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 New Mexico's Otero Mesa is the largest and wildest grassland of its kind left in North America. At over 1.2 million acres in size, Otero Mesa is home to a wide variety of plants and animals. Pronghorn antelope, mule deer, black tailed prairie dogs, mountain lions, coyotes, golden and bald eagles, 250 species of songbirds and many more species depend on this vast grassland oasis.

The Bureau of Land Management is moving forward with plans to open Otero Mesa up to oil and gas drilling. The BLM claims that only 5% of Otero Mesa will be drilled at a time. This is misleading, because over the course of an oil and gas field, all 100% of the area will be developed. The BLM's plan for drilling has weak protections for wildlife, grassland restoration and watersheds. The track record of the BLM indicates that they cannot drill this area in an environmentally sound manner, and that once the oil and gas is gone, so too will be America's largest and wildest grassland--and for what?

It is imperative that Senator Bingaman introduce legislation to permanently protect Otero Mesa from full scale oil and gas development. He has done so for the Valle Vidal, now it is time for him to do it for southern New Mexicans, Otero Mesa, and the rest of America's future generations.