TAOS, NM — Sportsmen commended U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan Tuesday for introducing legislation in the House of Representatives to permanently protect 236,000 acres of prime hunting and angling habitat along the Rio Grande in northern New Mexico.

The measure, a companion to the Río Grande Del Norte National Conservation Area Establishment Act sponsored by Sen. Jeff Bingaman and co-sponsored by Sen. Tom Udall in the Senate, would protect an area of public land surrounding the Wild and Scenic-designated Rio Grande Gorge.

About 215,000 acres would be managed as a conservation area. Two smaller areas – 13,420-acre Cerro del Yuta and the 8,000-acre Río San Antonio (currently managed as a Wilderness Study Area) – would be managed as wilderness.

“The Río Grande Del Norte National Conservation Area Establishment Act will ensure that our grandchildren will come to know this landscape as we know it, with traditional uses including hunting and fishing protected,” said Ed Olona, president of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation. “Representative Lujan is helping us to preserve our New Mexican heritage.”

The northern New Mexico business community praised Lujan’s bill and noted how significant the Rio Grande Gorge is to outdoor businesses like fishing, hunting and rafting.

Toner Mitchell, president of the Truchas Chapter of Trout Unlimited and operations manager of The Reel Life fly shop in Santa Fe, said the Gorge is significant to commercial outdoor retailers, but is also culturally valuable to New Mexicans.

“Rep. Lujan has given future generations of New Mexicans a great gift with this legislation,” Mitchell said.

The bill will prevent the public lands in the NCA from being sold or leased for energy development or mining while still allowing collection of piñon nuts and firewood, cattle grazing, hunting and angling.

“This bill is all about balancing our culture, our economy and our hunting and fishing traditions,” said Taos resident Garrett VeneKlasen. “As chairman of New Mexico Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, I really appreciate Rep. Lujan’s efforts to safeguard northern New Mexico’s natural resources.”

Tweet This Post