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Wednesday, December 16, 2015
O'Rourke Seeks National Monument Designation for Castner Range
The office of Beto O'Rourke announced just a few minutes ago that Rep. O'Rourke has introduced legislation to preserve Castner Range. The proposed legislation is in concert with a current letter campaign which asks President Obama to use his "authority under the Antiquities Act to protect the Castner Range landscape in western Texas as a national monument that honors the cultural, historical, scientific and environmental connections to the region."
You can download the letter from HERE. After printing it and signing, send to Janaé Reneaud Field, Executive Director, Frontera Land Alliance, 3800 N. Mesa St., Suite A2-258, El Paso, TX 79902 or email Janae@Fronteralandalliance.org.
Congressman O'Rourke's office issued this press release:
"Today Congressman Beto O'Rourke introduced the Castner Range National Monument Act. Castner Range is a 7,081-acre mountain range surrounded by the Franklin Mountains State Park in Northeast El Paso. This bill would protect Castner Range in perpetuity by making it a national monument.
The bill is the result of a community effort led by the Frontera Land Alliance, the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition and other environmental community leaders who have been working to protect Castner Range since the 1970s.
O’Rourke’s legislation will ensure that the public can continue to enjoy these lands forever while shining a national spotlight on El Paso. Castner Range would become the first national monument in West Texas and also the largest in any major metropolitan U.S. city. A national monument designation would also help El Paso realize new opportunities for economic development through tourism and outdoor recreation.
This legislation eventually transfers the mountain range from the Department of Defense (DoD) to the Department of Interior.
Congressman Beto O’Rourke said, “Castner Range is the crown jewel of West Texas. It deserves to be protected and preserved in its natural state. This legislation is written to do just that. I am grateful to the Frontera Land Alliance, the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition and our environmental and community partners for helping me write this legislation.”
For more information:
The Frontera Land Alliance's Castner Range Facebook page and Twitter page.
Castnerrangenationalmonument.org should soon be live.
That video is FANTASTIC! Historical even, for El Paso. So glad Beto O'rourke is representing the Sun City! Thank you so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThank you Beto! My heart is uplifted by Beto's critical efforts to protect Castner Range, crown jewel of the Franklin Mountains!
ReplyDeleteI've learned, over the past few years, just how alive and magnificent the Castner Range, part of the Franklin Mountains is to see and experience.
ReplyDeleteThanks for keeping it alive and unspoiled for generations to come.
I've learned, over the past few years, just how alive and magnificent the Castner Range, part of the Franklin Mountains is to see and experience.
ReplyDeleteThanks for keeping it alive and unspoiled for generations to come.