NM Wild condemns federal order to review National Monuments’ exemption from mining, oil and gas

The Organ Mountains had a dusting of snow on Jan. 10, 2024. The peaks are park of the Oregon Mountain-Desert Peaks National Monument. The U.S. Department of Interior is examining plans to increase mining and oil and gas on federal lands, even where its banned on national monuments. (Danielle Prokop / Source New Mexico)

A New Mexico public lands and wildlife organization decried an order from the U.S. Department of Interior this week which seeks plans to enable mining and oil and gas production on federal lands — including where that development is banned at national monuments.

The sweeping Feb. 3 order from Secretary Doug Burgum directs deputies to submit the plans within 15 days. The order does not use the words “national monuments,” but mandates the “review and, as appropriate, revise all withdrawn public lands, consistent with existing law,” and cites the 1906 law that allows presidents to create national monuments and permanently remove them from mining.

In a written statement, New Mexico Wilderness Alliance Director Mark Allison called the move a “reckless assault” on public lands.

“The rushed 15-day review process completely disregards the careful stewardship these sacred spaces deserve,” Allison said. “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.”

The federal agency oversees more than 500 million acres of public lands including the U.S. National Park Service’s more than 400 parks and 500 national wildlife refuges.

In a call with Source NM, Allison said there are some questions as to how far-reaching the upcoming review will be, and if recommending mining would be legal.

“Part of the protection of a monument is that it has that permanent mineral withdrawal,” Allison said. “I think it is legally very questionable.”

In 2017, the Trump administration ordered a review of national monuments larger than 100,000 acres, which included Rio Grande del Norte National monument in Taos County and the Oregon Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument east of Las Cruces. The Department of Interior at the time declined to shrink the two New Mexico monuments.

But the vague language of the order could mean every national monument could be under review, Allison said.

“In the absence of information, I think everything is on the table, who knows how broadly they’re going to look at this,” Allison said.