Senator Heinrich reintroductes the M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act S.776
Silver City, NM (April 3,2023) – Drew Lesofski, Executive Director of the Heritage Waters Coalition (HWC), a leading grassroots land and Water rights advocacy group, today issued the following statement in response to U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-2) reintroduction of the M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act, (S.776/HR.1611).
The bill, which has been previously introduced twice, claims to have popular support amongst locals.
“Many residents who live on or near the Gila and San Francisco Rivers have not been heard and are not being represented as their livelihoods and the rural communities in which they live are being threatened by the proposed M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act,” said Drew Lesofski, Executive Director of the Heritage Waters Coalition. “There is a misconception that the Gila and San Francisco Rivers are free-flowing. This is far from the truth, there are numerous water diversions, irrigation ditches, wells, and other infrastructure that have been developed to ensuring safe and reliable water delivery to the local farming and ranching communities. We’re calling on the New Mexico federal delegation to ensure that the communities ability to repair or replace this critically important infrastructure not be infringed; this will go along way to protecting water right holder’s ability to continue to farm and ranch.
Designating the Gila River and San Francisco Rivers and tributaries as Wild and Scenic will erode private property and Water rights, eliminate rural economies that depend upon time-tested traditions like grazing, ranching and recreational activities. Agriculture and commodities is big business in New Mexico generating $48 billion in revenue annually and is responsible for tens of thousands of good paying jobs.
“My family has lived, ranched and recreated along the Gila River for more than five-decades, and we were taught the value of good water and land management by my father. He served as president of the Grant County Soil and Water Conservation District for many years. He was very proud of the work he and the board members did for soil conservation and water management; a legacy we continued when we took over the family farm and raised our own family here along the banks of the Gila River,” said Hazel Donaldson, lifelong resident and local advocate. “My roots run very deep in the Gila Valley. I don't think it’s right that the only people who were not involved in the decision to designate the Gila River as a Wild and Scenic River are those who live here, grew up here, and claim their heritage to this area.”
The Heritage Waters Coalition urges the U.S. House Natural Resource and U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committees to not support the passage of the M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act as proposed.
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