Dear friends of Ghost Ranch,
If you’ve been following recent news from Northern New Mexico, you may have heard that a Canada-based company, Gamma Resources, is seeking to explore uranium drilling in the Carson National Forest—roughly 20 miles from Ghost Ranch. You can read more about the proposal here and here.
I want to take a moment to share where Ghost Ranch stands, and why we believe this issue matters not just to our community, but to everyone who cares about the land, water, and culture of this remarkable region.
Where We Stand
As word of the proposal spread, we were contacted by New Mexico Senator Ben Ray Luján and our Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández. We have agreed to offer our support to the local voices and organizations across Northern New Mexico who are rightly concerned about the damage such drilling could bring. We stand in strong support of these leaders, and we oppose any activity that would jeopardize the pristine air, land, water, and wildlife that make this place so special.
We are especially concerned because Gamma Resources has publicly stated that it intends to extract uranium from the area, not simply explore it. Extraction of this kind typically means drill pads, new road construction, and heavy equipment staging. The impacts would be felt far beyond the boundaries of any single parcel.
What We’re Asking For
We will continue to urge local, state, and federal government entities to respect the voices of community leaders and to listen carefully to their concerns. At a minimum, we believe a full environmental impact statement is essential to understand what the long-term consequences of uranium drilling could mean for the entire region.
Our Commitment to Conservation
Ghost Ranch has always been committed to protecting the land we are blessed to call home; our mission statement begins by affirming our stewardship of this “place of great beauty.” Earlier this year, we announced plans to conserve more than 6,000 acres surrounding the Ranch in partnership with the State of New Mexico. This agreement covers an important stretch of the Chama and will help safeguard the watershed that so many communities, downstream and upstream, depend on.
That commitment doesn’t end at our property line. What happens to the air, soil, and water around us affects all of us.
A Longer History
Uranium mining has a dark history in New Mexico, and has disproportionately harmed rural communities. Today, a significant portion of the Navajo Nation still lacks access to clean, safe water, thanks in part to a proliferation of abandoned mines. We cannot ignore this as we consider what the future of this region should look like. Conservation, not extraction, is the legacy we hope to leave.
What’s Next
We will continue to work alongside our elected and appointed leaders, and we will keep you informed as this situation develops. In the meantime, you can read the statement I shared with Senator Luján’s office on behalf of the Ghost Ranch community.
Thank you for caring about this place as deeply as we do. Ghost Ranch has endured for generations because people have stood up, again and again, to protect what makes it extraordinary. That work continues, and we are grateful you are part of it.
With gratitude,
David Evans
CEO, The National Ghost Ranch Foundation, Inc.
