[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 15513-15514]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   VALLE VIDAL PROTECTION ACT OF 2005

  Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 3817) to withdraw the Valle Vidal Unit of the 
Carson National Forest in New Mexico from location, entry, and patent 
under the mining laws, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3817

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Valle Vidal Protection Act 
     of 2005''.

     SEC. 2. WITHDRAWAL OF VALLE VIDAL UNIT, CARSON NATIONAL 
                   FOREST, NEW MEXICO, FROM MINING LAWS.

       (a) Withdrawal.--Subject to subsection (b), the Valle Vidal 
     Unit of the Carson National Forest in New Mexico, which 
     consists of 101,794 acres and is identified as Management 
     Area 21 in the land and resource management plan for the 
     Carson National Forest, is hereby withdrawn from--

[[Page 15514]]

       (1) all forms of entry, appropriation, and disposal under 
     the public land laws;
       (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and
       (3) operation of the mineral leasing and geothermal leasing 
     laws and mineral materials laws.
       (b) Treatment of Existing Rights.--The withdrawal required 
     by subsection (a) is subject to valid existing rights. If 
     these existing rights are relinquished or otherwise acquired 
     by the United States at any time after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the lands that were subject to the 
     rights shall be immediately withdrawn as provided in 
     subsection (a).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Oregon (Mr. Walden) and the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oregon.

                              {time}  1515


                             General Leave

  Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Oregon?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  H.R. 3817, introduced by New Mexico Representative Tom Udall, would 
withdraw roughly 101,000 acres, known as the Valle Vidal Unit, from 
mineral exploration or development. This includes patent under mining 
claims and mineral leases for geothermal or mining materials. Any valid 
existing rights would continue to be recognized; but if those rights 
were relinquished or bought out, that area would also be withdrawn from 
the mining laws.
  This area is known for its recreation, namely, horseback riding and 
hiking, livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Currently, the Forest 
Service is revising its management plan for the Carson National Forest 
and is likely, through public comment and collaboration, to withdraw 
mineral development in this area independent of the legislation. The 
area in question is entirely within Mr. Udall's district.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, as the majority explained, H.R. 3817 withdraws the 
101,794-acre Valle Vidal parcel in the Carson National Forest in New 
Mexico from location, entry, and patent under mining laws.
  The Valle Vidal compromises some of the finest scenic wildlife and 
outdoor recreational resources in New Mexico. It is the home to the 
largest herd of elk in New Mexico and draws hunters from throughout the 
United States.
  The Valle Vidal also contains important fish habitat for species such 
at the Rio Grande cutthroat trout. The Valle Vidal, furthermore, 
contains the headwaters of several watersheds and is an important 
source of fresh water in New Mexico.
  H.R. 3817 is supported by a wide coalition of groups in New Mexico, 
including local elected officials, chambers of commerce, hunters, 
conservation groups, and businesses.
  Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate our colleague, 
Representative Tom Udall, who is the sponsor of H.R. 3817 and has 
worked tirelessly to craft and advance this legislation.
  Madam Speaker, we support H.R. 3817.
  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Madam Speaker, the Valle Vidal, located in 
the heart of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in my district in northern 
New Mexico, is a lush 100,000-acre mountain basin in the Carson 
National Forest. In 1982, the Pennzoil Company donated the unspoiled 
Valle Vidal to the people of the United States. It was the largest and 
most valuable gift of private land ever to the Forest Service.
  This ``valley of life'', as Valle Vidal translates in English, is 
home to abundant populations of Rocky Mountain wildlife, including the 
largest herd of elk in our State and some of the finest trout streams 
in the Nation. Sportsmen, outdoor recreationists, cattle ranchers, 
wildlife enthusiasts, and horseback riders all enjoy the Valle Vidal's 
well-managed and accessible blend of wildland resources. The Valle 
Vidal is also a unique place for the Boy Scouts of America who have for 
decades come from all over the country to the adjacent Philmont Scout 
Ranch, the national high adventure base of the Boy Scouts of America. 
That is why the Philmont Staff Association, a non-profit organization 
of more than 2,200 current and former members of the staff the ranch, 
has publicly stated that the Valle Vidal should be maintained as a 
wilderness experience, free from the impact of coal bed methane 
development.
  During my time in Congress, I have closely followed numerous events 
concerning both the Valle Vidal and our Nation's energy situation. I 
have traveled to the Valle Vidal to witness its beauty and take part in 
various activities. I have introduced energy policy initiatives and 
reviewed regulatory action undertaken by the executive branch. I have 
also received thousands of calls, emails, faxes and letters against 
drilling and, I think I can safely say, none in support of it. As a 
result, I have come to the inescapable conclusion that the Valle Vidal 
should be protected from energy development. It is clear to me that the 
value of the Valle Vidal lies only in its broad public accessibility 
and natural beauty and not in its finite supply of energy.
  New Mexicans and thousands of Americans are overwhelmingly against 
drilling in the refuge. These concerned citizens recognize that the 
Valle Vidal's minimal contribution to our energy needs is not worth 
despoiling such an important ecological resource. The consequences are 
just too great. Moreover, many of my constituents, as confirmed by 
recent economic studies, recognize that the protection of special 
public lands like the Valle Vidal is good for local economies and that 
exploitation of these places for a few hours of energy will, in fact, 
hurt long-term economic growth and sustainability. Fundamentally, 
drilling in the Valle Vidal to create more energy is a false choice.
  The very fact that this special place is being targeted for oil and 
gas leasing radically demonstrates the current and growing crisis with 
America's energy situation. We must urgently find ways to balance the 
needs of supplying safe, reliable energy and of ensuring a livable and 
sustainable environment for the people of the United States.
  To that end, I urge all of my colleagues in the House to support 
passage of The Valle Vidal Protection Act of 2005 to permanently 
protect the Valle Vidal from mineral extraction. The Valle Vidal's 
ecological health and public accessibility should be protected so it 
can be enjoyed to the utmost by current and future generations. This 
ecosystem and its myriad of recreational opportunities are too valuable 
to the people of New Mexico and the Nation, and the energy gains too 
miniscule, to justify any damage to this special area.
  I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Chairman Pombo and 
to Ranking Member Rahall and especially to my colleague on the Forest 
Subcommittee, Chairman Greg Walden for their work on the Valle Vidal 
Protection Act of 2005. I would also like to thank fellow New Mexicans 
Jim O'Donnell of the Coalition for the Valle Vidal, and Mayor Danny 
Cruz of Springer, rancher Alan Lackey, and Bill Schudlich of Trout 
Unlimited who all traveled to D.C. to testify on behalf of the Valle 
Vidal, and Oscar Simpson, Ed Olona, and Steve Capra who have worked 
diligently to build broad, meaningful grassroots support for this 
legislation. I would finally like to thank some of the staff who make 
everything we do here possible, including Johanna Polsenberg and Thomas 
Garcia on my staff, and Rick Healy and Jim Zoia on the staff of the 
Resources Committee.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Walden) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 3817.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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