[Philmont]: Valle Vidal

New Mexico’s Representative Tom Udall Introduces Bill to Permanently
Protect the Valle Vidal

(Taos, NM, September 15, 2005) - A New Mexico natural area cherished by
Boy Scouts, prized by elk hunters and widely recognized as a national
treasure would be permanently protected from oil and gas drilling under
a bill introduced today by Rep. Tom Udall.

Rep. Udall said: "The Valle Vidal is national treasure that is now
threatened. Drilling in the Valle Vidal is not a long-term, responsible
energy strategy - we cannot drill our way out of our current energy
problems. After visiting the area on many occasions and hearing from
thousands of Americans, I have reached the inescapable conclusion that
the Valle Vidal should be protected in perpetuity from development. “

Mayor Danny Cruz of Springer, New Mexico echoed the Representative: “Our
communities depend on our natural resources for survival. We have to
sustain them. A lot of times local communities are behind the curve on
these things and our land ends up being taken from us before we even
know what’s happening. Now, we are seeing local people and local
governments get out in the lead on protecting out special places.”

The Town of Springer is one of six northern New Mexico municipalities as
well as the Taos County Commission and over 200 area businesses and
organizations opposed to the industrialization of the Valle Vidal.

In Cimarron, the owners of West of Wild, LLC also spoke out against
destroying the Valle Vidal and praised the bill. West of Wild’s owner
Jared Chatterley pointed out that “The reason we are supporting the
protection of the Valle Vidal is both personal and moral. The Eastern
part of the Valle is an important part of the Boy Scout program. It is
the only place where Scouts learn to hike with no trails and learn Leave
No Trace rules. It is vitally important to us that this public land
stay as it is so that we can continue to enjoy it in its pristine state
with fantastic wildlife. Recreation is why we all live in this area.”

Rep. Udall, long a leader in assuring the protection of the Valle Vidal,
was recently joined by Rep. Heather Wilson of Albuquerque in demanding
protection for the Valle Vidal. "Coal-bed methane development using
current techniques is ... still too invasive to be compatible with other
uses of the land,” she said in a recent interview.

In the end, Rep. Udall said, “There is a place for oil and gas
drilling. The Valle Vidal, however, is not one of them."

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Received on Thu Sep 15 19:09:48 2005