New Mining Claims Staked On Wind Mountain Hudspeth County Herald – 2/23/2011 A Colorado-based company has staked more than 50 claims to mine cobalt from Wind Mountain and adjacent areas on Otero Mesa, a coalition of conservation groups announced this week. That news is likely to intensify the ongoing debate over the future of Otero Mesa, the management of federal lands there and the possibility of their designation as a national monument. According to a statement released Tuesday (Feb. 22) by the Coalition for Otero Mesa, Geovic Mining Corp staked more than 50 new mining claims on...

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN / Associated Press Posted: 02/23/2011 11:04:01 AM MST ALBUQUERQUE – The rolling hills and grasslands of southern New Mexico’s Otero Mesa have served as a battleground for environmentalists and the oil and natural gas industry for the past decade, and now a dozen new mining claims in the area have sparked concern among a coalition of environmental groups. Denver-based Geovic Mining Corp. has staked more than 50 20-acre claims in the hope of finding sources of zirconium and rare earth minerals. However, Geovic is still in the early stages of analyzing rock...

Mescalero group holds Otero Mesa sacred Alamogordo Daily News By Elva K. Osterreich, Associate News Editor 1/30/2011 Officially advocating for Otero Mesa to become a national monument, a group of Mescalero elders are making their voices heard on behalf of the grasslands of southern Otero County. The mission of the group is to preserve Otero Mesa and insure the history of the Mescalero Apache connection to the area is recognized. “We envision Otero Mesa as a place for Apache youth programs that will educate and inspire them by the unique lifestyle of their ancestors,” says their mission...

Show your love for Otero Mesa! On Valentine’s Day, many folks try to do something special for those they love. While you’re at it, why not do the same for the lands you love? All of us own 635 million acres of national parks, national wildlife refuges, national forests, and western acreage overseen by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Many of these places put up with a lot of abuse: poorly executed mining, drilling, and logging, to note a few– we need to make sure Otero Mesa isn’t one of them! Today, send a note to New Mexico’s BLM chief to let her know how much...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 22, 2011 CONTACT: Nathan Newcomer, New Mexico Wilderness Alliance 505-250-4225 John Cornell, New Mexico Wildlife Federation 575-740-1759 New Mexico Wilderness Alliance* The Wilderness Society* Southwest Environmental Center* New Mexico Wildlife Federation* National Wildlife Federation* Sierra Club* The Audubon Society* Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership* Restoring Eden* Environment New Mexico* Apache Advocates for Otero Mesa* Otero Mesa Targeted by Mining Industry Hardrock mining considered the “highest and best use” for public lands regardless of impacts...

Las Cruces Sun-News December 20, 2010 Their View: Otero Mesa and the role of a potential national monument By Ben Alexander Debate over a possible new national monument covering the Otero Mesa has erupted again. Given the importance of this issue, now is the time to discuss the economics of how a monument could impact southern New Mexico and whether it would be beneficial to residents. Let’s start with the area’s economy. The region’s economy has strong ties to the military, though since the mid-1980s these jobs have been declining. In contrast, services and professional sectors...

November 12, 2010 by Karyn Stockdale, Vice President and Executive Director, Audubon New Mexico From the Santa Fe New Mexican Recently, Gov. Bill Richardson sent a letter to President Barack Obama calling for a national-monument declaration for Otero Mesa. The letter follows on a groundswell of support from local communities to protect this unique ecosystem. Birdwatchers from around the state will be anxiously watching the administration in hopes that one of their favorite birding spots will be permanently protected. About 40 miles northeast of El Paso, the greater Otero Mesa ecosystem...

Letter to Obama Builds on Public Support For Otero Mesa Protection Alamogordo, NM (November 5, 2010)— In a letter to President Barack Obama, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson called for a National Monument declaration for Otero Mesa, building on growing grassroots support for further protection of this valuable region. The letter builds on continued dialogue in the local community and a ten year campaign by Richardson to ensure public lands receive the protection they deserve. Recent public events, including an economic forum in Alamogordo and a highly attended Department of Interior listening...

Get the Flash Player to see the wordTube Media Player. August 10, 2010 KRWG TV/FM Las Cruces-El Paso interviewed New Mexico Wilderness Alliance  Associate Director Nathan Newcomer last month regarding protection of Otero Mesa as a National Monument. The video segment provides a glimpse at Otero Mesa’s natural beauty and an overview of issues at stake in saving New Mexico’s last great Chihuahuan grassland.

“I used to think that there was something magical about Otero Mesa, but now I know better. Otero Mesa is just simply—wild. This land of rolling hills, undulating black grama grass, and endless sky embodies the intoxicating spirit of freedom. It is a land that speaks to the soul, and it is a land that deserves to be permanently protected.” Posted below is an article about Otero Mesa National Monument, written by Nathan Newcomer for the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance’s Summer 2010 Newsletter. Read on for further insight into the benefits of National Monument designation, the...

OTERO MESA VETERAN’S DAY WEEKEND EXCURSION Sponsored by the NEW MEXICO WILDERNESS ALLIANCE November 12—14. 2010 OVERNIGHT: Friday and Saturday night at the base of Alamo Mountain—You will need to provide your Friday night meal, and Saturday lunch. Breakfast will consist of fruit, granola, and yogurt. SATURDAY DAY EXCURSION: For those not wanting to camp we will leave Alamogordo at 5:30 am from the old Walmart parking lot on Hwy 54. It is a 2 hour drive through dirt roads and approximately 86 miles from this point. Make sure your spare tire is good! Saturday we will explore petroglyphs...

  We have been fighting for years to protect New Mexico’s greatest wild places. Now is a critical moment– our government is primed to listen. Will you help us speak out? Please join us this Saturday at the Pyramid Marriott for a Public Listening Session on the President’s America’s Great Outdoors Initiative. This is a once-in-a-lifetime, historical opportunity for you to speak directly to America’s top land management officials about the wild places that matter to you. President Obama established America’s Great Outdoors Initiative in April to develop a conservation and recreation...