LAS CRUCES, N.M. – On Friday, Jan. 24, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell will join New Mexico Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich in a visit to the Organ Mountains region of south-central New Mexico. While there, Jewell will spend time exploring the area and will attend a public meeting hosted by Senators Udall and Heinrich regarding the community's vision to preserve, protect and enhance some of the public lands located in Doña Ana County.
The Organ Mountains stand just east of Las Cruces, extending for 20 miles and rising to nearly 9,000 feet in elevation. The area is home to a diversity of wildlife, including peregrine falcons and other raptors, as well as mountain lions and other mammals. The Bureau of Land Management currently manages over one million acres in Doña Ana County which is a popular destination for outdoor recreation, including hiking, camping, hunting and mountain biking. The area also hosts significant prehistoric cultural and historic sites.
At the invitation of the two Senators, Jewell will join Udall and Heinrich, as well as Principal Deputy Director at the Bureau of Land Management Neil Kornze, for a public listening session on the community's conservation priorities in the area. The community meeting will take place Friday at 3pm MST at the Ramada Palms Las Cruces.
WHO
Sally Jewell, U.S. Secretary of the Interior
Neil Kornze, Principal Deputy Director at the Bureau of Land Management
Tom Udall, U.S. Senator from New Mexico
Martin Heinrich, U.S. Senator from New Mexico
Local leaders and community members
WHAT
Community Meeting
WHEN
Friday, Jan. 24, 2014
3:00 p.m. MST
WHERE
Ramada Palms Las Cruces – Grand Ballroom
201 E University Ave
Las Cruces, NM 88005
RSVP
Media interested in attending are encouraged to RSVP here by 6:00 p.m. MST on Thursday, January 23.
NOTE: Doors will open at 2:15 p.m. MST; members of the public will be seated on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Source: Department of Interior
