TX Supporters of Castner Range Renew Calls for National Monument Status
Wednesday, June 8, 2022
Those who want to see the Castner Range outside of El Paso protected hope this will be the year President Joe Biden uses his authority to designate the area a national monument under the 1906 Antiquities Act.
Groups in El Paso have been working for more than 50 years to gain access to and protect the Castner landscape, which is U.S. military property and not open to the public. Janae' Reneaud Field, executive director of the Frontera Land Alliance, said she feels opening the 7,000-acre range would create a better sense of community.
"In an area where's there a high population," she said, "having more public access for people to enjoy our natural surroundings - the historic and cultural components that are at Castner Range - brings a sense of pride to the community."
In a letter to Biden on Tuesday, 92 organizations wrote that designating Castner Range a national monument would affirm his commitment to protecting national treasures, and counteract a history of inequitable access to the outdoors. A visit by U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland in March buoyed locals' hopes that a monument designation would be forthcoming.
Under the Castner Range National Monument Act, the Interior Department would be required to create a management plan to protect and restore habitat, enhance recreational opportunities and remediate any hazards - such as munitions and explosives still buried there from its Fort Bliss training days.
Ángel Peña, executive director of the Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project, said the designation would align with the Biden administration's pledge to conserve 30% of the nation's lands, waters and ocean by 2030.
"It's exciting to hear that this administration is looking to see how they can leverage the Antiquities Act to really help redefine even what conservation looks like," he said.
Castner Range is home to more than 7,000 acres of desert land.
Support for this reporting was provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts.
get more stories like this via email
Health and Wellness
A recent report examined how some rural Tennessee hospitals have managed to stay afloat despite financial challenges. The report includes interviews …
Social Issues
Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …
Social Issues
Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…
Social Issues
A mix of policy updates and staffing boosts has helped to put wage theft enforcement on the radar in Minnesota, and officials leading the efforts are …
Social Issues
Colorado is working to boost the state's agricultural communities by getting more fresh, nutritious foods into school cafeterias - and a new online …
Social Issues
Missouri lawmakers are concerned with protecting people from the potential risks of the increasing accessibility of AI-generated images and videos…