Interior Secretary Deb Haaland visits El Paso's Castner Range; meets with conservation groups

Local advocates seeking to protect Castner Range got a boost when Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland visited El Paso Saturday. 

Haaland hiked alongside the Castner Range and heard from conservation groups about the importance of federal protections for the mountain area. While the iconic poppies are not in full bloom this year, clear blue skies and warm weather welcomed the secretary to El Paso. 

U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, and the Castner Range Coalition hosted Haaland on her first visit to El Paso as secretary. Haaland said the Department of the Interior is committed to improving access to nature, especially in communities of color, and supporting local conservation efforts. The Castner Range Coalition calls on President Joe Biden to designate the area as a national monument.

"I could feel the rich history and culture that surrounds this community," Haaland said. 

Haaland is a member of the Pueblo of Laguna and the first Native American cabinet secretary. She represented New Mexico's 1st district, which includes Albuquerque, in Congress from 2019 to 2021.  

"The secretary's presence here today, with her gaining this incredible understanding of our community-led conservation effort, helps inform the conversation," Escobar said, adding her team in Washington will "keep pushing" for protections for Castner Range.

More:Organizations lead hike in El Paso's Knapp Canyon calling for protection of Castner Range

Haaland builds on existing connection to El Paso community

Haaland joined local conservation groups, including Nuestra Tierra and the Frontera Land Alliance, to hike in Knapp Canyon Saturday morning. The area, owned by the city of El Paso, is open to the public and can be accessed from Virgo Lane in Northeast El Paso.

"The view was amazing," Haaland said. "We were so grateful to have a tour guide who pointed out so much of the cultural history and the geologic history of this area."

The Castner Range, a 7,000-acre area, is visible from Knapp Canyon but off-limits to hikers because of unexploded ordnances. Fort Bliss used the site through the mid-1960s for weapons training and testing. Since the 1970s, as El Paso's urban footprint grew, community groups have advocated conserving the land. 

At a press conference outside the El Paso Museum of Archaeology, Escobar said she got to know Haaland when they were both first-term congresswomen in Washington in 2019. Haaland visited El Paso several times as a congresswoman. She was sworn in as Secretary of the Interior in March 2021.

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"This morning, we went on a hike so the secretary could see the beauty of our mountain," Escobar said. "She takes that great knowledge back with her to Washington DC, as our efforts continue on a two-track path, either legislatively or through the president, to do everything possible to make sure this incredible treasure becomes a national monument."

Haaland said her upbringing in New Mexico instilled an appreciation for the natural world.

"The Department of Interior truly wants to make sure that everyone has access to the outdoors, regardless of their ZIP code," she said. "We know that nature offers some of the most cost-effective ways to address the climate crisis. We also need to do more to stop the loss of nature and wildlife that we're witnessing."

More:El Paso leaders urge President Joe Biden to declare Castner Range a national monument

'The largest step forward in our fight': local groups appreciate Haaland's visit

Representatives of conservation groups thanked Haaland for her visit to El Paso and urged elected officials to continue working to protect Castner Range. 

"We are thankful to Secretary Haaland for coming to experience the land and learn about the importance of protecting Castner Range herself," said Janaé Renaud, executive director of Frontera Land Alliance. "We have fought for years to bring attention to Castner Range. Today we have been heard."

"Madame Secretary, your visit is perhaps the largest step forward in our fight," said Ángel Peña, executive director of Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project. "It brings us that much closer to making Castner Range a monument and protecting it for generations to come."

Haaland meets with Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo

Rafael Gomez, tribal councilman of the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, also welcomed Haaland to El Paso. He opened the news conference with a prayer. 

Haaland met with the Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo Tribal Council and highlighted the recent infrastructure law's investment in Indian Country, $13 billion in funding will replace infrastructure, expand drinking water access, and install high-speed broadband. She also discussed the department's commitment to improving relationships with Tribal Nations and respecting treaty responsibilities. 

More:Another year of disappointment for poppy lovers; El Paso flower festival skips 2022

Haaland continues path-breaking career in Washington

Many Native American and environmental groups celebrated Haaland's historic appointment in 2021. The Department of the Interior oversees bureaus including the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Haaland has endorsed policy platforms like the Green New Deal. She traveled to support protestors at Standing Rock in North Dakota when she was chairwoman of the Democratic Party of New Mexico.

"We want to be energy independent in this country," Haaland said Saturday. "We're working very hard on the clean energy transition as well. So I think that will do a tremendous amount of good with respect to the climate crisis."

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Staff writer Martha Pskowski may be reached at mpskowski@elpasotimes.com and @psskow on Twitter.