Doa Ana Co. leaders defend Organ Mountains National Monument

The deadline is near.

At 10 p.m. Las Cruces time, the public comment period for the Organ Mountain Desert-Peaks will close.

Several government leaders from Doña Ana County defended the Organ Mountains Desert-Peaks National Monument Monday, requesting that local residents speak out against scaling back the size of the monument.

“Since the monument was designated, visitation and interest in our area and economic opportunity have increased at an even more rapid pace,” said State Rep. Nathan Small, representing district 36.

On April 26, President Trump released an Executive Order that placed several monuments around the country under review, directing the Department of the Interior to suggest “legislative changes or modifications to the monument proclamations,” according to a city press release.

Wayne Suggs, owner of Classic New Mexico Homes, said the sheer size of the monument attracts many wealthy buyers, including doctors.

In addition to owning property and spending local money at local businesses, “they also come here and they save lives,” Suggs said.

The builder said one doctor was able to detect breast cancer in his wife, before it spread.

“In a roundabout way, the monument saved my wife’s life,” Suggs said.

Government leaders were confident that the community would support the monument. Just several weeks ago, hundreds of people attended the June 27 Doña Ana County Commissioners’ meeting to express their favorable opinion.

“You’re also going to see thousands and thousands of local residents from Las Cruces, all over southern New Mexico, and throughout New Mexico for that matter, saying to please keep this,” said Ken Miyagishima, mayor of Las Cruces.

The monument currently encompasses nearly 500,000 acres of land, which critics have said is far too much.

In a statement previously released, Congressman Steve Pearce said, in part:

“The current footprint is a good example of the abuse of the Antiquities Act by a number of different administrations that have designated over-expansive monuments. This goes beyond responsible conservation and chokes the ability for multiple use of these lands.”

Pearce wants the monument reduced to about 60,000 acres, which he said “was designed to be a compromise.”

To voice your support or opposition to the current size of the monument, click here.