URGENT: Help Stop S. 1476 Before Wednesday's Senate Vote

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: Category: Editorials; Jun 9, 2026

URGENT: Help Stop S. 1476 Before Wednesday's Senate Vote

The fight over the Gila has reached a critical moment.

Dear Heritage Waters Coalition Members and concerned ranchers and farmers,

S. 1476, the M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act, is scheduled for consideration at the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee business meeting on June 10.

Heritage Waters Coalition strongly opposes this bill.

S. 1476 would place new federal restrictions across the Gila watershed and could permanently affect rural water use, agriculture, grazing, irrigation, local economies, and community decision-making in southwest New Mexico. Rural families, ranchers, farmers, acequia users, small businesses, and local communities deserve a voice before Washington moves this bill forward.

We need your help now.

Please call your Senators and members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and tell them:

Oppose S. 1476. Protect rural water rights. Protect local voices.

You can call through the Capitol Switchboard at:

1-202-224-3121

You can also call the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee at:

(202) 224-4971

When you call, you can simply say:

"I am calling to urge Senator ______ to oppose S. 1476, the M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act. Rural New Mexicans deserve a voice, and this bill threatens local water use, agriculture, grazing, and community control in the Gila watershed."

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Members

Chairman: Senator Mike Lee
Ranking Member: Senator Martin Heinrich

Republican Members:
Senator John Barrasso
Senator James E. Risch
Senator Steve Daines
Senator Tom Cotton
Senator David H. McCormick
Senator Jim Justice
Senator Bill Cassidy
Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith
Senator Lisa Murkowski
Senator John Hoeven

Democratic Members:
Senator Ron Wyden
Senator Maria Cantwell
Senator Mazie K. Hirono
Senator Angus S. King, Jr.
Senator Catherine Cortez Masto
Senator John Hickenlooper
Senator Alex Padilla
Senator Ruben Gallego

We are working hard to make sure the concerns of rural communities are heard in Washington, but that takes resources. Legal research, policy analysis, outreach to Senate offices, community organizing, and public education all require support.

Please consider making a donation today to help Heritage Waters Coalition continue the fight against S. 1476.

Donate by clicking here.

Every call matters. Every share matters. Every dollar helps us stand up for rural New Mexico, local water users, and the families who have cared for this land and water for generations.

Thank you for standing with us.

We need all the support we can get to fight back. Please renew or join the Heritage Waters Coalition today. Too much is at stake.

Sincerely,
Drew Lesofski
Executive Director
Heritage Waters Coalition

"El agua es vida. Water is life"

Heritage Waters Coalition
Defending Western Water & Property Rights

X.com - @HeritageWaters Facebook - Heritage Waters Coalition

Heritage Waters Coalition
PO Box 924
Silver City, New Mexico 88062
USA

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URGENT: Help Stop S. 1476 Before Wednesday's Senate Vote

The fight over the Gila has reached a critical moment.

Content on the Beat

Editor's Notes

Submitting to the Beat