U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich reintroduced legislation
to protect wilderness within the Río Grande del Norte National Monument
northwest of Taos, New Mexico and the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks
National Monument in Doña Ana County, New Mexico.
"The
Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks and the Río Grande del Norte national
monuments are stunning landscapes, rich with culture and history, that
are creating jobs by driving visitors to New Mexico from around the
world," Udall said. "We will always work closely with
Southern New Mexico communities to ensure we both secure our border and
protect treasured landscapes in the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks
Conservation Act. And by designating wilderness in the most rugged areas
within the Río Grande del Norte National Monument in Northern New
Mexico, we will take the final step toward ensuring its many treasures
will remain protected for generations to come, while preserving
traditional practices and keeping the land accessible for hunting,
fishing and recreation. Designating these study areas as wilderness will
enhance these monuments, further boosting tourism and creating jobs and
ensuring our children and grandchildren can enjoy the rich history,
outdoor recreation and many traditional uses of the land."
"Both
of New Mexico's newest community-driven monuments permanently protected
iconic landscapes that have long been revered. This legislation will
further complete the vision of the diverse coalitions and stakeholders
who fought so hard to protect these two stunning parts of our state," Heinrich said. "In
the case of Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks, management changes in this
bill will create additional flexibility for the Border Patrol and
improve security at our nation's southern border. For both monuments,
this legislation will preserve traditional practices, increase
recreational access, and help New Mexico's outdoor recreation economy
create new jobs. By designating the most rugged and unique areas
in Río​ Grande del Norte and Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks as
wilderness, we can protect New Mexico's natural heritage for our
children and for generations to come."
Cerro del Yuta and Rio San Antonio Wilderness Act
The
Cerro del Yuta and Rio San Antonio Wilderness Act establishes two new
wilderness areas, the Cerro del Yuta Wilderness and Rio San Antonio
Wilderness, comprised of 21,420 acres within the 242,500-acre Río Grande
del Norte National Monument northwest of Taos, New Mexico.
The legislation passed in
the Senate last year as an amendment to the Energy Policy Modernization
Act but was not taken up in the House of Representatives. The Senate
Energy and Natural Resources Committee also approved a previous version of this legislation in 2013.
Río
Grande del Norte boasts incredible wildlands and waters that sustain
the surrounding communities, and is home to elk, deer, bighorn sheep,
golden eagles, sandhill cranes, and other wildlife. The area is one of
the most stunning and ecologically significant in the state and a
destination for tourists and outdoor enthusiasts.
The
Río Grande del Norte National Monument is widely supported by Taos and
Rio Arriba county residents, who have seen major economic activity since
designation in 2013. A year after the national monument was
designated, it was reported that the town of Taos lodgers' tax revenue
increased by 21 percent in the second half of 2013, compared with the
same time period in 2012. In addition, gross-receipts revenue to
businesses in Taos County in the accommodations and food service sector
rose 8.3 percent in the second half of 2013 compared with the same
period in 2012, representing an increase of $3.7 million.
A map of the proposed wilderness areas is available here.
Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Conservation Act
The
Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Conservation Act completes the community's
vision for the permanent protection of wilderness opportunities within
the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks (OMDP) National Monument. A broad
coalition of Hispanic leaders, veterans, Native Americans, sportsmen,
small business owners, faith leaders, conservationists, local elected
officials and others have worked for over a decade to protect wilderness
in Doña Ana and Luna Counties.
The Organ
Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument has helped grow Doña Ana
County's economy. The new monument put southern New Mexico on the map in
national tourism publications like Lonely Planet and Trip Advisor as a
prime destination for outdoor recreation, history, and cultural
tourists.
The number of visitors to the monument
more than doubled in its second year, bringing increased tax revenue to
the community and more tourism dollars to local businesses. A number of
local businesses have capitalized on this trend by creating tailored
products named for the monument.
President Obama
based the 2014 national monument designation on legislation introduced
by Udall and Heinrich, but only Congress has authority to create
wilderness. This final step will ensure full protection for land within
OMDP and the unconfined opportunities for recreation that wilderness
offers. It will provide protection for the wildest places within the
national monument - including the Organ, Potrillo, Uvas and Robledo
Mountains, as well as Aden Lava Flow and Broad Canyon.
The
Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Conservation Act will preserve New
Mexico's outdoor heritage by ensuring that these public lands will
remain open to hunting, recreation and grazing. And by removing the
current wilderness study area designation along the U.S.-Mexico border,
the bill will help strengthen border security.
In a letter to Udall and Heinrich,U.S. Customs and Border Protection indicated that the provisions of
the bill would "significantly enhance the flexibility of U.S. Customs
and Border Protection (CBP) to operate in this border area."The
bill also directs the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to identify
opportunities for watershed management throughout the national
monument. Further, it directs the BLM to work with the New Mexico State
Land Office toward a mutually beneficial exchange of lands to reduce or
eliminate state inholdings in the monument.
This
legislation reflects feedback from many individuals and groups over the
years, including grazing permittees and private landowners within the
proposed areas; electric, natural gas, and pipeline utilities; local
governments and community leaders; local law enforcement agencies;
sportsmen, heritage, veteran, conservation, and archaeological
organizations; flood control and irrigation authorities; airport
authorities; the New Mexico State Land Office; and federal agencies,
including the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Border Patrol, and the
Army.
A fact sheet on the legislation is available here. Bill text is available here. Map of the Organ Mountains Complex is available here, Desert Peaks Complex is available here, and Potrillo Mountains Complex is available here.
Issues of concern to people who live in the west: property rights, water rights, endangered species, livestock grazing, energy production, wilderness and western agriculture. Plus a few items on western history, western literature and the sport of rodeo... Frank DuBois served as the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003. DuBois is a former legislative assistant to a U.S. Senator, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, and is the founder of the DuBois Rodeo Scholarship.
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