Op-ed: William Perry Pendley is not fit to lead land agency

After outrage from communities and leaders across the country, the Trump administration finally withdrew their nomination of William Perry Pendley to lead the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). While this is a win for our communities and public lands, the fight is not over yet. Pendley is still serving – likely illegally – as acting director, and his power poses a direct threat to the Grand Canyon and surrounding communities. The recent release of a report from a Trump administration task force that recommends a handout to the uranium industry left many people fearful for the future of our nation’s crown jewel. With Pendley, who formerly sued the federal government on behalf of a mining company attempting to mine near the Grand Canyon, still serving, the future of this National Park looks even bleaker.

#MyGrandCanyonStory | Mark Cardenas

HECHO spoke with Advisory Board member Mark Cardenas of Arizona to learn about his personal connection to the Grand Canyon, his favorite memories there, and why he believes the Grand Canyon should be protected from uranium mining.

HECHO: What is your personal connection to the Grand Canyon?

Mark Cardenas (MC): My personal connection to the Grand Canyon -- that was where, you know, growing up you would always go on the weekends, to the parks and to go hiking in the mountains, because that was what we could afford. I remember one of the biggest trips that we got to go on was a road trip to the Grand Canyon. I was probably like six or seven years old. was really little, and it was just so amazing that one, we got out of the city and two, there's this huge place that, you know, when you go into the parking lot there's license plates from all around the country…

Guest Blog, Grand CanyonadminAugust 10, 2020#MyGrandCanyonStory, Grand Canyon, Uranium Mining, Arizona, Mark Cardenas, Advisory BoardComment

Blog: Hope, Leadership, and Humanity During the Covid-19 Pandemic

For some, COVID-19 has changed our daily lives and how we interact with each other. For others, COVID-19 has made the impacts of existing societal, economic, and health disparities even worse. The truth is that we must navigate the unique challenges brought about during these uncertain and unprecedented times, and come out of this pandemic with a greater sense of how we are all connected.

As we hear stories about how community leaders are responding to the pandemic in thoughtful ways, we are hopeful that we will emerge from this in a better place. But that takes leadership and an understanding of our humanity. As an example, in Santa Fe County, NM, Commissioner Henry Roybal recognized the economic impact that solid waste disposal fees were having on some residents after seeing trash being dumped on the land. In response, he led a county effort to suspend solid waste disposal fees during the pandemic to reduce barriers for appropriate trash disposal.

adminJune 17, 2020Advisory Board, Henry Roybal, Evi Steyer, Mark Cardenas, Donald Valdez, Liz Archuleta, Lynn Cordova, Rebecca Chavez-HouckComment

Op-ed: We all must speak up to protect our national monuments

By Arizona state Rep. Mark Cardenas, Utah state Rep. Rebecca Chavez-Houck and Nevada state Sen. Mo Denis

As state representatives of the Southwest, we are concerned about the future of our national monuments. Right now, both Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments are under attack, and the public has just a short window to weigh in.

Both of these monuments are in Utah, but they are vital to us all, as they safeguard our nation’s diverse history and cultural heritage. Our voices are part of the two-thirds of western voters, and 86 percent of Latino voters in the west, who say that reducing these monuments is a bad idea. We are proud to have public lands in our backyard — lands that belong to all of us.

Blog: Enjoying the Outdoors, October 2018

We love this time of year-- the changing colors of the leaves and the cooler temperatures make being outdoors that much more exciting. It’s a wonderful time to hike, bike, hunt, and fish on our beautiful public lands, and we wanted to start sharing around some of our favorite places to visit. We're starting with some adventures we like for October in Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah from Al, Rebecca, and Viviana, and we will be sending out new recommendations over the coming months.

We hope you like our "Enjoying the Outdoors" recommendations. If you are inspired, we invite you to share places you enjoy and would like to recommend to the HECHO community!

Blog: Meet HECHO's Amazing Advisory Board

Throughout 2015, we interviewed each of our Advisory Board members and posted them on our blog to help our community get to know them. We discussed their upbringings, their experiences in the outdoors, their jobs, and more. Today we’re sharing snippets of their inspiring stories.

Guest BloggerFebruary 17, 2016Advisory Board, Mark Cardenas, Rebecca Chavez-Houck, Moises Denis, Al Martinez, Kent Salazar, Lenore Loroña StuartComment

Blog: Looking Back on 2015 and Looking Forward to 2016

In 2015, we've really accomplished a lot! Thank you for being a part of this vital movement. As part of Giving Tuesday, please consider making a donation to support HECHO’s work in 2016 – to keep empowering Latinos and elevating our voices, so we are heard by our leaders.

Guest Blog: Parks and Open Spaces Part of a Balanced Life

Preserving parks and other open spaces is a priority for residents in my district, and for me too. Many of us shared a similar upbringing. Unable to go on exotic sounding vacations like Disneyworld, most of us took to the hills. On weekends, my family would pack a picnic and go to a park.

Guest BlogGuest BloggerSeptember 8, 2015Mark Cardenas, Advisory Board, ArizonaComment

Blog: They're paying attention—we're striking a balance for conservation.

Max Trujillo and I have spent time in DC this month, announcing our poll, knocking on doors and spreading the word that Latinos support conservation. Here's an update on the progress we’re making to strike a better balance between oil and gas development and conservation.

Guest UserJune 27, 2014Latino Decisions, Colorado, New Mexico, Mark Cardenas, Advisory Board, Oil and Gas, Public Lands, Pollution, Leasing ReformComment

Press Release: HECHO Launched during Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Annual Conference

Today, Hispanic leaders and elected officials announced the formation of a new national Hispanic sportsmen organization – the first national group to advocate for Hispanics in the debate over energy development and conservation on public lands.

The new organization will be called HECHO – Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting & Outdoors – which in Spanish means “action” as well as “fact”.

Press Releases/Statements, Oil & GasadminOctober 2, 2013Al Martinez, Andres Ramirez, Chuck Rocha, Krista Gomez, Mark Cardenas, Moises DenisComment

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