Press Statement: New Mexico Wild Statement on Interior Department Order to Review National Monuments

“Secretary Burgum’s executive order threatening national monuments with mining and drilling represents a reckless assault on New Mexico’s protected public lands. The rushed 15-day review process completely disregards the careful stewardship these sacred spaces deserve.

New Mexico’s monuments, including Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks and Rio Grande del Norte, protect irreplaceable cultural sites and wildlife habitat while supporting our outdoor recreation economy. These are not warehouses for mineral extraction – they are treasures that define our state’s character.

New Mexico Wild and our thousands of members across the state stand firmly against this misguided attempt to weaken monument protections. We call on Secretary Burgum to rescind this order and work with local communities to strengthen, not dismantle, these vital public land protections.”