The Bureau of Land Management is planning to treat about 3,000 acres within Rio Grande del Norte National Monument with the herbicide tebuthiuron in early November to kill sagebrush. A BLM press release says the treatment is intended to improve biodiversity by thinning sagebrush and allowing more space for forbs and grasses, and that this compound has been used effectively since the 1980s.
The area designated for treatment is near the northeast side of Cerro de la Olla, approximately 5 to 11 miles northwest of Questa, mainly on the west side of the Rio Grande in Taos County. Tebuthiuron pellets are to be dropped from a low-flying aircraft; BLM claims the substance will remain in the treatment area where it will enter the soil, persisting for over a year. (Taos News, 10/22/2026). No additional information is provided on non-target effects, discussion of alternatives, or how this area was chosen for treatment.