President Considers Protection for Valle Vidal

Legislation to block oil and gas drilling in the Valle Vidal is heading to President Bush's desk for signature into law.

WASHINGTON — Legislation to block oil and gas drilling in the Valle Vidal 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, without any legislative hearings or a vote by the Energy and Natural Resources Committee they lead.

Hours later, the Senate approved the bill unanimously.

"I am happy and surprised that things fell into place so quickly for this bill. 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 joint statement with Bingaman.

"This is terrific news. The Valle Vidal is a beautiful part of New Mexico that deserves to be protected," said Bingaman.

The action represents a victory for thousands of New Mexicans who protested by letter, phone calls and e-mail when the U.S. Forest Service said it would study whether to allow oil and gas development on a 40,000-acre portion of the 101,794 acre preserve north of Taos.

Pennzoil donated the Valle Vidal tract to the government in 1982 and it was added to Carson National Forest.

When El Paso Corp., one of the nation's largest natural gas companies, requested the Forest Service study, conservation, environmental, hunting, fishing and tourism groups joined to form a coalition to protect the Valle Vidal, calling it a "veritable Rocky Mountain paradise," with populations of mule deer, black bear, mountain lion, bald eagles, native Rio Grande cutthroat trout and the largest elk herd in New Mexico.

"It is a pristine, wonderful area," enjoyed by sportsmen of all kinds, back-country hikers and bird-watchers, said Oscar Simpson, president of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation.

The coalition won its first victory July 24 when the Valle Vidal Protection Act passed the House under the sponsorship of Rep. Tom Udall, a Santa Fe Democrat.

But Domenici, chairman of the Senate energy committee, refused to schedule the bill, contending there would be no harm in waiting so long as the Forest Service was just studying the drilling issue.

Simpson was in one of the coalition's semi-weekly strategy sessions Thursday when members learned the battle for Domenici's support was over.

Domenici explained Thursday that he was worried that pushing for Valle Vidal protections might affect his bill to expand oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico to within 125 miles of Florida's coast. That bill is stalled over disagreements with the House.

"I have been concerned about being perceived as pushing for or even forcing energy production in other states while saying `not in my backyard' in New Mexico. However, at this point, I believe we can, and should, try to enact the Valle Vidal Protection Act," he said.

Bingaman told reporters earlier this week that he would bring the bill out of the Energy Committee early next year if the bill did not pass in the lame-duck session. However, that also would force the House to pass the bill all over again.

Bob Gallagher, president of the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association, criticized "the rush to judgment" before the Forest Service had completed its study. He said environmentalists would be the first to complain if the oil and gas industry tried to pass legislation to allow drilling without a study first.

Gov. Bill Richardson had mounted his own effort to save Valle Vidal by asking the federal government to include the preserve in the areas of New Mexico to be protected from new mineral development under a "roadless" rule.

After New Mexico's senators announced their agreement Thursday, Richardson said he was pleased but - in a dig at Domenici - added that he was concerned it was too late for action this year after "the long months this bill has sat in the Senate Energy Committee."

But Domenici showed that, when he decides to move, things can happen quickly. If the president signs the Valle Vidal Protection Act, the roadless rule won't be needed to protect the preserve.