County of Eddy Press Release | September 30, 2020

XTO Energy Donation Funds Meals for 250 Volunteers

Eddy County, NM – XTO Energy and Eddy County, Keep Carlsbad Beautiful, USDA Lincoln National Forest and Campfire Industries will host the “Queen Up the Guads” event Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020. The Falls were forced to close earlier this year due to large amounts of trash and waste left behind by visitors.

The volunteer cleanup effort will focus on Queen Highway, CR 409 and CR 67.

COVID-friendly meals for up to 250 volunteers will be provided by local restaurants in Carlsbad and Artesia, with funding provided by XTO Energy.

“We are blessed to live in an area with incredible natural resources and public lands. Funding events like Queen Up the Guads is just one way XTO Energy demonstrates its commitment to helping protect the environment and the natural landscapes in the communities where it operates,” said Rick Cannon, Senior Production Manager. “We are proud to collaborate with the county, forest service and other local businesses to make this cleanup event possible.”

District Ranger Aaron Stockton said, “We are really excited about this event. The Lincoln National Forest is fortunate to have partners like XTO who invest in the Carlsbad community and the outdoor places we enjoy. So many people cherish the
Guadalupe Mountains and events like these allow people to give back to this magical place. We hope this can become an annual event.”

Jeri Strong, Public Information Officer at Eddy County, stated, “Queen Up the Guads will benefit not only our community, but the many travelers who visit our beautiful public lands. None of this would be possible without these public-private partnerships.” Jeri continued, “We also want to thank XTO for their generous contribution. This is a community-wide effort and it’s encouraging to see businesses, public agencies and neighbors come together.”