44TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 1999

REQUESTING THE NORTHERN NEW MEXICO STATE SCHOOL AND THE OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS TO COOPERATE IN NOMINATING THE EL VADO RADAR SITE TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES AND DEVELOPING A MANAGEMENT PLAN.

WHEREAS, following World War II and the establishment of Los Alamos as a weapons research and development facility, the air force constructed a series of radar installations as part of a defense system around Los Alamos; and

WHEREAS, one of those facilities was located on a one hundred acre site near El Vado lake; and

WHEREAS, the site was abandoned and turned over to the state thirty years ago and is now owned by northern New Mexico state school; and

WHEREAS, the expense of restoration and cleanup is prohibitive for the school to accomplish alone; and

WHEREAS, the site represents one of the few cold war sites in northern New Mexico that is suitable for public interpretation; and

WHEREAS, the site is also suitable for an educational facility and potential observatory site;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the northern New Mexico state school and the office of cultural affairs be requested to cooperate with each other to nominate the site to the national register of historic places and develop a management plan for the site as a historic place and educational facility; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the state cultural affairs officer and the president of northern New Mexico state school.