New Mexico Leaders Urge Biden to Designate Caja del Rio as a National Monument

Faith leaders, tribal communities, and New Mexico’s congressional delegation are urging President Joe Biden to protect wilderness land near Santa Fe by designating it as a national monument. This area, known as the Caja del Rio Plateau, holds cultural and spiritual importance for the Cochiti, San Ildefonso, and Tesuque Pueblos.

Their request comes as Los Alamos National Laboratory plans to build a new power line through the plateau to support a supercomputer for nuclear weapons research and other uses. If Biden agrees to protect the land, the monument status could block the lab’s proposed power line and other developments in the area.

On Thursday, 112 spiritual and tribal leaders sent a letter to Biden and top officials, calling the Caja del Rio a place of unity, healing, and prayer.

Later that day, New Mexico’s congressional delegation also sent a letter urging Biden to start the designation process quickly. They highlighted how the area’s environmental health has suffered due to poor management, vandalism, and litter.

Although the designation could still allow existing uses like grazing and power lines, the congressional delegation emphasized that a formal monument status is needed to prevent further damage.

Currently, the land is mostly managed by federal agencies, but some parts are state-owned. Last month, Tesuque Pueblo signed an agreement to help care for the Caja with federal agencies, but lawmakers say this is not enough to fully protect the area.

Neither the White House nor Los Alamos National Laboratory has provided a clear response to the proposal.

 

Leave a Comment