Biden creates national monuments in Nevada, Texas at conservation summit

President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced the establishment of two new national monuments, protecting land totaling more than half a million acres.

Biden named Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in Nevada and Castner Range National Monument in Texas as the nation's newest monuments during the White House's Conservation in Action Summit at the Interior Department.

Biden said these areas will be protected for future generations, and is part of the administration's goal of preserving 30% of lands and waters by 2030 in accordance with his broader climate initiatives.

"When we conserve our country's natural gifts, we're not just protecting the livelihoods of people who depend on them, like the family farms, outdoor recreation, businesses, rural communities welcoming visitors from all across the country and around the world," Biden said at the White House Conservation in Action Summit at the Department of the Interior on Tuesday.

"We're protecting the heart and the soul of our national pride."