Highlights of the Off Road Vehicle – Rancher Anti-Wilderness Proposed Legislation
Land Sell-Off Legislation
Below are excerpts taken directly from the legislation!
I. The most important, and misguided element of the Off Road Vehicle – Rancher bill, is that it proposes to ELIMINATE ALL Wilderness protections that currently exist in Dona Ana County, including in the Organ Mountains. Here is the actual section from the legislation:
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SEC. 204. - RELEASE OF WILDERNESS STUDY AREAS
(a) FINDING.—Congress finds that, for purposes of section 603 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1782), the Federal land in the following areas has been adequately studied for wilderness designation:
(1) The Aden Lava Flow Wilderness Study Area.
(2) The Las Uvas Mountains Wilderness Study Area.
(3) The Organ Mountains Wilderness Study Area.
(4) The Robledo Mountains Wilderness Study Area.
(5) The West Potrillo Mountains Wilderness Study Area.
(6) The Mount Riley Wilderness Study Area.
(7) The Pena Blanca Wilderness Study Area.
(8) The Organ Needles Wilderness Study Area.
(b) RELEASE.—Any Federal land described in sub21
section (a)—
(1) shall no longer be subject to section 603(c) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1782(c)); and
(2) shall be managed in accordance with section 202 of this title and the management plan developed under section 203 of this title.
II. The 2nd highly controversial and unpopular element in the Off Road Vehicle – Rancher bill is their attempt to require a mass sell-off of public land in our county, above and beyond (not instead of) current means that exists to sell BLM and NM State Land Office land. Here is the actual section from the ROP proposed legislation:
TITLE IV. – DISPOSAL OF FEDERAL LAND FOR COMMUNITY GROWTH
SEC. 401. DISPOSAL.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consultation with the City and the County, shall conduct a sale of Federal land described in subsection (b) to qualified bidders.
(b) DESCRIPTION OF LAND.—The land referred to in subsection (a) consists of the Federal land in the County
that is— (1) identified for disposal through the resource management planning process of the Bureau of Land Management as of the date of enactment of this Act; and (2) not segregated or withdrawn from the lands so identified by Congress or by the Secretary on or after the date of enactment of this Act.
(c) SALES.—Except as provided in subsection (g), the land referred to in subsection (a) shall be sold at a price and in acreage as recommended by the Board.
To encourage new land sell-offs in our county, the Off Road Vehicle – Rancher bill proposes to establish a NEW “Land Disposal Advisory Board”. This is a special interest committee giving Washington DC, and local ranchers the loudest voice in how Dona Ana County grows. Here is the actual section from the legislation:
SEC. 403. – LAND DISPOSAL ADVISORY BOARD
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established an advisory board, to be known as the Don˜a Ana County Land Disposal Advisory Board, to advise the Secretary with respect to the disposal of the land described in section 401(b).
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—
(1) COMPOSITION.—The Board shall be composed of 7 members, of whom—
(A) 1 member shall be the Las Cruces District Manager for the Bureau of Land Management
(B) 6 members, to be appointed by the Secretary, of whom—
(i) 1 member shall be a representative
of the County, based on the recommendation of the governing body of the County;
(ii) 1 member shall be a representative of the City, based on the recommendation of the governing body of the City;
(iii) 1 member shall be a representative of the business community within the County;
(iv) 1 member shall be a representative of the ranching community who shall be the holder of an active grazing allotment within the County;
(v) 1 member shall be a member of the conservation community within the County; and
(vi) 1 member shall be a representative of the Elephant Butte Irrigation District, based on the recommendation of the governing body of the Elephant Butte Irrigation District.
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