A federal bill introduced by U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) to strengthen federal and local land grant community cooperation in New Mexico passed through its first committee.
Luján introduced the New Mexico Land Grant-Mercedes Historical or Traditional Use Cooperation and Coordination Act in April to establish better communication and cooperation between the federal government—specifically the Department of the Interior (DOI) and USDA—with land grant communities and the New Mexico Land Grant Council.
The council works as a liaison between land grant communities or pueblos and local, state and federal governments. New Mexico currently recognizes 27 land grant-mercedes under state law as “political subdivisions of the state.”
According to a statement from Luján’s office, the federal bill would require a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two federal departments and the New Mexico Land Grant Council to “clarify agency processes that qualified land grant-mercedes may use” when seeking authorization for historical or traditional use of federal public lands.
The bill also notes that the federal departments must communicate with tribes when the MOU is “entered into, extended, renewed or revised;” describes procedures to ensure land grant-mercedes, the council and tribes are able to contribute to agency land management planning decisions; and requires the DOI and USDA to “evaluate” the impacts of federal land use planning on historical or traditional uses of the land.
“I’m proud that my legislation to strengthen cooperation between the federal government and land grant communities, which are an essential part of New Mexico’s history and culture, has passed through committee and is one step closer to becoming law,” Luján said in a written statement.
“These communities have cared for our land for generations, and preserving that connection is crucial for our land and cultural heritage,” Luján said, adding that the bill will also help preserve the land and cultural traditions for the next generation.
New Mexico Land Grant Council Program Manager Arturo Archuleta told Source New Mexico that the council has worked with Luján on this legislation for over a decade, beginning when Luján was a U.S. representative. He said they have had success in the past with passing the bill through each chamber, but not with enough time to pass during the same Congress.
“We’re hopeful now that it passed early on,” Archuleta said. “We still have a whole other year to hopefully get it to the floor of the Senate and over to the House.”
He said the bill’s intent is ultimately to ensure the federal government takes traditional land uses into consideration, including livestock grazing, fuel collection, gathering of traditional herbs and community cemeteries.
U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM-03) is leading the legislation in the House of Representatives and said in the news release that “land grant communities represent farmers and ranchers, families, and elders,” who “care for and sustain our lands.” — Leah Romero, Source New Mexico
Republished under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
