Protect wilderness areas now before they are lost forever
Article Launched: 05/27/2007 01:00:00 AM MDT
appeared in Las Cruces Sun-News print edition Sunday 5/27/07
It would be misleading to suggest that there is unanimous agreement for the federal government to establish Wilderness Area protection for land between Las Cruces and the Organ Mountains.
Ranchers now using the proposed areas have concerns that their operations would be negatively impacted. Home builders would like to push the boundaries closer to the base of the mountains. And, off-road enthusiasts will wail any time a piece of their playground is removed from use.
Still, the coalition of conservationists, sportsmen's groups and community organizations that signed a memorandum of understanding last week expressing support for a proposed wilderness designation represents a wide and diverse group of those who most often use the land under consideration.
And, the governments of Doña Ana County, Las Cruces, Sunland Park, Mesilla and Hatch have all taken official positions in support of the designation. The proposed Wilderness Area would also provide a buffer for White Sands Missile Range.
State Rep. Jeff Steinborn said he and other community leaders will travel to Washington D.C. next month to meet with U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici to brief him on the group's progress and urge that federal legislation be introduced seeking
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the wilderness designation. He said they are hopeful that a bill will be introduced before the August recess.
The proposal includes both Wilderness Areas, which prohibit all mechanized modes of travel, as well as less restrictive National Conservation Areas.
The proposed Wilderness Areas include the Robledo Mountains, Las Uvas Mountains, Organ Mountains, Peña Blanca, Aden Lava Flow, West Portillo Mountains and Mt. Riley, which are already protected as Wilderness Study Areas, as well as Broad Canyon and East Portillo Mountain. A National Conservation Area is sought for 100,000 acres in and around the Organ Mountains.
The recent annexation of 4,216 acres for development on the East Mesa has created a new sense of urgency for those looking to ensure that areas around Las Cruces are set aside for wilderness. Clearly, there is a growing desire among some developers to continue pushing new neighborhoods toward the mountains, as well as a growing fear among many residents that if we don't move now to protect these wild areas, they will be lost forever.
Because the land in question is owned by the federal government, it is up to Congress to offer that protection. Sen. Domenici has already indicated his support, and was looking for local groups to come as close to a consensus as possible. Sen. Jeff Bingaman's endorsement is also needed, especially given that he now chairs the Energy and Natural Resources Committee in the Senate.
We see this as a necessary part of the overall planning that is so sorely needed in the county. Along with clearly defined areas that will be open to future development, there should also be areas set aside for wilderness.
We urge our federal lawmakers to move quickly on this proposal.