FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 24, 2025

Contact:
Lela McFerrin, (505) 470-3235, lelamcferrin3@gmail.com
Ralph Vigil, (505) 603-2879, ralph@nmwild.org
Sally Paez, (505) 350-0664, sally@nmwild.org

Pecos, NM – Last week the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service abruptly canceled the public meeting scheduled for Wednesday, February 26th, in the Village of Pecos, which was intended to address the recently issued mineral segregation order by the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI). In December 2024, the agencies initiated the process to withdraw approximately 165,000 acres of public lands in the Upper Pecos Watershed from new mining claims and mineral leasing for the next 20 years. Before this process can be completed, the agencies must host a public meeting, gather input from stakeholders, and conduct environmental reviews. The decision to cancel the meeting has sparked concern and outrage within the community, which has dedicated years of advocacy to protect the Upper Pecos Watershed from the threat of hard rock mining.

The Stop Tererro Mine Coalition, along with local organizations and community leaders, condemns this cancellation and remains committed to ensuring the public has a voice in this critical process. In response, the coalition will move forward with its own rally and community meeting on February 26th to discuss DOI’s decision with local residents and provide assistance in submitting written public comments.

“This is a slap in the face to our community, which has worked tirelessly to protect the quality of the water in the Pecos River and restore the health of the river after past mining contamination,” said Lela McFerrin, Vice President of the Upper Pecos Watershed Association. “We will not be silenced. The people of Pecos deserve transparency and a say in decisions that impact our land and water.”

“The cancellation of this meeting is a betrayal of the years of hard work our community has put into protecting the Pecos River and our way of life. We fought to get to this point, only to have our opportunity for public engagement taken away at the last minute. But we will continue to stand up, speak out, and fight for the future of our land and water.” – Ralph Vigil, local farmer and acequia parciante

“The abrupt cancellation of this meeting is a huge disappointment and a disservice to the people of Pecos.” said the Mayor of Pecos, Telesfor Benavidez. “Our community has fought long and hard to protect our water, land, and way of life, and we deserve a fair and transparent process. This issue is too important to be dismissed, and we will not stand by while our voices are ignored. We urge everyone to stay engaged and join us in ensuring that our concerns are heard and addressed.”

“The people of San Miguel County have worked tirelessly to protect the Pecos River and our natural resources. said Bernadette Baca, San Miguel County Commissioner. “The cancellation of this meeting is unacceptable and undermines the public’s right to be heard. Our communities deserve transparency, accountability, and a seat at the table when it comes to decisions that affect our water, land, and future generations. We will continue to stand together and fight for the protection of the Upper Pecos Watershed.”

“The upper Pecos watershed, gateway to the Pecos Wilderness, contains sensitive headwater streams that support clean water for communities, agriculture, fish and wildlife, local economies, and recreation,” said Sally Paez, staff attorney for New Mexico Wild. “The proposed withdrawal is narrowly tailored to safeguard these invaluable resources, and we are extremely concerned by the delay in the legal process to complete the withdrawal, especially in light of the unjustified, wide-scale firings of U.S. Forest Service and BLM employees who were tasked with stewarding these resources for current and future generations.”

The community meeting will take place at the Village of Pecos Conference Room located at 90 South Main Street in Pecos from 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm, where concerned residents can learn more about the mineral withdrawal process, enjoy food and conversation with community members, and take action by submitting public comments to the BLM, which is still accepting comments despite the meeting cancellation.

The Stop Tererro Mine Coalition encourages all community members, land and water advocates, and the concerned public to attend and make their voices heard.