Senator Martin Heinrich was able to join a community celebration for the Bureau of Land Management's mid-April decision to protect the area known as Buffalo Tract.
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland signed Public Land Order 7940, protecting more than 4,200 acres of public lands in the Placitas area.
This prevents new claims to mining, mineral ales and oil and gas leases for the next 50 years.
This is something that leaders of the San Felipe and Santa Ana Pueblos have been working on with Senator Heinrich and other New Mexican leaders for over a decade.
Governor Myron Armijo of the Santa Ana Pueblo said this is an accomplishment.
“The biggest accomplishment here today is the issue of the Buffalo Tract. We're glad that Senator Heinrich was here today to help us with this process. It's been a long time coming and of course the pueblo of Santa Ana supports this measure.”
Governor Armijo explains the next plan of action.
“Our next big step is to maintain our present position and any lands that come up for sale by the Pueblo, near its exterior boundaries, we're happy to address those issues.”
Governor Armijo wants people to understand that this land deserves to be protected.
“What I would like for them to understand is the conservation of the piece of land and the Crest of Montezuma and this whole area; we shouldn't have mining, we shouldn't have off-roading with ATV vehicles, and try to keep it as pristine as possible.”
Governor Armijo explains his definition of conservation.
“Conservation, what it is to me is that we conserve all lands that are pertinent to all areas. That means lands where there are historic preservation areas, those be preserved going forward and those areas that the Pueblo can access with their families on their time, that's what conservation means to me.“
