Category: Environment
The Organ Mountains Become a National Monument
Organ Mountains
Image: organmountains.org
Kathleen (Kathy) Love, an attorney in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is a partner at McGinn, Carpenter, Montoya & Love, P.A. With 20 years of experience as an attorney, Kathy Love handles civil matters, representing people who have been hurt by corporations, insurance companies and hospitals. Aside from her professional responsibilities, Ms. Love was a founding member of the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance.
Since 1997, the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance has worked to protect the state’s wilderness areas. By building diverse coalitions of people who are willing to advocate for the protection of the natural environment, the organization has experienced a number of successes, including the designation of the Organ Mountains as a national monument.
The Organ Mountains are an ancient mountain range that serve as the backdrop to the Las Cruces community. The tall, jagged mountains have been featured in some of journals kept by early Spanish explorers. They are also the home to abundant wildlife, including over 300 species of birds, desert mule deer, mountain lion, pronghorn, bobcat, and coyote. Residents of the area have long enjoyed numerous recreational opportunities.
As a result of the rapid growth, urban sprawl and mining and energy developments were threatening the tranquility of the Organ Mountains. Ten years of advocacy culminated in a bill presented to Congress in December of 2013 by U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall. The bill, which designated the Organ Mountains as a national monument, was signed by President Obama in 2014.
National Monument status ensures that the Organ Mountains and surrounding areas will enjoy permanent protection. While current recreational activities can continue, new developments are regulated.
The San Francisco Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival
Image: hardlystrictlybluegrass.com
Attorney Kathleen “Kathy” Love currently serves as a partner at McGinn, Carpenter, Montoya & Love, PA, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Kathy Love is married to another attorney, whom she wed in San Francisco the same weekend as the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival.
Held at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass is a free event that features more than 90 musical performances on seven stages. The event, which has been named one of the “Things You Must Do in the Bay Area” by SF Gate, is held October 6th and October 7th each year.
In addition to the numerous bluegrass performances, over 50 food and drink vendors attend the festival to sell their products. Attendees can also bring their own food and drinks, as well as chairs, blankets, coolers, and cameras. Moreover, the entire event is family-friendly, and a child-specific program is held Friday morning until noon.
Additional information on the festival, including an FAQ, can be found at www.hardlystrictlybluegrass.com/2017/info/.
Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Conservation Act Reintroduced
New Mexico Wilderness Alliance
Image: conservationalliance.com
Practicing with McGinn, Carpenter, Montoya & Love, P.A., Kathleen (Kathy) Love brings over 20 years of experience as an attorney to the Albuquerque-based law firm. Kathy Love has many interests outside of practicing law. She is a founding member of the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance.
The New Mexico Wilderness Alliance is a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring, preserving, and protecting New Mexico’s wilderness and wildlands areas. In existence since 1997, the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance is committed to building the community and raising awareness of wildlife issues throughout the state.
In June 2016, the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Conservation Act was reintroduced, ensuring the protection of eight wilderness areas within the area designated as a national monument. The Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks hosts 306 different types of birds along with 78 mammal species, including peccaries, mule deer, and cougars. A recent poll administered by the Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce showed that 78 percent of residents support the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks protection effort.
Attorney Kathy Love's Blog 