SWEC's Action Center
Whose Otero Mesa? Not mines...
After working successfully for more than a decade to protect New Mexico’s wild desert grassland Otero Mesa from oil and gas drilling, a new threat has emerged – hardrock mining. This winter, we learned that a mining company recently staked dozens of mining claims on Otero Mesa and plans to conduct exploratory drilling for rare earth minerals. The mining claims are in areas we have proposed for wilderness protection and “area of critical environmental concern” designation, and where we hope the Obama administration will designate a national monument.
Otero Mesa is one of the largest and wildest Chihuahuan desert grassland remaining on public lands in the United States. This expansive landscape is home to more than a thousand native species, and is a recognized by the Audubon Society as an Important Bird Area. Thousands of ancient archeological sites can be found in Otero Mesa, including on Alamo Mountain, where petroglyphs date back 1500 years. Furthermore, the Salt Basin aquifer, which underlies Otero Mesa, is considered to be the state’s largest, untapped freshwater resource.
All of these values and resources would be put in grave danger by mining on Otero Mesa, which could foreclose hunting and hiking opportunities, as well as other traditional uses of the land, and contaminate water supplies with toxic tailings. Mining on public lands is currently administered under the archaic 1872 Mining Law, in which companies pay no royalties and public lands that are mined are subject to insufficient environmental review and protections. It’s past time we stop allowing mining companies to run roughshod over our public lands and treasured landscapes. We need permanent protection for Otero Mesa now!
Dear President Obama,
Time and again, New Mexicans and Americans across the country who care for our public lands have shown strong support for protecting Otero Mesa, southern New Mexico’s wild desert grassland. Former Governor Richardson asked you to designate the area a national monument last year, a proposal that has the support of thousands of New Mexicans. Unfortunately, Otero Mesa still hasn’t gotten the protection it deserves. Now a new and volatile threat has emerged for this amazing landscape – hardrock mining. This past fall, a mining company staked dozens of claims on Otero Mesa in areas that have been proposed for wilderness protection and “area of critical environmental concern” designation.
It has never been clearer that this fragile and treasured landscape needs permanent protection. Therefore, I ask that you urge Sec. Salazar to immediately withdraw the grassland from new mining claims, through his authority per section 204 of FLPMA, 43 U.S.C. § 1714. Diverse stakeholders including elected officials, ranchers, sportsmen, conservationists, and the Mescalero Apache Traditional Elders have all expressed concern at the prospect of mining Otero Mesa. Because mining is administered under the archaic 1872 Mining Law, once mining claims are staked, little can be done to ensure mining projects don’t damage the outstanding natural and cultural resources that make Otero Mesa valuable to so many people.
Your administration initiated the America’s Great Outdoors program that demonstrates the Department of Interior’s commitment to conserving our treasured landscapes. As part of this initiative, New Mexicans turned out in large numbers to the Department’s listening sessions to support protection of Otero Mesa. Now we are on the verge of losing this beloved place forever. Please close Otero Mesa to new mining claims immediately, and give the grassland a chance at permanent protection.
Sincerely,
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Protect Otero Mesa
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