WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that a bill he introduced with Senator Tom Udall to transfer management of the Valles Caldera National Preserve to the National Park Service has cleared its first hurdle.
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which Bingaman chairs, approved the measure today. The bill can now be considered by the full Senate.
"The Valles Caldera is one of the most beautiful public landscapes in the country, and the nation would benefit from its inclusion in the National Park System," Bingaman said. "With with committee's endorsement of this bill, we're able to send it to the full Senate for consideration."
"With this vote, we are another step closer to bringing one of New Mexico's most stunning natural landscapes into the National Park System, where it will be protected for the enjoyment and appreciation of generations to come," Udall said. "I congratulate Senator Bingaman on his leadership in shepherding this critical legislation through his Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and I look forward to its consideration by the full Senate."
The Senators' bill follows on a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) mandated by the Valles Caldera Preservation Act of 2000 and a feasibility study from the National Park Service requested by the two senators.
The GAO reports that the Preserve is at least five years behind schedule in the development of an effective management control system and that the requirement to achieve financial self-sustainability by 2015 is the Trust's biggest challenge and will be difficult to achieve. It also notes that the revenue enhancement study commissioned by the Trust estimated the need for at least $21 million for infrastructure improvements to support greater public access.
The National Park Service study, which was requested by Bingaman and Udall, determines the Valles Caldera meets the high criteria for inclusion in the National Park System as a National Preserve. In particular, the report highlighted the nationally significant geologic resources found in the area.
The Senators' bill directs the Park Service to take over management in a way that protects the Preserve's natural and cultural resources. Hunting, fishing, and cattle grazing would be permitted under the bill. Additionally, the measure strengthens protections for tribal cultural and religious sites and ensures access by pueblos to the area.
