WASHINGTON, DC — As part of his commitment to make 2014 a year of action using his pen and phone, President Obama will sign a proclamation today to establish the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument in south-central New Mexico, an action that, according to independent analysis, could generate $7.4 million in new economic activity each year. Using his authorities under the Antiquities Act, the President’s action will permanently preserve approximately 496,000 acres to ensure that the prehistoric, historic, and scientific values of this area remain for the benefit of all Americans while preserving access for sportsmen, ranchers, and recreational users. The Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument joins the ten other national monuments President Obama has designated across the country to permanently protect sites that are significant to our nation’s rich history and natural heritage. 
 
 “Whether they’re hiking or camping or fishing, visitors to our parks and public lands are not only enjoying the bounty of our natural resources, but also promoting jobs and growth. And continuing to set aside federal land for outdoor recreation will drive critical revenue for those local communities, and preserve our pristine land for generations to come,” said President Obama. 
 
 “Today is the culmination of a community-led effort to preserve, protect and promote these public lands, but it’s the beginning of a new chapter for the businesses that will benefit from the tourism and recreation, and the wildlife that rely on this unique habitat,” said Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell. “The Organ Mountains and surrounding Desert Peaks are steeped in culture, history, wildlife and opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors – from hunting to hiking to gazing at ancient petroglyphs and fossils – and the President’s action ensures that these cherished landscapes are celebrated and passed on to the generations of New Mexicans and Americans to come.” 
 
 The President’s proclamation honors years of work by the local community and businesses seeking increased protection and recognition for the area. Senators Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall have championed legislation to protect and preserve the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks region. Conservation groups and sportsmen’s organizations, local tribal governments, veterans and ranchers, faith leaders and Latino leaders, historic preservationists, the nearby cities of Las Cruces and El Paso, and over two hundred local businesses have also expressed support for permanent protection. 
 
 The area is home to a high diversity of animal life, including deer, pronghorn antelope, mountain lions, peregrine falcons and other raptors as well as rare plants, some found nowhere else in the world, such as the Organ Mountains pincushion cactus. Hundreds of archeologically and culturally significant sites are found within the new monument, including some limited Paleo-Indian artifacts, extensive rock art sites and the ruins of a ten room pueblo, among other ancient dwellings. More recent history is memorialized with Geronimo’s Cave, Billy the Kid's Outlaw Rock, and sites related to early Spanish explorers. The Organ and Doña Ana Mountains are popular recreation areas, with multiple hiking trails, a popular campground, and opportunities for hunting, mountain biking, rock climbing, and other recreation. 
 
 Today’s action builds on steps the Administration has taken over the past five years as part of the America's Great Outdoors initiative, which fosters a 21st century approach to conservation that responds to the priorities of the American people. When he signed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, President Obama marked the most extensive expansion of land and water conservation in more than a generation, designating more than 2 million acres of federal wilderness, thousands of miles of trails, and protecting more than 1,000 miles of rivers. 
 
 Wilderness, parks, forests, monuments, and other public lands help support local economies through tourism. Recent estimates also show that over $50 billion were added to the economy from visits to public lands in 2012 alone. In fact, a recent study says that this national monument could double the number of visitors to the region and help grow the local economy by more than 70%. Protected public lands also attract businesses interested in relocating to areas with beautiful scenery, outdoor opportunities, and a high quality of life. These businesses can bring high paying jobs, which helps explain why, on average, western non-metro counties’ per capita income increases when there is more protected public land in the area. The outdoor recreation industry supports 6.1 million jobs nationwide. 
 
 First exercised by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 to designate Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming, the authority of the Antiquities Act has been used by 16 presidents since 1906 to protect unique natural and historic features in America, such as the Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty, and Colorado's Canyons of the Ancients. 
 
 The monument will continue to be managed by the Bureau of Land Management as part of the system of National Conservation Lands. The Bureau of Land Management currently manages the federal land within the national monument for multiple uses, including conservation of natural and archeological resources and outdoor recreation, such as hiking, biking, camping and hunting. Recreation on BLM-managed lands and waters in New Mexico supported more than 1,900 jobs and contributed more than $170 million to the state’s economy in fiscal year 2012. ||||| The immigration battle is seeping into unlikely territory: A new national monument in New Mexico. 
 
 Speaker John Boehner said Wednesday that President Barack Obama’s move to designate nearly 500,000 acres of land in New Mexico as a national monument could undermine security along the southern border — an argument disputed by the agency that oversees border security. 
 
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 “For many months, I have warned that the president’s fondness for unilateral action has created widespread doubt among the American people that he and his administration can be counted on to enforce any law he signs, particularly when it comes to securing our nation’s borders and reforming our immigration system,” Boehner said. 
 
 “The president’s announcement today intensifies those concerns, demonstrating a level of audacity that is remarkable even for this administration,” the Ohio Republican added. 
 
 At issue is the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, located in south central New Mexico. Preserving the 496,000 acres as a monument could generate $7.4 million in economic activity through tourism and other revenue, according to the White House. 
 
 But the problem for Boehner and other House Republicans is that the White House went around Congress to designate the area as a national monument through executive order. And Boehner’s office said legislation in both chambers of Congress that would have accomplished the goal of Obama’s proclamation included border security protections that were not included with the White House action. 
 
 “This designation will in no way limit our ability to perform our important border security mission, and in fact provides important flexibility as we work to meet this ongoing priority,” Customs and Border Protection said in a statement. “CBP is committed to continuing to work closely with the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service to maintain border security while ensuring the protection of the environment along the border.” 
 
 House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), whose panel handles immigration policy, raised similar concerns earlier this week. Republicans say because of the way the declaration is written, it prevents Border Patrol from accessing key areas along the southwestern boundary. 
 
 “Once again, the president has chosen to bypass the legislative branch — and, in this case, do so in a manner that adds yet another challenge in our ongoing efforts to secure our Southern border,” Boehner said. “At a time of continued cartel violence in Mexico, we should not be putting any additional restraints on efforts to protect our borders.” 
 
 Though the monument itself is a relatively obscure issue, it plays into a broader narrative from House Republicans that has become the chief problem voiced by the conference: They simply don’t trust Obama to implement any immigration laws Congress may pass. Democrats and immigration advocates dismiss that reason as an excuse. 
 
 Meanwhile, House Republican leaders have yet to move any immigration reform bills, nearly a year after the Democratic-led Senate passed a comprehensive measure. Earlier Wednesday, leaders blocked a measure that would have legalized young undocumented immigrants who serve in the military from getting a vote during the National Defense Authorization Act debate.
– President Obama yesterday used his executive power to designate 500,000 acres of desert along New Mexico's southern border a national monument. It's a move being praised by environmentalists and ... slammed by John Boehner, who called it "a level of audacity that is remarkable even for this administration." What's the big deal? Well, Boehner and others argue the move could undermine security along the US-Mexico border, Politico reports. "Once again, the president has chosen to bypass the legislative branch—and, in this case, do so in a manner that adds yet another challenge in our ongoing efforts to secure our southern border," Boehner said. "At a time of continued cartel violence in Mexico, we should not be putting any additional restraints on efforts to protect our borders." Customs and Border Protection say the move "will in no way limit our ability to perform our important border security mission, and in fact provides important flexibility as we work to meet this ongoing priority." But critics point out there are no terms to allow local police to patrol the area—which includes ancient lava flows, rock outcroppings, hunting areas, and Billy the Kid's Outlaw Rock, the AP reports—which is something that could have been addressed if the motion had passed through Congress. The White House has countered, noting the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument could generate $7.4 million in economic activity through tourism and other revenue.