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Local Las Cruces elected officials and their representatives held a press conference on Saturday at the base of the Organ Mountains to raise concern over how possible federal cuts to public land could affect the local economy.
New Mexico state Senator Carrie Hamblen, D-Las Cruces, Mesilla Mayor Russel Hernandez, and a representative from Gabe Vasquez’s office all spoke on the importance of public lands not only for environmental reasons but also for the local economies.
Many of the speakers highlighted the Organ Mountain-Desert Peaks National Monument, which some feared could have been listed as a possible monument to lose some federal protections earlier this year.
Hamblen, who is also president and chief executive officer of the Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce, said that the Green Chamber has been helping improve both the monument and businesses relationships with public lands.
“What we have really become known for is being able to connect the importance of protected public lands to local economies,” Hamblen said. “We have been instrumental in helping our local businesses become thoughtful stewards of our public lands.”
According to a press release, the national monument attracted 600,000 visitors in 2022 and injects $35 million into the local economy every year.
Mesilla Mayor and owner of Salude! de Mesilla Russel Hernandez said that using the mountains as a way to make the restaurant feel more local through things like a cocktail named after the monument has been very helpful.
“It helps tell my story because being a local restaurant, we can tell a story all the way around about our community and that helps us out tremendously,” Hernandez said.
