Heinrich Marks 10 Year Anniversary of Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Designation as National Monument

U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich took the above photo of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks on Saturday, May 18, 2024.

LAS CRUCES — Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) released the following statement in recognition of the 10-year anniversary of the designation of Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument.

“On the ten-year anniversary of Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks designation as a National Monument, two things are clear: the economic impact has been huge and the community pride is even bigger,” said Heinrich. “While not all of the impacts of monument designation are quantifiable, the numbers do tell an extraordinary story. Since the designation, more than 60% of the total visitors to the Monument have been local residents. Proof that the designation has done more than show the world how amazing this region is; it’s also encouraged more New Mexicans to explore our own public lands.”

Working alongside community members, Heinrich was instrumental in establishing the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks as a National Monument. Monument designation protected nearly 500,000 acres stretching across the Organ, Doña Ana, Potrillo, Robledo and Uvas mountains, home to many game animals, like pronghorn sheep and deer, as well as rare plants and animals, some found nowhere else in the world.

Last weekend, Heinrich delivered a keynote address commemorating the anniversary at a community event hosted by the Friends of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument. Find his remarks as prepared for delivery here.

Additional background on Heinrich’s leadership to establish the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument:

In 2013, Heinrich introduced the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Conservation Act to designate the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument. Soon after her confirmation as President Barack Obama’s second Interior Secretary, Heinrich hosted Secretary Sally Jewell for a hike and flyover of the proposed monument. Secretary Jewell also met with local community members to gauge support for the Antiquities Act designation.

On May 21, 2014, Heinrich joined retired U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman and then-U.S. Senator Tom Udall, community leaders from New Mexico, and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell for President Barack Obama’s signing ceremony of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument Proclamation at the Department of Interior. Heinrich joined community leaders and Secretary Jewell in Las Cruces for a local celebration of the new national monument on May 23, 2014.

In 2019, Heinrich passed the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Conservation Act as part of the John Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act. That legislation established 10 permanent wilderness areas within the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks (OMDP) National Monument. The Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Conservation Act completed the community's vision for the permanent protection of wilderness opportunities within OMDP National Monument.

In 2021, Heinrich hiked a soon to be expanded access route to Achenbach Canyon in the Organ Mountains - a project made possible through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Heinrich passed full, permanent funding for the LWCF in the Great American Outdoors Act, legislation he championed becoming law in 2020.

In 2023, a report released by the Las Cruces Green Chamber showed the positive economic impact OMDP has had on Doña Ana and Luna Counties. Visitation to the region has more than tripled since 2012, delivering more than $234 million of economic impacts in the region. Further, 73% of non-local visitors to this area cited OMDP as the reason for visiting Southern NM. Meanwhile, more than 60% of the total visitors to the Monument have been local residents.

Just last month, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released their draft resource management plan for the OMDP National Monument, which is open for public comment until July 5, 2024 . This plan will guide BLM management in response to changes in recreation use, population growth, and environmental conditions throughout the Monument and the Las Cruces metropolitan area.

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