And it be the first national monument in the 58th state
Posted on 05/19/2014 1:12:55 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
President Obama on Wednesday will designate nearly half a million acres in New Mexico as a national monument, the latest in a series of executive actions intended to improve environmental protections of federal lands.
The president will sign a proclamation establishing the Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument, the largest such designation of his presidency, during a ceremony at the Department of the Interior, the White House said Monday.
It will be the 11th time the president has established a national monument during his term, and the largest designation in terms of land mass during his presidency.
By contrast, former President George W. Bush established only four national monuments during his eight years in office.
The site will include areas used as training sites for the Apollo astronauts, as well as the Butterfield Overland Mail Trail, along which passengers and mail traveled toward San Francisco in the mid-1800s.
Press secretary Jay Carney touted the economic benefits of the designation, which is expected to boost tourism to the region.
"A recent, independent study found that a new national monument could generate $7.4 million in new economic activity annually from new visitors and business opportunities while preserving access for sportsmen, ranchers and recreational users," Carney said. "This signing is part of our larger weeklong focus on helping businesses invest here in America to further grow our economy and create jobs."
The president will press that case during a meeting Tuesday with business leaders at the White House and at an event at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., on Thursday.
But the White House might face a tough sell with New Mexico ranchers in the area, who have argued a nearly identical legislative proposal by the state's Democratic senators — Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich — was too expansive.
Obama's accelerated efforts on federal land protection coincide with the return of counselor and renowned environmentalist John Podesta — former chief of staff to President Clinton — to the White House.
After Republicans took control of Congress in 1994, Clinton used his executive authority to implement environmental protections for federal lands, including seven sites during his last month in office.
Someone found oil?
For about 15 dollars an acre in projected tourist revenue (does that ever happen??).
Ping.
The war on cattle continues and nobody says a word
or water
No! No more Federally owned land takeovers from the state. It is time to take back the states’ land.
one of these 2 photos will be used as a template for the statue.
The list, Ping
Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list
Does this mean the guys at White Sands Missile Range won’t be able to test cruise missiles against the face of the mountains anymore? Back in the 70s, I went down there to visit a friend who was married to a WAC, and she pointed out this huge target that was painted on the face of the mountains behind the base. She said it was quite a trip to watch those things come flying out of the desert and slam into the mountain.
Will there be lots of Doric columns?
Seriously, New Mexico should stand up and say no to this land snatch. There is no reason other than some stupid socialist fantasy for doing this, and it deprives the people of New Mexico a big chunk of their land.
Conservative candidates need to be crystal clear about this as well.
An Act of Congress to Restore Most Federal Land Takings to the Individual States.
did a quick search - here’s what the ranchers are up against:
Special-status animal species occurring in the Organs are the peregrine falcon, an Organ Mountain species of the Colorado chipmunk, and four species of endemic mollusks
The Sierra de las Uvas Mountains Complex also contains important watershed...These canyons are also important corridors for the movement of animals from the desert areas to water sources along the river.
State-endangered sand prickley pear, Opuntia arenaria, a BLM special status species.
Golden eagles, great-horned owls, and Swainson’s hawks nest here, and peregrine falcons have also been reported
Extensive grasslands in the area provide important habitat for grassland birds that have declined in recent years. This includes potential habitat for Aplomado falcons.
The Great Plains narrow-mouth toad has been reported immediately to the south of the West Potrillo Mountains and can be expected to occur here.
gleaned from the National Monument site already up:
http://www.organmountains.org/the-lands/biological-resources/
Well, you don’t want anything to happen to your Organs or your Uvas, do you?
The eastern flank has been Fort Bliss or White Sands Missile Range lands for many many decades. The ranchers on the west though, there has been ranching since the 1600s. Water is a bit more available on the west flank of mountains as the rains largely originate from moisture coming from the Pacific or Gulf of California. Tucked up mainly in the western canyons are occasional springs and seasonal running arroyos.
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