New Mexico’s most recent Wilderness designation was the Ojito, northwest of Albuquerque. Ojito was the first Wilderness in over 20 years. It’s wonderful we might not have to wait so long for another.
» Doña Ana County Wilderness Bill Introduced! — New Mexico Wilderness Alliance »
Sportsmen, business owners, conservationists, local elected officials and other community members hailed the introduction today of The Organ Mountains – Desert Peaks Wilderness Act, by Senator Jeff Bingaman and Senator Tom Udall. The measure will protect nearly 400,000 acres of public land in Dona Ana County, by designating 271,050 acres as wilderness and creating a 109,600-acre National Conservation Area around the Organ and Doña Ana Mountains and parts of Broad Canyon.
» Doña Ana County Wilderness Bill Introduced! — New Mexico Wilderness Alliance »
The bill does include fewer acres designated as wilderness than the wilderness coalition had sought, but it’s largely in line with the coalitions’ proposal. Bingaman said the areas that would gain protection “boast caves, limestone cliffs and winding canyons that draw visitors to Doña Ana County.â€
“To that end, it is my hope that it will also help promote tourism and economic development in the region,†Bingaman said.
Udall said preservation “is the right thing to do — environmentally and economically. Thanks to the cooperation of a wide range of individuals and groups in developing this legislation, I believe we strike the right balance between preservation and progress in a way that will benefit southern New Mexico for generations to come.â€
Bingaman chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and said in the release he will schedule a hearing on the bill this fall.
Bingaman’s office also made available maps of areas that would be protected:
• An overall map of the county
• Desert Peaks National Conservation Area
• Organ Mountain National Conservation Area