0001| HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 58
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0002| 43RD LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 1998
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0003| INTRODUCED BY
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0004| JAMES ROGER MADALENA
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0005|
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0006|
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0007|
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0008|
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0009|
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0010| A JOINT MEMORIAL
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0011| SUPPORTING FEDERAL ACQUISITION OF THE BACA LOCATION NUMBER 1
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0012| BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR SPECIAL
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0013| MANAGEMENT BY THE UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE.
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0014|
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0015| WHEREAS, the Baca location number 1, known as the Baca
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0016| ranch, owned by the Dunigan family through the Baca land and
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0017| cattle company, comprises over ninety-five thousand acres,
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0018| located primarily in Sandoval county, deep in the Jemez
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0019| mountains, and in that single-party ownership has been
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0020| successfully and responsibly managed for over thirty years;
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0021| and
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0022| WHEREAS, the Baca ranch contains the Valles Caldera, one
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0023| of the most significant volcanic features in the world; and
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0024| WHEREAS, the Baca ranch boasts of scenic and natural
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0025| beauty and diversity of wildlife and promises enormous
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0001| recreational opportunities for all people of our nation; and
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0002| WHEREAS, the valleys within the Caldera act as the
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0003| incubator for one of the largest elk herds in the country; and
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0004| WHEREAS, since 1955, presidents, leaders in congress and
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0005| secretaries of the interior have encouraged federal
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0006| acquisition and management of the Baca ranch; and
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0007| WHEREAS, the owners of the Baca ranch have again offered
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0008| to sell the property to the United States; and
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0009| WHEREAS, legislation has been introduced in congress to
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0010| authorize the acquisition of the Baca ranch by the United
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0011| States secretary of agriculture; and
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0012| WHEREAS, former secretaries of the interior Manuel Lujan
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0013| and Stewart Udall lead a broad spectrum of New Mexicans in
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0014| supporting the federal acquisition of the Baca ranch; and
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0015| WHEREAS, pueblos, including Jemez, San Ildefonso and
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0016| Santa Clara, have long-standing traditional and cultural roots
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0017| in the Valles Caldera and generally support the federal
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0018| acquisition of the area; and
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0019| WHEREAS, federal acquisition of the Baca ranch coupled
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0020| with congress providing for special management by the United
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0021| States secretary of agriculture could result in the protection
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0022| and use of this incredible land for future generations; and
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0023| WHEREAS, future management of the Baca ranch could
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0024| accommodate hunting, fishing and limited multiple use
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0025| management insofar as it preserves and protects the scenic,
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0001| cultural and natural value of the lands, as well as the
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0002| traditional uses by Native Americans; and
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0003| WHEREAS, the forest service's land management planning
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0004| process would guide management of the land and provide for
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0005| consultation and cooperation with units of local government,
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0006| the pueblos and the general public; and
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0007| WHEREAS, appropriate federal management of the Baca ranch
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0008| would increase federal revenues coming to the counties in
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0009| which the land is located and could promote tourism and other
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0010| forms of limited economic development to the overall benefit
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0011| of Sandoval, Los Alamos and Rio Arriba counties;
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0012| NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
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0013| STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico congressional
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0014| delegation support and encourage passage of legislation
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0015| authorizing the purchase by the federal government of the Baca
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0016| location number 1, including the Valles Caldera; and
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0017| BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico legislature
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0018| request that the Baca ranch be designated upon purchase for
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0019| special management as a unit of the national forest system by
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0020| the United States forest service; and
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0021| BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that after the acquisition of the
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0022| land, the United States forest service be requested to
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0023| initiate a process of public hearings to establish a
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0024| management plan that will ensure that the Baca ranch will
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0025| afford public access for hunting, fishing and other forms of
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0001| recreation and that multiple use will be permitted to the
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0002| extent that it is compatible with protection of the natural
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0003| values of the area; and
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0004| BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that after federal acquisition of
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0005| the Baca ranch, the pueblos of Jemez, San Ildefonso, Santa
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0006| Clara and other surrounding pueblos be included in discussions
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0007| with the United States secretary of agriculture concerning
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0008| management of the acquired land to ensure that their
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0009| traditional and cultural use claims are satisfied; and
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0010| BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
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0011| distributed to the president of the United States, members of
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0012| the New Mexico congressional delegation, the governor of the
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0013| pueblo of Jemez, the governor of the pueblo of San Ildefonso
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0014| and the governor of the pueblo of Santa Clara.
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0015|
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