Write a Letter-to-the-Editor on Supporting Permanent Protection of Otero Mesa
Write a letter to the editor voicing your support for protecting Otero Mesa. Writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper is an excellent way to raise awareness about Otero Mesa and the threat posed by oil and gas development. It shows public officials that you support Otero Mesa protection and expect that they will, too
Here are some simple tips on writing letters to the editor. If you need some additional help or information feel free to get in touch with us.
Consider these talking points:
- With 600,000 acres of core grassland and 1.2 million acres of total public land, Otero Mesa is one of the largest and wildest desert grasslands in North America.
- It is home to many species of wildlife, including many grassland birds that are declining elsewhere in their range.
- The Salt Basin Aquifer beneath Otero Mesa is one of the region’s largest untapped sources of freshwater.
- Oil and gas development would threaten Otero Mesa's wildlife and water.
- Drilling on Otero Mesa will do little to solve our nation’s energy needs. The most optimistic estimate of the amount of natural gas beneath Otero Mesa is 1 trillion cubic feet--the equivalent of only 16 days of U.S. demand.
- Clean, renewable energy sources, like wind and solar, offer far more potential, with fewer impacts to wildlife, and without contributing to climate change.
- At the moment, Otero Mesa is unprotected. Only Congress (through legislation) or the President (by declaring a national monument) can permanently protect this extraordinary landscape.