Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today reported that a bill he wrote to help City of Albuquerque develop its Biopark was approved by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The measure can now be considered by the full Senate.

Bingaman's legislation, which is cosponsored by Senator Pete Domenici, clears title to several tracks of land and paves the way for the city of Albuquerque to complete its development of a Biological Park along the middle Rio Grande. The Biological Park incorporates the Rio Grande Botanical Garden, Tingley Beach, the Zoo and the Aquarium.

In 1997, Albuquerque paid the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD) to acquire two parcels of land -- Tingley Beach and San Gabriel Park. However three years later, the city's title to the parcels was called into question by the Bureau of Reclamation's assertion that the MRGCD had in 1953 transferred its assets -- including Tingley Beach and San Gabriel Park -- to the United States as part of an easement associated with the construction of the Middle Rio Grande Project. As a result, the city has been hampered in its efforts to create the Biological Park.

Bingaman said Tingley Beach and San Gabriel Park are surplus to the needs of the Middle Rio Grande Project. Accordingly, his legislation -- called the Albuquerque Biological Park Title Clarification Act– directs the Bureau of Reclamation to convey any interest the United States may have in Tingley Beach, San Gabriel Park, and other Biological Park land to the City of Albuquerque, clearing the city’s title and paving the way for it to move ahead with its plans.

“This legislation would allow the city to advance its effort to preserve the bosque, and open new areas of it for public use,” Bingaman said. “I am working hard to get this to the president’s desk this year.”

“It is good to see progress on this bill to give clear title of Middle Rio Grande Project land that the federal government does not need to Albuquerque for the Biopark. We need to finally get this done and allow the city to improve the Biopark and the bosque overall,” Domenici said.

Bingaman is the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and scheduled today’s vote. Domenici is the top Republican on the panel.