The Valle Vidal has been officially protected from energy and mineral development. President George W. Bush signed the Valle Vidal Protection Act of 2005 on December 12, 2006.

The US Senate passed the act (SB 1734) on Nov. 16, 2006. It was authored by US Rep. Tom Udall, D-NM and was passed by the US House of Representatives the previous July.

The bill bans oil and gas drilling on the tract. El Paso Exploration and Production Co. had asked the US Forest Service to consider opening part of the Valle to coalbed methane drilling. This drew strong opposition from the Sierra Club and a coalition of environmentalists, ranchers, sportsmen and local governments.

The bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent after US Sen. Pete Domenici, R-NM, announced his decision to support it. It already had the support of US Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-NM, and all other members of the New Mexico Congressional delegation. Domenici predicted then that the President would sign the bill.

The President's signature ends the most urgent component of the Rio Grande Chapter's Valle Vidal campaign. However, another component continues: getting the Forest Service to complete an acceptable management plan for the area.

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The Valle Vidal is a 101,000 acre section of the Carson National Forest in the center of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains northeast of Red River. It was donated to the Forest Service in 1982 by the Pennzoil Company with the intent that it be managed primarily for its prized elk herd and its scenic value.

No comprehensive Forest Management Plan for the Valle has ever been done. But the Forest Service has conducted studies in order to lease 40,000 acres on the eastern portion for coal bed methane development.

The Coalition for the Valle Vidal has more complete information on its website.

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