Feds in Town to Gather Enchanted Opinions
Friday, July 16, 2010
ALBUQUERQUE - Saturday, New Mexicans get their chance to share their ideas with the federal government face to face. There's a listening session on how to protect America's great outdoors in Albuquerque, and U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar will be among those on hand to listen.
Kristina Ortez, Southwest Youth Representative for the Sierra Club, says she's betting that more protection for wilderness will be a popular topic, especially given the years-long effort to protect one particular part of southern New Mexico.
"New Mexicans feel pretty strongly that there are many precious landscapes that deserve protection, including Otero Mesa."
She says public lands are also critical to the economy: outdoor recreation generates over $2.5 billion annually in retail sales in the state, and supports 47,000 jobs. Other topics she expects to be big at the forum include stopping climate change and getting kids back outside.
Ortez says one of the most important things she hopes will come from the great outdoors initiative is a new set of ways to invest in re-connecting youth to the outdoors.
"Fewer and fewer children are spending time outdoors. Children spend something like 7.5 hours a day on average plugged in, in front of a television screen or a computer or their smartphone."
She says there's evidence that has led to big increases in childhood obesity and diabetes, and that outdoor health and wellness plans could help reverse the trend.
The listening session will be held from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at the Marriott Pyramid North in Albuquerque.
More information is at www.doi.gov
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