Mount Shasta’s New National Monument Could Be Erased by Federal Government

The federal government is taking steps to abolish the newly established Sáttítla Highlands National Monument—an ecologically and culturally significant stretch of land northeast of Mount Shasta.

The 224,000-acre monument, designated in January by former President Joe Biden, was created to protect a rugged volcanic landscape known for its lava beds, caves, and sacred sites belonging to the Pit River Tribe. It was also seen as a safeguard against geothermal development in the area.

But a new legal memo from the U.S. Department of Justice indicates the Trump administration believes it has the authority to revoke the monument’s protected status—despite decades of precedent under the Antiquities Act, which grants presidents the power to create national monuments, but says nothing about eliminating them.

In a statement, a White House spokesperson said the move aligns with President Trump’s plan to “liberate” federal lands for energy development, including oil, gas, coal, and geothermal projects.

Environmental groups, including the Center for Biological Diversity, are preparing to challenge the repeal in court, calling the legal argument flawed and dangerous for public lands across the country.

If successful, the repeal would not only erase protections for Sáttítla Highlands but could set the stage for rolling back national monument status elsewhere in California—including the Chuckwalla National Monument near Joshua Tree, which is also being targeted.