New Mexico has sold nearly 30 percent of the land it received from the federal government before becoming a state, an analysis by the Wilderness Society has found.
The report looked at original state trust lands — 13.4 million acres transferred from the federal government to the then-territory more than 100 years ago. The Land of Enchantment has sold off 4 million acres of state trust lands since it joined the union in 1912, the group found.
Wilderness Society New Mexico State Director Michael Casaus said the analysis should serve as a warning to residents, arguing that state officials could similarly dispose of federal lands if that acreage were turned over to state control.
"I think what this report highlights is that New Mexico has a long history of disposing of its state trust lands, and if these extreme public land opponents get their wish, what the public is going to see are locked gates and "no trespassing" signs on our national forests and other public lands that New Mexicans care so much about," Casaus .
He pointed to a dozen pieces of legislation that have been introduced in the New Mexico Legislature since 2013 that called for assuming control of federal lands including forests, refuges and parks. The Republican National Committee also called for disposing of federal lands in its 2016 campaign platform.
"It's basically a forewarning that if our public lands were under state control, they could be sold off anytime to private interests and corporations for profit," Casaus said.
According to the Wilderness Society's findings — which Casaus said required sifting through microfiche and other archival information in the state land office to obtain — some prior sales have resulted in environmental disasters in the state.
The report highlights the sale of 4,000 acres of land near Questa, N.M., a portion of which was used as a mine tailings facility. That land, now owned by Chevron Corp., was declared a Superfund site by U.S. EPA in 2011 and is now the focus of a $143 million cleanup effort announced last year.
Other sales included the disposal of 14,710 acres near Artesia to Yates Petroleum Corp. in 1993 and 7,181 acres near Hurley to the Chino Copper Co. in 1910.
But unlike federal lands, the New Mexico State Land Office notes, the state trust lands are not public lands. Rather, the property is held in a trust to benefit New Mexico schools and universities as well as other institutions.
The state generates funds from both the remaining 9 million acres of state trust lands as well as 13 million acres of mineral rights in its subsurface estate. In fiscal 2016, New Mexico reported raising nearly $497 million from the lands, largely from oil and gas royalties.
Casaus disputes arguments that sales of the land serve the intended purpose of the state land trusts by generating funds for the state's schools, universities, hospitals and other facilities.
"By selling off a particular parcel of state land, the beneficiary only receives that one-time benefit and loses all future revenue potential for that piece of property," he said.
The report looked at original state trust lands — 13.4 million acres transferred from the federal government to the then-territory more than 100 years ago. The Land of Enchantment has sold off 4 million acres of state trust lands since it joined the union in 1912, the group found.
Wilderness Society New Mexico State Director Michael Casaus said the analysis should serve as a warning to residents, arguing that state officials could similarly dispose of federal lands if that acreage were turned over to state control.
"I think what this report highlights is that New Mexico has a long history of disposing of its state trust lands, and if these extreme public land opponents get their wish, what the public is going to see are locked gates and "no trespassing" signs on our national forests and other public lands that New Mexicans care so much about," Casaus .
He pointed to a dozen pieces of legislation that have been introduced in the New Mexico Legislature since 2013 that called for assuming control of federal lands including forests, refuges and parks. The Republican National Committee also called for disposing of federal lands in its 2016 campaign platform.
"It's basically a forewarning that if our public lands were under state control, they could be sold off anytime to private interests and corporations for profit," Casaus said.
According to the Wilderness Society's findings — which Casaus said required sifting through microfiche and other archival information in the state land office to obtain — some prior sales have resulted in environmental disasters in the state.
The report highlights the sale of 4,000 acres of land near Questa, N.M., a portion of which was used as a mine tailings facility. That land, now owned by Chevron Corp., was declared a Superfund site by U.S. EPA in 2011 and is now the focus of a $143 million cleanup effort announced last year.
Other sales included the disposal of 14,710 acres near Artesia to Yates Petroleum Corp. in 1993 and 7,181 acres near Hurley to the Chino Copper Co. in 1910.
But unlike federal lands, the New Mexico State Land Office notes, the state trust lands are not public lands. Rather, the property is held in a trust to benefit New Mexico schools and universities as well as other institutions.
The state generates funds from both the remaining 9 million acres of state trust lands as well as 13 million acres of mineral rights in its subsurface estate. In fiscal 2016, New Mexico reported raising nearly $497 million from the lands, largely from oil and gas royalties.
Casaus disputes arguments that sales of the land serve the intended purpose of the state land trusts by generating funds for the state's schools, universities, hospitals and other facilities.
"By selling off a particular parcel of state land, the beneficiary only receives that one-time benefit and loses all future revenue potential for that piece of property," he said.