By Emily Millar
Somewhere off the east side of the Franklin Mountain Range adjacent to Northeast El Paso lays a field colored with Mexican poppies and native grasses. This land, left nearly untouched by humanity for the past half century, is known as Castner Range, a place that thousands of people support turning into a national monument. This effort began nearly 30 years ago and is now led by U.S. Rep Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) who submitted the Castner Range National Monument Act to Congress last December.
Castner Range was used as a military firing range for 40 years throughout the 20th century. Since then, the area has been fenced off because of unexploded ammunition. While many still find ways to hike along some well traveled trails, this safety measure has allowed Castner to become a haven for natural flora and fauna for the region.
Designating this area as a National Monument, which may be achieved through Congressional legislation or the President’s power allocated by the Antiquities Act, will prevent any construction on Castner Range and guarantee that the area be cleared of all potential safety hazards, but most importantly it will mean that people from all over the world will be able to come to the western tip of Texas and enjoy the cascading mountains, natural canyons, and bright vegetation.
With dozens of organizations, ranging from conservation groups to veteran associations, lining up to declare their support and 10,000 signatures added to the petition in the span of four months, it is clear there is strong support from the public for moving forward with the Castner Range National Monument Act. There is good reason for all of this support too, Castner Range is a perfect fit for the Antiquities Act because of its 10,000 year history and diverse wildlife and ecosystem.
Places such as Fort Ord in California, Fort Monroe in Virginia and the Vieques Islands all serve as precedent for the Castner Range National Monument campaign.
Castner Range is not only a West Texas treasure but an American treasure and deserves the protection and distinction of National Monument. Visit the Castner Range National Monument website for yourself to learn about this breathtaking land, make donations to the grassroots effort, and send letters of support to your Congressional representative.
When it comes to the need for this effort, Rep. O’Rourke put it best; “We can enjoy it, enjoy the beauty, and know that the very rich ecology and cultural heritage are being preserved and not being paved over and developed. We also want to make sure that kids and their kids and their kids — generations to come — can enjoy a part of the mountain that we may have taken for granted a long time.”
Could Castner Range Be the Next National Monument? Help Make It So!
June 28, 2016