Without grant, the future of New Mexico parks could be in jeopardy

Congress did not meet the September 30 deadline to renew the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which has provided hundreds of millions of dollars to New Mexico parks and projects in the past.

“Because Congress hasn’t reauthorized that, it will zero out and there won’t be any more opportunities for communities to apply for those funds,” said Carrie Hamblen, CEO of the Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce.

The fund was established in 1964, using revenue from United States offshore oil and gas leasing. According to the group, the fund has provided $312 million to more than 1,200 conservation projects. Multiple parks in Las Cruces were built with the funds, including Young Park, Apodaca Park and Klein Park.

“We need help,” said Councilman Gill Sorg, who represents district five. “We’re taxing our citizens here in Las Cruces plenty and we need the help from the federal government. This is what this money is for.”

Every year, the Renaissance Fair is held at Young Park in Las Cruces, attracting thousands of visitors.

“The fair would not exist without this park,” said Kathleen Albers, the executive director of the Doña Ana Arts Council.

The bipartisan fund is largely supported in Congress, but not by all. The Heritage Foundation, based out of Washington D.C., has said “the fund has become a vehicle for the growth of the federal government.”

“It’s an ingenious idea: Taking money from our oil and gas revenue and putting it into our parks,” said Patrick Nolan, the executive director of Friends of Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks. “There is no plan B.”

It’s not just Las Cruces: Six different parks in El Paso County were built using the fund, including Cielo Vista Park and Hueco Tanks State Park.