calendar

Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, alongisde Under Secretary of the U.S. Army Gabe Camarillo, and Commanding General of Fort Bliss and 1st Armored Division James P. Isenhower III, will be speaking about the newly announced designation of Castner Range National Monument at an event open to the community of El Paso. It will be held this Friday, March 31, 2023 at the Andress High School Performing Arts Center, 5400 Sun Valley Dr., El Paso, Texas, 79924 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

On Tuesday, March 21, 2023, President Joe Biden designated Castner Range National Monument at the White House Conservation in Action Summit in Washington, D.C. The decades-long effort, championed by U.S. Representative Veronica Escobar, now protects 7,081 acres of the Franklin Mountains.

“I’m absolutely thrilled about the designation,” said Congresswoman Veronica Escobar. “This historic announcement has been decades in the making. Generations of activists have dedicated countless hours and resources toward achieving this once seemingly impossible goal. It brings me such joy to know that El Pasoans will soon be able to enjoy the beauty of this majestic, expansive landmark for years to come.”

For 52 years, local officials, community advocates, and the broader community rallied support through legislation, letters from the community, and persistent advocacy to protect and preserve Castner Range for future generations.

Castner Range plays an important part in El Paso’s cultural history, dating back thousands of years to the first peoples who settled in our area. Castner Range, located on the eastern slopes of the Franklin Mountains, is home to blankets of poppies each spring and it may also provide homing and feeding grounds to 27 species of threatened or endangered plants and animals, including reptiles, birds and large mammals. Castner Range is home to a plethora of natural waterways and arroyos, keeping flood waters from overtaking Northeast El Paso and replenishing the natural Hueco Bolson water supply.