Last week, a bill was considered in the New Mexico House Rural Development, Land Grants, and Cultural Affairs Committee that would have paved the path for the Governor to achieve her Half Earth aspirations. H.B. 45 would amend the state code allowing the State to purchase land and conservation easements that would be forever protected for nature.
The bill was defeated in committee on a bi-partisan vote. Only two Democrats voted in support of the bill. It was a major victory for New Mexico citizens who believe individual citizens and not the state nor the Federal bureaucracies are better stewards of the land.
In August of 2021, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, signed Executive Order 2021-052, which called for conserving 30 percent of the land and water in New Mexico and setting aside another 20 percent for “climate stabilization areas.” The Governor is following the radical environmental objective known as “Half Earth,” where proponents believe that half of the Earth must be off limits to people and its productive uses.
An article in the Pinion Post reported comments by the group “Save Our Western Lands,” praising the action. “The bill, introduced by Representative McQueen (D-50), would have used taxpayer dollars to reduce the amount of land used for farming, ranching, and hunting.”
A similar bill is pending in the Senate Finance Committee, Bill 9, with three co-sponsors. Opponents of more government control and ownership of our land can send a personalized message to Senate members through this link, and we strongly encourage you to do so. Federal, State and local governments already own nearly 40 percent of America. These are the lands that already suffer from bureaucratic mismanagement and loss of beneficial uses for people and wildlife.
As government gains more land, we the people lose more liberty. It’s not about conservation. It’s about control.
