Valle Vidal News

• Valle Vidal Drilling Banned (12/14/06)
• Bush signs protection act into law (12/13/06)
• Valle Vidal Protection Act signed into law (12/13/06)
• President considers protection for Valle (11/17/2006)
• Senate OKs drilling ban (11/17/2006)
• Growing coalition opposes drilling in N.M. battle (07/25/2006)
• House bans Valle Vidal drilling (07/25/2006)
• Valle Vidal battle moves to Senate (07/24/2006)

President considers protection for Valle - Domenici changes direction on issue
James W. Brosnan, Albuquerque Tribune
Friday, November 17, 2006

WASHINGTON - Legislation to protect the Valle Vidal from oil and gas development is heading to President Bush's desk for signature into law following a 180-degree turn by Sen. Pete Domenici.  After holding up the bill for nearly four months, the Albuquerque Republican announced Thursday that he and Sen. Jeff Bingaman, a Silver City Democrat, would try to pass the bill quickly through the lame-duck session of Congress. Read the full story.

Senate OKs Drilling Ban
By John Arnold, Albuquerque Journal
Friday, November 17,  2006

Legislation that would protect northern New Mexico's Valle Vidal from energy and mineral development has cleared the Senate and needs only President Bush's signature to become law, Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., and Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., announced late Thursday.  "I am confident the President will sign this bill so that the Valle Vidal will continue to be a virtually unblemished piece of New Mexico for people to enjoy for generations to come," Domenici said in a news release. The legislation, which would ban energy and mineral development, was sponsored by Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M., and cleared the House in July.   Read the full story.

VALLE VIDAL, N.M. - Calving season has just ended in lush Carson National Forest, a fact that becomes obvious as three baby elk emerge from the woods with their mother in the midday sun. They are the newest members of a herd that has lived here for thousands of years, interrupted only at the beginning of the last century when humans killed them off -- and then promptly reintroduced them.  Read the full story.

House bans Valle Vidal drilling
James W. Brosnan, Albuquerque Tribune
July 25, 2006

WASHINGTON - Backers of a bill in Congress to protect one of the most popular hunting, fishing and hiking areas in northern New Mexico - the Valle Vidal - from oil and gas drilling say its fate is now up to Sen. Pete Domenici.  Read the full story.

WASHINGTON -  House lawmakers on Monday approved a bill to protect northern New Mexico's mineral-rich Valle Vidal from gas drilling, putting the issue of whether to keep the region off-limits to energy companies in the Senate's hands.  Read the full story.

Valle Vidal battle moves to Senate
Andy Lenderman, Santa Fe New Mexican
July 24, 2006

A bill to keep natural-gas drilling and other energy development out of Valle Vidal cleared the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday. But U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., who chairs the key Senate committee that will consider the measure, still won't take a position on it.  Read the full story.

For More Information

• Visit the Coalition for the Valle Vidal's website to join the Coalition's efforts, learn more about the area, and view photos.