April 20, 2016
For immediate release
ALBUQUERQUE – The just passed Energy Bill is a great example of what can be accomplished through bipartisan collaboration, and the New Mexico Wildlife Federation applauds Senators Lisa Murkowski, Maria Cantwell, Tom Udall, and Martin Heinrich on their hard work on this comprehensive bill.
The Energy Bill reauthorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and includes the Sportsmen’s Act which instructs federal public land management agencies to identify areas where hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation are permitted but not accessible, and develop plans to provide access. The act also establishes a National Park Service Critical Maintenance and Revitalization Conservation Fund to address high-priority maintenance needs of the National Park Service, reauthorizes the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act which directs revenue from the sale of public land to high priority conservation lands and expands fishing and wildlife habitat, and more.
In an exciting last minute addition to this bill, two wilderness areas, the Cerro del Yuta Wilderness and Rio San Antonio Wilderness, within the Río Grande del Norte National Monument will also be added.
“We are thrilled that this comprehensive bill has been authorized, and applaud the hard work of the senators who made this happen,” said New Mexico Wildlife Federation Executive Director Garrett Vene Klasen. “Not only will this bill benefit wildlife and outdoor enthusiasts in New Mexico and throughout the country, but it also shows bipartisanship is still possible. We look forward to seeing the benefits of the Energy Bill in action in years to come.”
The New Mexico Wildlife Federation is excited to see this collaborative effort come together successfully, and we look forward to exploring the new wilderness areas of Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.
