December 20, 2022 - Washington, DC – Congresswoman Jackie Speier (CA-14) and Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-09) have introduced the Range of Light National Monument Act to designate 1.4 million acres of federal land between Yosemite and Kings Canyon in California’s Sierra Nevada as the Range of Light National Monument to protect the environmental and ecological stability of these lands for future generations. The monument would lie at the center of the longest interconnected wilderness in the contiguous United States. 

Yosemite in Winter  Sierra Sun Times file photo

“The Sierra Nevada is an important part of our American Heritage. Its lands contain half of California’s native plant species, including the iconic Giant Sequoia, and other rare and endangered wildlife, while its three major watersheds provide drinking water for millions of people. It’s unacceptable that extractive industries, roads, and wildfires have placed these treasured lands at great risk, severely degrading some areas already,” Rep. Speier said. “Designating 1.4 million acres of land between Yosemite and Kings Canyon as a national monument will be critical to supporting President Biden’s plan to protect 30 percent of public lands by 2030 and will also ensure that the public can continue to enjoy these lands for generations to come.”

A copy of the bill text is attached below.
Range of Light National Monument Act bill text.pdf (167.6 KBs)
Source: Congresswoman Jackie Speier