New Mexico Representative Jeff Steinborn, of Dona Ana County took the first steps toward creation of the impressive state-side trail system in February by creating the Rio Grande Trail Commission, whose task would be to identify potential connecting trails along the route which would cut through public, private, and tribal land.
Representative Dianne Hamilton is among legislators on both sides of the aisle who support the bill, seeing it as a tourist attraction and economic generator. Portions of the trail would run through her district in Sierra County.
Governor Susana Martinez passed the bill in early April, saying, “Establishing a trail the length of the Rio Grande would be a historic achievement for New Mexico.”
The bill’s passage approved $75,000 for staff to begin work at the Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department on next steps to map the trail out.
The commission must include private citizens, city, county, federal agency, tribal, and conservancy district representatives, and those commission members are expected to be announced later this summer.
Steinborn, who does conservation work outside of the legislature, is clear that the triail must address environmental concerns, saying: “In the legislation we have lots of important language that says we should avoid sensitive habitat and minimizing impacts.”
Trail development could include construction of some “features, facilities, and enhancements,” such as partially covered shelters where people could stop along the trail.
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