ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A new swath of wilderness would be designated in northern New Mexico and management of the Valles Caldera National Preserve would be transferred to the National Park Service under a defense bill that has cleared Congress.
The U.S. Senate voted in favor of the legislation Friday. The House passed the bill earlier this month. It now goes to President Barack Obama for approval.
The Columbine-Hondo Wilderness would cover 46,000 acres of backcountry in the Carson National Forest. The area includes prime wildlife habitat and headwater streams that provide water for downstream communities.
Under the bill, access to hunting and fishing would be mandated at the Valles Caldera preserve under Park Service management.
The bill also includes a provision for establishing the Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Los Alamos and in other locations in Tennessee and Washington state.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.