Coalition of Local Leaders, Advocates, and Lawmakers Back Luján Push to Protect the Chama Watershed and Surrounding Communities in Northern New Mexico

Luján and N.M. Delegation to Introduce Legislation to Withdraw Chama Watershed from Mineral Development

Washington, D.C. - As U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) leads the fight to protect communities in Northern New Mexico and the Chama Watershed, a broad coalition of local leaders, advocates, and lawmakers is united in support of his push, standing together in opposition to uranium drilling and mineral development in the region.

"I'm proud to stand alongside a strong coalition of local leaders, advocates, and lawmakers united in protecting communities in Northern New Mexico and the Chama Watershed. Our position is clear: we will not allow this proposal to move forward without a full environmental review, and I am taking action by drafting legislation to permanently withdraw the watershed from mineral development," said Senator Luján.

"The communities of the Chama Valley - acequia farmers, Land Grants, Tribal members, ranchers, and rural families - have cared for this land and water for generations," continued Senator Luján. "These decisions must be rooted with the care and respect that these communities deserve. Together, we'll fight to protect our lands and waters for generations to come."

U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján and Martin Heinrich, and Representative Teresa Leger Fernández expressed strong opposition to a proposal for uranium drilling in the Carson National Forest, urging the Forest Service to require a full Environmental Impact Statement and suspend its review pending Congressional action to protect the Chama watershed from mineral development.

New Mexico leaders, advocates, and lawmakers issued the following statements:

"As Chairman of the Rio Arriba County Commission I want to express my strong opposition to the prospect of uranium mining within Rio Arriba County. Water is one of our most vital and precious resources, sustaining not only our communities but also our agriculture, wildlife, and cultural traditions. Any activity that poses a risk to our watersheds must be approached with the utmost caution, and in this case, I have serious concerns about the potential for long-term harm. Uranium mining carries significant environmental risks, particularly to groundwater and surface water systems that our residents depend on every day. The possibility of contamination threatens not only public health but also the integrity of our land and the way of life that generations of families in Rio Arriba County have worked to preserve. I am deeply concerned about how this type of development could impact our residents, from their health and safety to their livelihoods and cultural heritage. These are not abstract risks, they are real and potentially irreversible consequences that demand careful consideration. In light of these concerns, I will be bringing this issue before the full Board of County Commissioners to determine what official actions we can take to oppose uranium mining in our county and protect our communities for generations to come. Our responsibility is clear: we must safeguard our natural resources and ensure that the voices and well-being of our residents remain our top priority." -Moises A. Morales, Chairman, Rio Arriba County Commission

"Water is the thread that holds our communities together. The Chama has carried our stories, our food, and our families for generations, and our grandparents taught us to leave the land better than we found it. Standing up now is not optional-it's our duty. We owe it to our children and grandchildren to protect this lifeline before irreversible harm is done. Nuestra Agua, Nuestra Tierra, Nuestra Vida…." -Tirzio Lopez, Supervisor, Upper Chama Soil and Water Conservation District and New Mexico State Game Commissioner

"I strongly oppose any uranium drilling in the Chama watershed, especially by a foreign-owned company seeking to exploit our public lands. This proposal puts the health of our acequias, the safety of our drinking water, and the survival of Tribal and rural communities at unacceptable risk for short-term profit. The Forest Service must reject this plan, require a full Environmental Impact Statement, and halt all review until Congress acts to permanently protect the Rio Chama headwaters." -Leo Jaramillo, New Mexico State Senator, District 5

"As Chair of the Environmental Caucus, I am shocked to suddenly learn of plans for drilling exploratory wells for uranium. There has been no community involvement. We have not yet cleaned up the damage done by uranium exploration and mining in the western part of our state. Nor have New Mexicans who have suffered because of that drilling been made whole." -Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, New Mexico State Senator, District 16

"As a professional planner and current New Mexico State Legislator, I am deeply concerned with the negative impact that uranium drilling, mining, and boring can have on the very fragile Chama Basin and watershed. Historic traditional Hispanic villages and Native tribal communities have co-existed together for hundreds of years and share a historically preserved history, cultural heritage, and water system way of life that would be destroyed. The Chama Valley, as we New Mexicans know it, would be severely and disproportionately impacted and damaged by a uranium mining operation with no regard for its traditional cultural significance." -Cynthia D. Borrego, New Mexico State Representative, District 17

"The exploratory drilling for uranium in the Abiquiu area would be an environmental tragedy for the people and landscape of Northern NM near the home of Georgia O'Keefe. The swath of land destroyed and the eventual mining impacts on the environment will last for decades and potentially affect the health of humans and wildlife." -Joanne J. Ferrary, New Mexico State Representative, District 37

"Traditional land-based communities like Canjilon within the Chama Basin have held water, the natural environment, and their customs, culture, and traditions in sacred regard since time immemorial. It is deeply troubling that many community members remain unaware of the proposal for exploratory uranium drilling within their homeland and within the Carson National Forest. Such a lack of public notification and engagement is inconsistent with the Forest Service's obligations for transparency, meaningful public participation, and government-to-government consultation. Public engagement must occur before any exploration activity begins, and a full environmental study should be completed prior to the granting of any authorization for uranium exploration." -Joseph Sanchez, New Mexico State Representative, District 40

"Exploratory uranium drilling in the Canjilon, and Carson National Forest area, would be an environmental disaster for Northern New Mexico. The long-term damage to land, water, wildlife, and human health would fall most heavily on rural frontline communities who depend on this land for their ways of life. We need a far more rigorous assessment of the project's necessity and ecological impacts. There are better, more sustainable solutions to meet our energy needs-especially in this region." -Tara L. Lujan, New Mexico State Representative, District 48

"Land Grant communities are deeply concerned with the proposed uranium mining activity in the Carson National Forest, located on former common lands of the San Joaquín del Río de Chama Land Grant. Title to these lands were never properly recognized by the Federal Government, and the area is both sacred and holds deep historical significance to the surrounding local communities. If allowed, the mining activity will have long-lasting adverse environmental and human health impacts to the immediate area and all downstream communities. The Council will be monitoring the issue and doing all it can to advocate for the communities affected." - Chairman Juan Sánchez, New Mexico Land Grant Council

"As an advocate for clean water and Acequias I believe Uranium mining is very harmful for the health of our people. There are many contaminants that are not visible but in the long run they kill our natural resources. Thanks to our Sen. Ben Ray Luján for being our voice in situations like this." - Mary Mascarenas, Chair of the New Mexico Acequia Commission

"New Mexican's well remember the devastating health and environmental consequences of past uranium production. Taxpayer funded efforts to clean up toxic and radioactive abandoned mine sites continue to this day. Our communities, land, waters, and air can't afford to repeat this historic mistake, and the Chama watershed is absolutely the wrong place for such a terrible idea. We appreciate the leadership of Senators Luján and Heinrich and Representative Leger Fernández and join them in telling Gamma Resources Ltd. that they should pack up and go home - they're not welcome here." -Mark Allison, Executive Director of New Mexico Wild

"We share the concerns of Northern New Mexico communities regarding potential uranium drilling here and strongly oppose any activity that would jeopardize the pristine air, land, water and wildlife that make this area so special," said David Evans, CEO of the Ghost Ranch Education & Retreat Center. "We're grateful to our Congressional delegation for their quick response and urge all government entities to respect the voices of local leaders who want to ensure our land, water, economy, and culture is protected for future generations." -David Evans, Chief Executive Officer, Ghost Ranch

We are very grateful for Sen. Luján's leadership in the quest to safeguard our natural resources. Water, in particular, is critical to agriculture. Without safe, uncontaminated irrigation water, we risk polluting our croplands, rangelands, and the food they produce. Uranium mining in critical watersheds like the Chama constitute risks to food production and to food producers. With the Gold King Mine as recent history, we in New Mexico know that we cannot risk new contamination to our water and consequently our food systems. As such, we oppose allowing permitted exploratory drilling for uranium in the Chama basin." -Cathy Day, Executive Director, and Pam Roy, Policy Director, Farm to Table

"All across our state, communities have been sickened and sacred landscapes damaged by uranium mining. We are grateful to Senator Ben Ray Luján for his efforts to oppose an exploratory uranium mining proposal in the Chama Basin, and are excited to work with him on protecting communities across the state from harms of this industry." -Ava Curtis, Environmental Justice Coordinator, Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment (MASE)

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