Friday, March 13, 2009

Bingaman spokesman: Land bill is "certainly alive"

An omnibus lands bill that included a controversial land exchange in CaƱoncito east of Santa Fe failed to pass the U.S. House of Representatives by two votes Wednesday. The massive bill also included a measure approving a critical Navajo water rights settlement, a measure to establish the new, 17,000-acre Sabinoso wilderness in San Miguel County, and money for a water pipeline to serve eastern New Mexico communities. The House voted 282 to 141 in favor of the omnibus bill, but it failed because it didn't receive the required two-thirds majority to pass. The bill passed the Senate by a 73-21 vote in January. Jude McCartin, spokeswoman for Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., the bill's sponsor, said the House could revote on the measure, but could also send it back to committees for further hearings. "This bill is certainly alive," she said...Santa Fe New Mexican

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Locking up the land into wilderness is all the Bingaman is good for. Otherwise he has passed nothing worth speaking of for New Mexico business.
If you have ever been to Canyoncito east of Santa Fe you would know that it is best left in private hands. It is a typical arroyo bottom vegetated with rabbit brush, and steep sided rock hillsides with pinyon and scattered ponderosa pine. The only time there is any water in the arroyo is following snowmelt or summer rains.
Trading for this property will not enhance anything but the politicians who thrive on this nonsense.