On the day before Earth Day, New Mexico’s all-Democratic congressional delegation wrote a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, urging him not to end protections for New Mexico’s national monuments, which they argued are critical for local economies.
Three monuments — Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks, Rio Grande del Norte and Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks — are reportedly on the chopping block, according to the letter, facing either reductions in size or elimination.
New Mexico is home to more than a dozen national monuments, historic trails and parks.
National monument letter
“National monuments are vitally important to our history and any proposals to reduce their boundaries will not be reflective of the voices of New Mexicans,” the delegation wrote. “Each monument in New Mexico represents years of community advocacy and support for the protection of the value they hold.”
Burgum signed a secretarial order in February asking assistant secretaries to review public lands withdrawn from development — which can include those withdrawn due to national monument status — and submit an action plan by Feb. 18.
In early March, the department said it was reviewing those reports and assessing whether or not additional actions were needed.
The secretarial order followed President Donald Trump’s January order, “Unleashing American Energy,” which aims to boost the nation’s energy economy, in part by encouraging energy development on federal lands.
But the New Mexico delegation stressed national monuments are an important part of the state’s $3.2 billion outdoor recreation economy. Studies cited in the letter have found that since the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument in southwestern New Mexico and Rio Grande del Norte National Monument in Northern New Mexico were established, visitation increased significantly and the surrounding areas saw a surge of positive economic impact.
Tent Rocks, a popular site on the Pajarito Plateau near Cochiti Lake that was established as a national monument in 2001, reopened in November after a four-year closure. Cochiti Pueblo has taken over day-to-day operations under an agreement with the federal Bureau of Land Management.
“Withdrawing protections from these sites would threaten the economic benefits associated with New Mexico’s outdoor recreation economy and it undermines our community and tribal voices,” the delegates wrote in their letter to Burgum.
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