Pressure from northern New Mexico residents and conservationists has forced the U.S. Department of Agriculture to delay its plans to spray 25,000 acres of the Rio Chama watershed with toxic pesticides known as “carbaryl.”
The spray is now set for July 7th, but opponents are now pushing to cancel the plan indefinitely.
In an emailed statement to KUNM, the USDA pointed to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and other land managers as the reason for the delay to allow more time for community engagement and comment –– although, it’s unclear how this outreach will be done.
Kaitlin Haase is with the Xerces Society, a conservation organization spearheading the effort. She said the toxic chemical is indiscriminate and can destroy habitats and ecosystems.
“I think there are a lot of people who are recognizing the importance of biodiversity… How special and rare it is to have these wilderness areas that help our rivers run and our forests stay healthy,” Haase said.
A spokesperson for the USDA said the spray was requested to protect the Rio Chama area from a high population of native grasshoppers that have damaged large swaths of vegetation this year.
While the USDA is responsible for carrying out the insecticide spray, BLM has the power to ultimately cancel the plan at any time.
For now, conservationists are urging stakeholders to call state lawmakers and the northern BLM office to voice their opinions.
