"SANTA FE, N.M. — Desert ranchers in New Mexico are hoping the new GOP administration in Washington will dramatically shrink a recently designated national monument in the south of the state where outlaw Billy the Kid and Apache leader Geronimo once sought refuge.
The Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument is among 27 monuments where a review ordered by President Donald Trump might remove protections previously considered irreversible.
The review is rekindling a fierce debate about oversight of lands marked by ancient petroglyphs and towering mountain spires. President Barack Obama designated the monument in 2014, emphasizing the need to preserve the area's unique past and ensure opportunities for outdoor recreation and hunting."
Morgan Lee reports for the Associated Press June 27, 2017.
"In New Mexico, Trump's Monument Review Stirs Passions"
Source: AP, 06/29/2017
