Stand Up for Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument!

By New Mexico Wildlife Federation News | June 29, 2017

88 percent. That’s how much Congressman Steve Pearce wants to reduce Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument by. As the deadline for the Interior Department monument review period gets closer, it is now more important than ever to show support for our monuments in New Mexico.

No matter where you live in New Mexico, the Organ Mountains Desert Peaks and Rio Grande del Norte National Monuments belong to you. They’re the places all New Mexicans can go to hunt, fish, or camp. Congressman Pearce is threatening access to our favorite public lands by asking Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke to reduce the monument. The wildlife we love to hunt need large landscapes to move through in order to thrive, without the monument pronghorn antelope, quail, and desert mule deer could all be at risk.

The specific area Congressman Pearce wants to reduce includes primary habitat and some of the most important areas for wildlife in the monument. By claiming these portions do not deserve protection, Congressman Pearce is ignoring sportsmen and women across New Mexico. While the archaeological and historic aspects of the monument are important, if Congressman Pearce and Secretary Zinke focus solely on these portions they are missing the bigger picture of all the monument has to offer.

Analysis of the comments submitted so far shows overwhelming support for keeping our monuments as they are. Secretary Zinke is interested in visiting New Mexico and our monuments – let’s make sure he knows sportsmen and women support the monument before he gets here!

Submit your comment on our website.

The deadline to submit comments about all monuments under review is July 10th – submit your comment standing up for our monuments today!

Sincerely,
The New Mexico Wildlife Federation

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P.S. Questions about national monuments? Watch the first installment of our latest video series Public Lands 101: National Monuments.