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Cowboys for Trump takes White Sands gypsum sand to Washington, D.C. for tree lighting

Nicole Maxwell
Alamogordo Daily News

Cowboys for Trump, an organization co-founded by Otero County Commission Chairman Couy Griffin, was invited to attend the Congressional Tree Lighting on Dec. 4.

The group began the 26-hour and 1,850-mile long journey with iconic gypsum sands from the White Sands National Monument as cargo.

"We're really honored to be able to be here and to be able to just showcase one of the most beautiful things about Otero County, New Mexico, and that's White Sands (National Monument)," Griffin said.

"To be able to work with those of the (President Donald J.) Trump campaign, to be able to do a lot of the things we've been able to do to bring exposure to Otero County, we're very grateful. We're very honored."

MORE:Cowboys for Trump deemed political committee, must file financial reports

He said the four "big plastic bins" of the sand he transported to Washington, D.C. were gifted to New Mexico's Congressional delegation.

"We thought, what a great opportunity it would be for the white sands to be showcased on the national stage so we've been able to show it to lots of people so far," Griffin said.

The sand will be "showcased," as Griffin put it, during the tree lighting itself, Griffin said.

Representatives from the Cowboys for Trump organization stand outside the U.S. Capitol building during a trip to Washington, D.C. for the Congressional Tree Lighting December 4, 2019.

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Griffin said highlighting Otero County's biggest tourist destination will help the local economy by drawing in more tourists to the national monument.

"We're bringing Washington, D.C. some of the most beautiful treasure out of New Mexico and, in particularly, Otero County because what Cowboys for Trump is fixing to do is we're gonna haul White Sands to our nation's capital," Griffin said in a video posted to the Cowboys for Trump Facebook Nov. 30.

Griffin said in a phone call Tuesday that he had permission to take the sand, though U.S. Park Service officials said removing natural resources from the monument is typically prohibited. Griffin did not say who or what agency issued permission in this case.

MORE:White Sands National Monument: Q&A with Superintendent Marie Sauter

The sand was allegedly taken from the area outside of White Sands National Monument, which is owned by the state Department of Transportation. Calls and text messages for follow-up to Griffin went unanswered.

White Sands weighs in on taking sand

Removing natural resources from a U.S. National Parks unit, including National Monuments, is illegal without permission.

"White Sands National Monument has received questions regarding the taking of sands (a park resource) from the monument," a Facebook post from the U.S. National Park Service states.

White Sands National Monument shared the statutes governing taking a resource from a National Park Service unit such as White Sands National Monument.

  • Federal laws and policies prohibit the taking of sand and any resource from within the national monument. 36 CFR - Code of Federal Regulations 2.1 a1(IV) prohibits the possessing destroying, injuring, defacing, removing, digging or disturbing of natural, cultural and archaeological resources to include mineral resources.
  • The illegal taking of resources from within the national monument is a Class B misdemeanor punishable with a $5,000 fine or six months in jail.

The monument cannot sell natural material found in White Sands National Monument or items made from the sand in the gift shop, White Sands National Monument Superintendent Marie Sauter said in a phone call on Tuesday.

The regulation can be found in title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations, which means that violations of these regulations can result in fines or possible imprisonment.

Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com, by phone at 575-415-6605 or on twitter at @nicmaxreporter.

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