Defend Monuments; Support Law

October 6 Op-ed in the ABQ Journal by Kathy Holian / Santa Fe County Commissioner, District 4

New Mexicans have a deep love of their land. They also have a rich and lengthy history with the land that has fed and nurtured people living here for thousands of years. It is vital that we respect that relationship and that we protect and pass this bounty on to our children and grandchildren.
Since it was signed in to law by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906, the Antiquities Act has been a critically important tool for preserving our public lands – lands that belong to all Americans. The Antiquities Act gives the president the power to grant national monument status to areas possessing significant historical and scientific value.

Unfortunately, there are currently a number of politicians in Congress who see no benefit to having public lands. They would like to see that all land in the United States move into the hands of private entities, rather than being held for common benefit. These politicians are taking aim now at the Antiquities Act. They are working to repeal the president’s ability to designate national monuments.

This would remove an important tool that Republican and Democrat presidents alike have traditionally used for protecting irreplaceable treasures among our public lands. This disrespect of place and cultural connection goes against more than a hundred years of history and tradition in saving the irreplaceable resources available to all Americans. Our future legacy as a nation would be a sickly shadow of what it could be if this initiative goes forward.

In addition, up to 2 million acres of New Mexico’s public lands that have been protected might be on the auction block to private developers.
Just imagine what New Mexico would be like today without Bandelier National Monument, Chaco Canyon, Tent Rocks, White Sands, Aztec Ruins, and El Morro. This gives you a small idea of what our state and our country would be like without public lands and the national treasures that we love.

Fortunately, New Mexico has conservation champions in Congress working hard for us. Democratic Reps. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan have been active in opposing these proposed policies to sell off America’s public lands.

Proponents of legislation to destroy our natural treasures, such as New Mexico’s other representative, Republican Steve Pearce, need to hear right now from you who prize enduring values over short-term greed. Tell all our representatives in Washington that America’s public lands are not for sale.