Tag Archives: Guadalupe Mountains National Park

El Pasoan’s love their mountains and this year’s Celebration of our Mountains schedule promises to bring outdoor lovers together from across the community.

Outdoor events like this are very important to the city’s quality of life by offering numerous opportunities for people to immerse themselves in nature.  Getting outside in the natural world offers many understated health benefits for adults and children alike including improving one’s physical, mental, and for some – even spiritual – well being.

Many people are amazed to discover that the desert and mountains are full of wildlife and plant species that often go unseen or out of sight and mind as people zoom through the desert on the highway system.

Natural connection opportunities over the next few months include mountain biking, astronomy talks, and history tours including a trip to an old mining ghost town.  And for those who are looking for a new way to loosen up and relax in a 100% natural setting, there is an event called Yoga on the Rocks

Celebration of our Mountains this year is featuring El Paso Water Utilities and El Paso Electric science and technology field trips.

Most events are held at Franklin Mountains State Park, Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site, Guadalupe Mountains National Park or Leasburg State Park in southern New Mexico.

Check out the event’s website at celebmtns.org for this year’s extensive schedule of hikes, bird walks and field trips to learn about and connect with the biodiversity of the Chihuahuan Desert right here in El Paso’s big backyard.

In the state’s first lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2016, Texas is suing the agency for rejecting parts of a seven-year-old state proposal to reduce haze in wilderness areas. 

The EPA rejected portions of the plan in January, citing concerns that it did not adequately address requirements of the agency’s Regional Haze Rule, which regulates the air in natural areas in Texas and Oklahoma.

“Texas already has a plan that meets the standards of the Clean Air Act, however, once again, the Obama Administration is misinterpreting and misusing federal agencies to force through a radical agenda based more on the beliefs of his environmentalist base than on common sense,” said Attorney General Ken Paxton in a statement. 

The petition for review – the state’s 24th legal action against the EPA since Obama took office in 2009 – was filed in the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday. 

The Regional Haze Rule was proposed by the EPA to clean up the air at wilderness areas and national parks. Regulations for Texas include the Guadalupe Mountains National Park east of El Paso and Big Bend National Park on the Texas and Mexico border. 

“The steps Washington is demanding we take are extraordinarily expensive, will result in a less-reliable electric grid and ultimately have no significant effect on visibility in Texas,” Paxton said in his statement. 

The Sierra Club objected to the lawsuit.

“Cleaning up haze pollution means clearer air in our treasured wild places. It also means healthier air in cities across Texas — especially in the communities near these dirty coal plants,” Chrissy Mann, a representative for the group said Monday in a statement. “Once again, the state is attempting to stand in the way of clean air. Blocking this safeguard would mean dirtier skies above Texas’s national treasures and continuing to force our families to breathe polluted air.”

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated with a statement from the Sierra Club.

Author: Madlin Mekelburg  – The Texas Tribune

The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them – about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues

Salt Flat, TX – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has concluded their investigation into the cause of the fire on Guadalupe Peak on December 8, 2015 was not connected to an aviation crash.

Original reports to the FAA indicted that the cause could have been a small plane crash, but search crews have not been able to substantiate this report. Discovery of debris from a small airplane were later identified as remains from an older crash by park officials. Rocky terrain and poor flying conditions have slowed investigations.

The cause of the fire is still unknown.

Interagency Fire Suppression Resources team contained the fire and National Park Service Special Investigative Services concluded site investigations over the weekend. The ongoing investigation into the incident will continue. The public is encouraged to report any information regarding this incident to the Investigative Services Protection Tip Line at (888) 653-0009.

Park closures due to onsite investigations have been removed. All Pine Springs trails and the Pine Springs campground in the park have reopened for public use.

Park information, including park conditions, closures, restrictions, weather and program information are available on the park’s website www.nps.gov/gumo or by telephone at (915) 828-3251 ext. 2124.

The Pine Springs Visitor Center is open daily, except December 25, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Also visit the park on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/guadalupe.mountains