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Greetings,
Organ Mountains - Desert Peaks
Wilderness Act
09/26/2009 For some three decades now, the most pristine areas of the Organ Mountains and other natural treasurers just outside Las Cruces have been regulated under a federal designation that was intended to be temporary — a wilderness study area. It seems to us there has been plenty of time for study, now it’s time for action. Last week, New Mexico’s two senators, Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall, introduced a bill that would designate 259,000 acres as wilderness and place another 100,000 acres as a national conservation area. And on Tuesday, the Doña Ana County Commission threw its support behind the measure.
Oct. 4, 2009 Organ Mountains Sites Deserve To Be Saved The Organ Mountains provide a dramatic backdrop to the vibrant and growing community of Las Cruces, the state’s second largest city, much as the Sandias do to Albuquerque. More than 30 years ago, at the behest of now retired U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, the Sandias were designated as a protected wilderness area. Now, our U.S. senators, Tom Udall and Jeff Bingaman, have introduced the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Wilderness Act. It would designate 259,000 acres as wilderness and create a 100,850-acre conservation area around the Organ and Doña Ana Mountains and parts of Broad Canyon. The Bureau of Land Management would manage the land to protect it from development, but current uses, such as hunting and grazing, would continue. Reform the 1872 Mining Law
Mining is a messy business. The federal government estimates that hardrock mining has degraded approximately 40% of western watersheds and that it will cost at least $50 billion to clean it all up. Here in New Mexico there are an estimated 15,000 abandoned mines. Fortunately, New Mexicans can play a pivitol role in reforming this antiquated law, because Senator Jeff Bingaman is a stout supporter of reigning in irresponsible mining operations. The Grand Canyon, one of America's most iconic landmarks, is being threatened by uranium mining. Mining claims within miles of Grand Canyon National Park recently forced the Obama administration to take emergency action to halt temporarily new claimstaking in the area. The Department of Interior now has asked the public whether mining should be prohibited on a long-term basis around park boundaries. While this action is an important first step, neither this treasure nor dozens like it will be safe until Congress gives mining a new law. We need your help. Please send the letter below to Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar. Ask him to take administrative action to withdraw 1 million acres around Grand Canyon National Park from new mining and work with Congress to protect our parks and forests on a permanent basis by modernizing the 1872 Mining Law. 2009 New Mexico Wilderness
Conference It's the 2009 New Mexico Wilderness Conference - Featuring Grasslands, Saturday, October 24th, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Bosque School in Albuquerque. Guest speakers include author, Charles Bowden, and grasslands photographer, Michael Berman, plus a special focus on preserving Otero Mesa - America's wildest grassland. Register Online or call 505/843-8696. The purpose of this year’s conference is the celebration of our wildest grasslands and their conservation. AGENDA
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Our wilderness around Las Cruces deserves
protection
Today, a Civil War era law that's still on
the books gives the mining of gold, uranium and other "hardrock"
minerals priority status on our public lands regardless of its
impact on conservation and recreation. It permits mining
companies to take precious metals virtually for free. And
it allows claimholders to purchase public land at the rock
bottom price of $5 an acre or less. 
