0001|                       SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 11
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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|                             DEDE FELDMAN
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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 as a cattle ranch for
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0021|     over thirty years; 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 secretary
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0011|     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, the pueblos of Jemez, San Ildefonso and Santa
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0016|     Clara have long-standing traditional and cultural roots in the
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0017|     Valles Caldera and support the federal acquisition of the
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0018|     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
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0021|     secretary of agriculture could result in the protection and
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0022|     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 and
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0001|     natural value of the lands, as well as the traditional uses of
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0002|     people of the pueblos of Jemez, San Ildefonso and Santa Clara;
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0003|     and
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0004|          WHEREAS, the forest service's land management planning
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0005|     process would guide management of the land and provide for
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0006|     consultation and cooperation with units of local government,
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0007|     the pueblos and the general public; and
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0008|          WHEREAS, appropriate federal management of the Baca ranch
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0009|     would increase federal revenues coming to the counties in
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0010|     which the land is located and could promote tourism and other
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0011|     forms of limited economic development to the overall benefit
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0012|     of Sandoval, Los Alamos and Rio Arriba counties; 
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0013|          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
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0014|     STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico congressional
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0015|     delegation support and encourage passage of legislation
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0016|     authorizing the purchase by the federal government of the Baca
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0017|     location number 1, including the Valles Caldera; and
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0018|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Baca ranch be designated
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0019|     upon purchase for special management as a unit of the national
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0020|     forest system by 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 initiate a process of
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0023|     public hearings to establish a management plan that will
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0024|     ensure that the Baca ranch will be principally managed to
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0025|     allow 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 acquisition of the Baca
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0005|     ranch, the pueblos of Jemez, San Ildefonso and Santa Clara be
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0006|     included in negotiations with the secretary of agriculture
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0007|     concerning management of the acquired land to ensure that
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0008|     their traditional and cultural use claims are satisfied: and
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0009|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
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0010|     distributed to the president of the United States, members of
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0011|     the New Mexico congressional delegation, the governor of the
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0012|     pueblo of Jemez, the governor of the pueblo of San Ildefonso
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0013|     and the governor of the pueblo of Santa Clara.
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0014|                              
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