under section 4(d).

Map— The term Map means the map entitled “Avi Kwa Ame National Monument” and dated February 1, 2022.

Monument— The term Monument means the Avi Kwa Ame National Monument established by section 4(a).

Secretary— The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.

State— The term State means the State of Nevada.

Establishment— Subject to valid existing rights, there is established the Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in the State, consisting of approximately 445,000 acres of Federal land administered by the Bureau of Land Management, as generally depicted on the Map.

Purposes— The purpose of the Monument is to conserve, protect, and enhance for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations the cultural, ecological, scenic, wildlife, recreational, dark sky, historical, natural, educational, and scientific resources of the Monument.

Incorporation of acquired land and interests— Any land or interest in land within the boundary of the Monument that is acquired by the United States shall—

Withdrawal— Subject to valid existing rights, all Federal land located in the Monument is withdrawn from—

Military, law enforcement, and emergency overflights— Nothing in this section precludes—

Establishment— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish an advisory council to be known as the “Avi Kwa Ame National Monument Advisory Council”.

Duties— The Advisory Council shall advise the Secretary with respect to the preparation and implementation of the management plan.

Applicable law— The Advisory Council shall be subject to—

Duties of the advisory council— The Advisory Council shall advise the Secretary with respect to the preparation and implementation of the management plan, including budgetary matters relating to the Monument.

Compensation— Members of the Advisory Council shall receive no compensation for serving on the Advisory Council.

Termination— The Advisory Council shall terminate not later than 3 years after the date on which the final version of the management plan is published.

In general— Nothing in this Act limits, alters, modifies, or amends the Clark County Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan with respect to the Monument.

Conservation management areas— The Secretary may, in accordance with the Clark County Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan (including amendments to the plan) and applicable law, credit the acreage of Federal land within the Monument as Conservation Management Areas under the plan.

Management plan— In developing the management plan, to the extent consistent with this section, the Secretary may incorporate any provision of the Clark County Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan.

Transfer of parcels— The Secretary shall transfer administrative jurisdiction of any Bureau of Reclamation land within the Monument to the Bureau of Land Management.