SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — Approximately 627,855 acres of Southern California’s vast desert are eyed to become a national treasure.

A federal bill announced Tuesday would establish the new Chuckwalla National Monument in eastern Imperial and Riverside counties, east of the Salton Sea.

U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler (both D-Calif.) and Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.-25) announced the legislation titled the Chuckwalla National Monument Establishment and Joshua Tree National Park Expansion Act of 2024. As its name implies, the bill also includes language to expand Joshua Tree National Park by approximately 17,915 acres with previously designated public lands.

A primary difference between national monuments and other kinds of sites, such as national parks, is how they are established. For example, Congress can create national parks by passing legislation. U.S. presidents create national monuments on federal lands to protect significant natural, cultural or scientific features — Congress granted them this authority in the Antiquities Act of 1906.

In an April 16 letter to President Joe Biden and Department of Interior Secretary Debra A. Haaland, Butler, Padilla, and Ruiz — along with 23 Democratic congressional members from California — urged the president to use the Antiquities Act to expedite the monument’s creation.

Lands within the proposed monument are home to over 150 plant species, many of which cannot be found anywhere else, and over 50 sensitive animal species, according to the bill’s text.

The proposed monument area also includes the homelands of the Iviatim, Nüwü, Pipa Aha Macav, Kwatsáan, and Maara’yam peoples (Cahuilla, Chemehuevi, Mojave, Quechan, and Serrano nations). Designating the Chuckwalla National Monument would help protect important spiritual and cultural values tied to the land, such as multi-use trail systems established by indigenous peoples, sacred sites and objects, traditional cultural places, geoglyphs, petroglyphs, pictographs, and native plants and wildlife, according to the bill’s supporters.

Chairman Thomas Tortez Jr. of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians applauded the bill and said that for thousands of years the tribe has called the proposed Chuckwalla National Monument lands home.

Erica Schenk, chairwoman of the Cahuilla Band of Indians also voiced support.

“The area includes village sites, camps, quarries, food processing sites, power places, trails, glyphs, and story and song locations, all of which are evidence of the Cahuilla people’s and other tribes’ close and spiritual relationship to these desert lands,” Schenk said.

Jordan D. Joaquin, president of the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe, said the lands encompass the tribe’s “origins, history, songs, religious ceremonies, ancient sites, trails, petroglyphs, artifacts, and intaglios that are spread throughout our traditional territories. Our footsteps are etched into the landscape since the beginning of time and we continue to persist in modern times, still providing stewardship over these lands. We are wholeheartedly in support of the proposed Chuckwalla National Monument.”

While the land has important tribal significance, the national monument would be accessible to all people.

“The Chuckwalla National Monument is good for the environment, the economy and public’s health,” Ruiz said. “It aims to protect pristine wildlife habitats, endangered plants and animals, and sacred sites of significant spiritual importance to local tribes, crucial for their cultural preservation. Additionally, it will enhance tourism and economic opportunities in our region and provide a new venue for constituents to hike, bike, and enjoy the breathtaking landscapes and natural beauty of our desert. This monument will play an important role in addressing California’s and our nation’s climate change goals while promoting the growth of renewable energy.”

In addition to input from tribal leaders, the Chuckwalla National Monument boundaries were crafted with feedback from leaders within the renewable energy industry, conservation groups, utility companies, community organizations and youth leaders, according to the bill’s supporters.

The boundaries weave through the desert around tribal lands, as well as around areas established for electric power lines, sites designated for renewable energy construction and military installations.

“The Chuckwalla National Monument will protect environmental resources and tribal lands while creating an energy corridor for the electric power lines essential for the state’s clean energy future,” said Pedro J. Pizarro, president and CEO, Edison International.

The proposed Chuckwalla National Monument supports the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan, which identified public lands suitable for renewable energy development; the monument boundaries were specifically drawn to avoid DRECP areas, according to supporters.

“This legislation is a testament to the reality that conservation and renewable energy progress go hand in hand,” said Raisa Lee, senior director of development, Clearway Energy Group.

Solar Energy Industries Association was also involved in crafting the legislation.

In total, proponents garnered nearly 40 comments in support.

Not everyone is in agreement. Some opponents say the proposal would eliminate desert mining and could restrict some desert recreation activities. As of Tuesday afternoon, a Change.org petition opposing the legislation had garnered over 1,500 signatures. The signatures could not be verified.

According to the April 16 letter to Biden, the Chuckwalla National Monument would contribute to the administration’s goal of permanently conserving 30 percent of U.S. lands and coastal waters by 2030.

Last week, it was reported that Biden plans to expand two national monuments in California. The San Gabriel Mountains National Monument in the Angeles National Forest and San Bernardino National Forest is proposed to grow by about 110,000 acres. The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument in Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Solano and Yolo counties would expand by about 13,000 acres.

The exact timing of an expansion declaration is unclear, but it is likely in the coming weeks — and could coincide with April 22, 2024, Earth Day, sources told reporters.

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Cheers and laughter erupted as Rep. Barbara Lee pitched a $50 per hour federal minimum wage during a labor-hosted U.S. Senate candidate forum Sunday in Los Angeles. Fellow Democrats and primary opponents, Reps. Adam Schiff and Katie Porter supported half that, but still far more than the current $7.25 an hour, with Schiff advocating for $25, and Porter a $20 federal rate and a $25 in California, indexed to inflation. The three were trying to woo 350 delegates of the National Union of Healthcare Workers, who will vote by Tuesday on whether, or who, to endorse in the March 5 primary.

But the person of the moment in California politics wasn’t in the room: Brand-new U.S. Sen. Laphonza Butler, who took office last week after Gov. Gavin Newsom tapped her to replace the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Butler won’t say yet if she will vie for a full six-year term next year, or in the simultaneous special election for the final two months of Feinstein’s term. When asked Sunday if Butler should run, Lee, Porter and Schiff briefly congratulated the new senator.

They said they looked forward to her tenure, but said that they were focused on winning the race and suggested they can do the job better. But if Butler, a former labor leader, decides to run, she could have the inside track to securing a formidable ally in some of California’s historically powerful labor unions. And that could shift the dynamics in the already heated March primary, in which three big-name Democrats have already been campaigning for months. Butler’s decision is one that some powerful groups in California are willing to wait for before deciding their endorsements.

The Service Employees International Union, with 700,000 members in California, and the 2-million-member California Labor Federation are closely watching Butler’s choice, according to union officials. The federation won’t make an endorsement until its Dec. 5 statewide convention — three days before the candidate filing deadline. And Oscar Lopez, political director of SEIU California, said members deserve the opportunity to hear from Butler first. “I would imagine that Sen. Butler would decide … in short order,” said Arnulfo De La Cruz, president of SEIU Local 2015, a chapter that represents long-term caregivers, that Butler used to lead and that holds its annual convention Nov. 6-7.

“We definitely don’t want to move forward without being able to capture potentially what could be the full list of candidates.” Already, the primary field is crowded with the three labor-friendly Democrats, whose policy takes on worker issues are barely different from one another. “We have an embarrassment of riches here,” Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, leader of the California Labor Federation, said at its May candidate forum. Butler, however, would be the only candidate to have lived and breathed union organizing. The longtime political consultant served as the president of both the SEIU California State Council — the political coordination arm of the union — and SEIU Local 2015.

Still, to mount a competitive campaign in the five months before the March 5 primary, Butler would have to quickly tap into her labor background for the millions of potential voters and millions more in campaign contributions labor has to offer. She would face a series of challenges: The lack of name recognition, delays in fundraising, and her stint representing Uber against gig workers in 2019 that drew criticism from liberal organizations and commentators. “She needs something to sling-shot her campaign if she ran,” said Wesley Hussey, professor of political science at California State University, Sacramento.

Labor support is already split, however: Schiff has received endorsements from a handful of statewide unions representing firefighters, operating engineers and electric, construction and transit workers, as well as local chapters. Tuesday, the California Teamsters, representing 220,000 workers, endorsed him. Lee and Porter also have the backing from union chapters within their districts.

On Friday, Lee joined SEIU-UHW workers on their picket line against Kaiser Permanente. Unions that have already endorsed likely won’t change course because they tend to “place their bets on horses that they have relied on in the past, that they feel have the best chance,” said Kim Nalder, professor of political science at California State University, Sacramento. During the Sunday forum, Lee, Porter and Schiff repeatedly pledged not to take corporate campaign donations and vowed to crack down on corporate interests. Meanwhile, they touted their support for union jobs and labor-friendly policies.

All three disagreed with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s veto of legislation last week that would have allowed striking workers to claim unemployment benefits. Butler represented both corporations and labor. When asked whether Butler’s track record is “disqualifying,” none of the three Democrats offered a definitive answer, instead acknowledging that the voting record of any candidate should be scrutinized. But Butler, now in office, has a chance to “show Californians where she stands on this issue,” Porter said. “I think it’s important that we expect her to listen to all of her better angels on labor.”

With Sunday’s forum, which starts the National Union of Healthcare Workers’ endorsement process, the pool of undecided labor unions is shrinking. Sal Rosselli, president of the healthcare workers union, told CalMatters on Thursday that Butler did not return his personal text or a separate invitation to appear at the forum. Because she didn’t announce her campaign by noon Sunday, she isn’t eligible for the endorsement. Members will have until 5 p.m. Tuesday to vote on the endorsement, which will be announced on Wednesday, Rosselli said. “We are not going to delay it,” he said.

Butler’s spokesperson said she planned to be in Washington, D.C., during the event. She declined a CalMatters request for an interview last week, with the spokesperson repeating: “Politics can wait.” The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees — which represents roughly 100,000 workers in California — plans to host a Oct. 15 forum featuring Lee, Porter and Schiff. It is unclear whether Butler has been asked, or is scheduled, to join.

‘Un-elected political insider’

While never having held elected office, Butler is an “un-elected political insider,” said Thad Kousser, professor of political science at the University of California, San Diego.

While leading SEIU in California, Butler was instrumental in the 2015 negotiations to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour — then the highest in the nation. The union threatened to mount a pricey ballot initiative campaign, eventually forcing then-Gov. Jerry Brown and state lawmakers to enact legislation that means the statewide minimum wage will rise to $16 an hour in January.

Butler also advised Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign before becoming the president of EMILYs List in September 2021, helping the organization elect female Democrats advocating for abortion rights.

On Friday, Butler attended a previously scheduled fundraising luncheon for EMILYs List in New York. “I decided I wouldn’t let myself down by choosing to miss another opportunity to serve at my greatest potential,” Butler told the crowd, Politico reported. “To lead and deliver at my highest impact. To raise my voice to its highest volume on behalf of creating a better, stronger, more equitable future.”

While EMILYs List doesn’t plan to endorse in the Senate race until after the primary, Butler’s ties to the organization give her access to a “huge donor network,” said Hussey. Paired with grassroots support from labor unions, it could be “a strong combination” for fundraising, Hussey said.

SEIU California — where Butler used to be president — will gather input from union members and decide in the coming weeks who to endorse in the U.S. Senate race, De La Cruz of SEIU Local 2015 said.

De La Cruz, who used to work with Butler, praised the newly-appointed senator’s pro-labor record. “She has an uncanny ability to bring people from all different walks of life together,” he said.

But ultimately, he said his chapter will consider candidates’ track record on issues such as climate, immigration and benefits for caretaking workers, as well as their ability to raise money.

Gonzalez Fletcher acknowledged Friday that Butler’s track record in organizing “matters a lot.” But to win the labor federation endorsement, a candidate must secure at least two-thirds of delegate votes at the Dec. 5 convention, she said.

“Obviously, Senator Butler did come from organized labor. That definitely is something that is on her resume that isn’t on others,” she told CalMatters.

“But I think in the end, there’s a lot of questions about who would be the most effective, who would fight the hardest, who would push the most, who would be able to have that direct connection with our members.”

Starting late, but a leg up?

Compared to the three other Democrats, Butler would have several advantages, said Kent Wong, director of the University of California Los Angeles Labor Center.

She could receive a boost in name recognition as the first Black and openly lesbian person to serve in the Senate, and the 44-year-old would appeal to voters who were frustrated at Feinstein, who did not announce she would give up her seat until she was 89, he argued.

“In a short period of time, she will become a household name in the state of California,” Wong said.

Butler also does not have the “political baggage” Lee, Porter and Schiff have as members of Congress, Nalder said.

But time is running out on Butler to assemble a campaign staff and start raising money. Schiff, who reported last week he had a whopping $32 million in cash on hand, could boost his fundraising even more as he can now collect twice as much from each donor with the special election.

Even with a background in organized labor, it would take time for established Democratic donors to warm up to Butler or for her to build up grassroots support, Nalder said.

“The traditional political donor organizations and individuals won’t have had her on their radar until a minute ago,” she added. “Labor unions are helpful, but you need some big donors or lots of small donors, and California isn’t a state where you can do retail politics and knock on doors and do town halls and get elected to the U.S. Senate.”

Besides, labor unions are already in a good position, Hussey said.

“Labor is going to … get what they want for the most part with these candidates,” he said. “​​I think she needs labor more than them (needing her).”

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BENJAMIN ORESKES, LAURA J. NELSON, SEEMA MEHTA | LATIMES

The death of California Sen. Dianne on Friday and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s selection of longtime political operative Laphonza Butler as her short-term replacement have thrust two critical questions to the forefront of the state’s political scene:

Will Butler run for a full term in the Senate in next year’s election? And if she does, how seriously will she shake up the race that is well underway?

The first question remains unanswered; Butler hasn’t said if she plans to run.

“Politics can wait,” Matt Wing, a spokesman for Butler, told The Times in a written statement.

“This week Laphonza is focused on respecting and honoring Sen. Feinstein’s legacy and getting ready to serve the people of California in the Senate.”

The second question had political experts divided as they digested the news of her appointment Monday. Whether Butler will serve 15 months and then step down, or enter the race herself, could upend the campaign strategies of the three prominent Democrats already running for Senate: Reps. Barbara Lee of Oakland, Katie Porter of Irvine and Adam Schiff of Burbank. Butler has deep ties to organizations that could help her mount a serious fundraising operation.

“I think Butler would be a very formidable candidate who’s capable of making it into the top two,” advancing from the primary to the general election, said Feinstein’s 2018 campaign manager Jeff Millman, citing her fundraising prowess. “Democrats like candidates who have government experience.”

But that’s if she plans to run.

“Most people believe that this race is too far along and that to run would be so violative of the democratic process,” said former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who ran unsuccessfully for California governor in 2018.

“I don’t expect that she will,” he said. “I do think she’ll do a very good job filling the shoes of a trailblazer.”

Feinstein broke barriers as the first woman elected to represent California in the Senate, and Butler will be the first LGBTQ+ senator from the state.

This comes after Newsom said last month he’d like to see a caretaker in the role, only to backtrack later after criticism from progressives. Lee, who is Black, ripped into the governor, saying that choosing a Black woman for a short-term appointment is “insulting.” On Sunday, hours before Butler’s appointment was announced, a Newsom administration official told The Times that if his appointee “decides she wants to seek a full term in 2024, then she is free to do so.”

Newsom committed in 2021 to appointing a Black woman if Feinstein’s seat ever came open, an effort to placate frustration by Black leaders after he appointed Sen. Alex Padilla to replace then-Sen. Kamala Harris in the Senate after she was elected vice president. Harris’ departure left the 100-member Senate without a single Black female member.

After Butler’s expected inauguration by Harris on Tuesday, there would be four Black senators, a record for a single time in American history.

Despite trailing in the polls and lagging in fundraising, Lee has said her candidacy wasn’t just about positioning herself for an appointment in the event Feinstein left office early, and has been focused on raising enough money and garnering enough support to prevail in the March primary. Lee campaign focus groups and surveys done last month found that most California voters had little awareness about the Senate race and that Lee “will likely only need 27% of the vote to place in the top two,” and advance to the general election, according to a memo from her campaign.

“I am running very hard to win this race,” Lee said on CNN on Monday. “Of course, it would have been great because I did want to fill the vacancy…. But listen, we all have to just focus on what we’re doing.”

Calls in recent weeks from members of the Congressional Black Caucus for Newsom to appoint Lee to fill a potential vacancy attracted increased attention to her campaign. The question now is whether she gets a bounce in the polls and will have stronger fundraising numbers. At the end of June, Lee had about $1.4 million in cash on hand, according to federal campaign finance reports.

Both Porter and Schiff have raised far more than Lee. Schiff on Monday announced that he had $32 million in cash on hand after raising $6 million in the third quarter. Porter hasn’t revealed her latest fundraising numbers but had $10.3 million in her campaign account through June.

Lee, Porter and Schiff all applauded Newsom’s pick, with the Oakland representative saying she looked “forward to working closely with her to deliver for the Golden State” and Porter issuing a statement praising Butler for “her career standing up for women and working families.”

Political strategists and former elected officials said the fundraising prowess of Porter and Schiff gives them a substantial advantage in the March primary. Butler, they said, could put an operation together and has the chops to raise money quickly, but it would be a tall order.

“I don’t care who you are, or how attractive you are as a candidate, or as a politician, or whatever,” said longtime Democratic political strategist Garry South. “You cannot pull together a viable statewide campaign in a state like California in five months’ time, especially with the holidays in the middle.”

“There are more than 21 million registered voters in California,” South added. “Do 21,000 know who she is?”

Veteran political strategist Bill Carrick, a longtime advisor to Feinstein, said that although Schiff, Porter and Lee announced their candidacies months ago, it wouldn’t be too late for another candidate to enter the race.

None of the three leading Democratic candidates has held statewide office before, he said, and polling suggests that they all have relatively low levels of support.

“It’s not like anybody starts with a built-in base,” Carrick said. “If you and I were sitting in a focus group right now, I think we’d find that most people don’t know much about any of these people.”

Butler is “extremely intelligent,” Carrick said, and would bring a long and varied resume to the campaign trail, should she decide to run.

That includes more than a decade as the president of Service Employees International Union Local 2015, which Carrick called the “largest and most politically savvy” labor union in California, as well as her ties to the political fundraising world through Emilys List, which he said could help her quickly tap into a wide network of potential donors.

Emilys List is a powerhouse political organization that funnels millions of dollars each election cycle to help elect Democratic women who support access to abortion run for office.

“It gives you a large universe of women donors who respond in very efficient ways to fundraising needs,” Carrick said.

If Butler were to launch a Senate run, her campaign support system — financial or otherwise — would probably rely heavily on the organizations where she worked previously. The endorsements of Emilys List and SEIU 2015 will be coveted by the already declared candidates.

“Those three I’m sure have deep relationships with the very entities that she comes out of,” said former California Gov. Gray Davis — who has yet to endorse in the Senate race. “Obviously she’ll get a lot of attention in the short term. On the other hand, I can tell you how difficult it is to get well known in a state of 39 million people. It takes years and years.”

Whether she runs for a full term or not, it’s clear that Butler’s star is rising in California politics — and the coming months may not be the last time she holds or seeks elected office.

“Whether or not she chooses to exercise her right to file as a candidate in the next 60 days remains to be seen,” said a person connected to the California labor community who was granted anonymity to speak candidly, “but I don’t think this is the last time we will see her potentially put her name in the ring for elected office.”

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