The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is one of our nation’s most successful conservation programs. It has benefitted all 50 states, including providing funding to protect some of New Mexico’s most beautiful outdoor spaces. LWCF has helped provide access to public lands for hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities.

Since 1965, New Mexico has received more than $312 million dollars from LWCF for over 1,200 projects, which has funded everything from local playground equipment and ball fields to state park visitor facilities to the acquisition of land from willing sellers to establish and add to our National Parks, Forests, Monuments, and Wildlife Refuges. LWCF is funded from offshore oil and gas drilling royalties, meaning that none of it comes from taxpayer dollars.

LWCF was created in 1964, using revenues from the depletion of one natural resource – offshore oil and gas – to support the conservation of another precious resource – our land and water. Every year, $900 million in royalties paid by energy companies drilling for oil and gas on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) are put into this fund. But, Congress continues to break its own promise to the American people by diverting much of this funding to uses other than conserving our most important lands and waters.

The Partnership for Responsible Business works in collaboration with the Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce, the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce, and businesses across New Mexico businesses who support the permanent authorization and full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund to amplify the economic and community benefits associated supporting and defending the LWCF.

The Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument was established on May 21st, 2014, by Presidential Proclamation and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).  The Monument includes 496,330 acres, and was established to protect significant prehistoric, historic, geologic, and biologic resources.  The National Monument includes four distinct areas:  The Organ Mountains, Desert Peaks, Potrillo Mountains, and Doña Ana Mountains.

The Partnership for Responsible Business worked in collaboration with the Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce to amplify local businesses voices and bring together local businesses in support of establishing the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument. The local business community celebrated when the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument was designated by President Obama on May 21, 2014. For more information on the OMDP business initiatives, visit the Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce website.

The Rio Grande del Norte National Monument is an approximately 242,555-acre area of public lands in Taos County, New Mexico, proclaimed as a national monument on March 25, 2013 by President Barack Obama under the provisions of the Antiquities Act.

The Partnership for Responsible Business worked in collaboration with the Taos business groups to amplify local businesses voices and bring together local businesses in support for the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.