Sante Fe, New Mexico– In response to Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland’s initiation of a two-year protection for 165,000 acres in the Pecos River Watershed in Sante Fe, New Mexico from new mining claims, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) released the following statement from Conservation Program Director America Fitzpatrick:

“LCV applauds Secretary Haaland for initiating protections for 165,000 acres in Sante Fe’s Pecos Rivers Watershed. These protections will safeguard the region’s critical fish and wildlife habitats, recreational opportunities, as well as culturally important lands for local Indigenous communities from dangerous and polluting mining projects. We thank Senators Heinrich and Luján and Representatives Leger Fernández and Stansbury for their leadership in advocating for this withdrawal and urge Congress to permanently protect this ecologically and culturally important landscape.”

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