There are few times in a person's life where one is able to be a part of something truly historic. Today we have such a moment for our communities in Doña Ana County. On Sept. 17, Sens. Bingaman and Udall introduced legislation called the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Wilderness Act in Congress to forever protect some of the most important natural areas in our county - including our iconic Organ Mountains - as new wilderness areas. The time has come to take the next step in securing this natural legacy for our region's future generations.
For years, Las Crucens and residents of Doña Ana County have sought balance between rapid growth and protecting some of the beautiful open space and mountains that give us our identity. Citizens have wondered if the quality of life that brought them here or kept them here was going to stay that way or if instead, we would go the way of some other high-growth communities and lose these important natural resources to sprawl and development.
Thanks to the visionary leadership of Sens. Bingaman and Udall, we are closer to an answer. The Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Wilderness Act will protect many of the county's most beloved natural treasures, including much of the Organ Mountains, the Robledos, the Sierra Las Uvas Mountains, the West and East Potrillos, Broad Canyon, and Mount Riley as new federal wilderness areas. Some of these lands were given interim protection almost 30 years ago, but lacking wilderness designation, remain at risk until Congress gives them this "gold standard" of protection.
This important conservation legislation also will protect nearly 100,000 acres buffering the front of the Organ Mountains as a national conservation area, and would include part of the Doña Ana Mountains. The legislation will allow a full range of recreational and traditional activities to continue, including hunting, hiking and ranching, while preventing further development in this area.
Protecting these vital natural areas will boost our economies, as visitors come to enjoy the beauty of the landscapes and employers can attract workers looking for the high quality of life to which our open spaces contribute. A 2006 study of the economies of many western United States cities by the nonprofit Sonoran Institute found that communities with nearby protected lands had faster than average personal income growth. When good employers and high-tech entrepreneurs can locate anywhere they want, areas with high quality protected public lands are an added incentive. Wilderness designation of our area's natural gems will help our communities enjoy this competitive advantage and long-lasting economic benefits.
Wilderness and national conservation areas are considered the crown jewels of America's protected public lands and designation here could help attract federal dollars to showcase them. Simply put, wilderness will provide a huge long-term economic benefit to Doña Ana County and its communities.
Today we have the chance to choose a direction that will have significant impact for our region and our way of life. At a time when we continue to lose 6,000 acres of open space each day in America, or 2 million acres a year, we believe Sens. Bingaman and Udall have taken a laudable step toward ensuring that more of what makes New Mexico the Land of Enchantment will be here for us and our grandchildren.
We encourage Congress to take up the legislation and pass it quickly. It will continue to give back for generations to come.
Ken Miyagishima is mayor of the city of Las Cruces. Leticia Benavidez is chairwoman of the Doña Ana County Commission. Michael Cadena is mayor of the town of Mesilla.
