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Senators unveil revised wilderness proposal
U.S. Sens. Jeff Bingaman, right, and Tom Udall at a hearing on the wilderness bill held in Las Cruces in February. (Photo by Heath Haussamen)
New Mexico’s U.S. senators unveiled a revised wilderness proposal for Doña Ana County on Wednesday that frees up more land along the border in an effort to address law enforcement concerns.
The primary change to the Organ Mountains – Desert Peaks Wilderness Act is that, in the area along the border that had previously been designated as wilderness study area, a larger area will be freed up for law enforcement access.
Previously, the bill would have released land in a three-mile zone along the border for general use, including law enforcement patrols. The new bill adds an additional two-mile zone near the Potrillo Mountains to be designated as a “Restricted Use Area” in which motorized vehicle access would be allowed for the Border Patrol but not the general public.
The change came, Sens. Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall said in a news release, after a February hearing on the legislation in Las Cruces. At that meeting, area residents asked the senators to go further in allowing law enforcement access along the border.
“Working with the Border Patrol, I believe we have come up with a very good resolution that both enhances our border security and protects one of New Mexico’s iconic landscapes,” Bingaman said in a news release.
“Once again we have successfully collaborated to produce a modified plan that strengthens our border security with respect to the preservation of the nearby Potrillo Mountains,” Udall said. “This enhanced legislation builds upon the principles of the original Doña Ana wilderness bill and ensures the protection of both the border and this incredible landscape for generations to come.”
The bill previously proposed releasing 16,000 acres along the border. It now proposes to place another 14,000 into the “Restricted Use Area” designation.
You can view a map with details here.
The legislation also explicitly states that the wilderness designation would not affect the Border Patrol’s ability to fly over the wilderness area or conduct other border security activities there, including the use of motorized vehicles while pursuing a suspect.
Customs official praises changes
The commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, who oversees the Border Patrol, wrote a letter thanking the senators for the changes. In it, Commissioner Alan Bersin stated that the bill, as modified, “would significantly enhance the flexibility of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to operate in this border area.”
“The security-related enhancements in this bill are the result of careful consultation between your office and CBP in New Mexico and Washington, DC,” he wrote. “While the solutions identified in this bill are specific to this particular area of the border, the collaborative process should be a model for future consideration of wilderness designation along the border.”
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will consider the bill in the coming weeks, the news release from Bingaman and Udall said. Bingaman chairs that committee.
If it passes that panel it will be ready for full Senate consideration. It must also make its way through the House before it can head to the president’s desk.
The senators introduced the legislation in October. The bill would designate almost 250,000 acres as wilderness and 100,000 acres as national conservation areas. In addition to the Potrillo Mountains, land on and around the Organ, Robledo and Doña Ana mountains would be protected.
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Only a few ranchers are stridently opposing legislation to make the Organ Mountains a Wilderness Area for a laundry list of reasons that don’t make sense. First they moan about the restrictive aspects of the Wilderness Act of 1964 and 1980. Both pieces of legislation were largely written under the supervision of the powerful ranching interests. Just recently the ranching industry pressured the Bureau of Land Management to lower the federal grazing fee to only $1.35 per unit – the lowest amount in years.
Further the Wilderness Act of 1980 entrenches livestock grazing interests in our National Wilderness Preservation System. In no uncertain terms it ratifies the grandfathering of livestock grazing in Wilderness Areas. It allows for new fences, water and other developments. It even allows for an increase in livestock, and there is no reasonable regulation in any designated Wilderness Area. Now we have to listen to a few anti-wilderness proponents offering NO compromise and total opposition to the Organ Mountains Wilderness Area.
These individuals need to realize that the Wilderness Area will benefit all Dona Ana County and as well as New Mexico residents. There is no way the ranching will be greatly affected by Wilderness. It is in the common interests of all parties to conserve the Organ Mountains for the unborn generations. It was a rancher and President Teddy Roosevelt, who stated succinctly: “There can be no greater issue than that of conservation in this country.”
Thank you to senator Udall and Bingaman. We need to preserve some of our lands for future generations. As for the ranchers, their livestock have overgrazed too many places and left teir droppings to pollute water. They have gotten plenty of federal monies and favors. Time to save these places for their natural beauty.
If this is Bingaman and Udall’s idea of compromise, let me get my boots on. The manure is being spread too deep for shoes. They have changed nothing but the name of the designation. The lock is still on the gate and we, nor can the ranchers enjoy the areas in question. Give me a break!
These two progressives are still dancing with the Wilderness Alliance people and not to the benefit of the public. They care nothing for the ranchers who have preserved the land in a better state, their investments and their livelihoods. The only interests they have is to push their will and lack of knowledge on the people who sweated blood to make something out of a barren desert.
They havent compromised, they changed the designation on a two mile strip to let the Border Patrol in that area. They could just as easily changed the designation from Wilderness to National Conservation Area that would let the Border Patrol have full access and still protect the land from disposal, mining, mineral leasing and development.
Make room for the predator drones.
Progress yes, but why did it take so long for these Senators to show even an ounce of leadership? The far left PVA types have got these guys in the pocketbook. They let this fight get nasty and divisive before they decided to even acknowledge that we have a serious problem on the border with the illegals and cartels. I expect feet dragging from Udall but I also expect Bingaman to be more of a leader.
This shows the outstanding leadership of Senators Bingaman and Udall regarding Wilderness. They are willing to compromise to get the best results. This border security revision should satisfy all constituents except for the total anti-wilderness proponents.