Hunters and anglers spend more than $613 million per year in New Mexico.
Outdoor recreation is directly responsible for 68,000 New Mexico jobs.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 12, 2015) - Today, during a Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing on the Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act of 2015, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) discussed provisions in the bill that would reauthorize key conservation programs, improve access to public lands, and boost the outdoor recreation economy. Senator Heinrich introduced the Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act with Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) last month.
During the hearing, Senator Heinrich asked witness Whit Fosburgh, President and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP), to explain how the North American model of wildlife conservation is different from management in other parts of the world and what that means for average outdoor enthusiasts. In February, the TRCP was among 47 groups to sign a letter showing community-wide support for the Sportsmen's Act. "The TRCP's mission is simple but powerful: to guarantee all Americans a quality place to hunt and fish," said Fosburgh. "That is why we are proud to testify in support of this bill today."
VIDEO: Senator Heinrich discusses the North American model of wildlife conservation [Download HD Video]
Additionally, Senator Heinrich discussed the HUNT Act with witness Steve Ellis, Deputy Director for Operations for the Bureau of Land Management U.S. Department of Interior. The HUNT Act, a bill Senator Heinrich has championed and is included in the Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act, would increase access to lands that have significant potential for recreational use.
VIDEO: Senator Heinrich discusses the need to ensure access to public lands [Download HD Video]
Senator Heinrich also highlighted hunting and fishing access on New Mexico's newest national monuments, the Rio Grande del Norte and Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks.
A fact sheet and full text of the Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act of 2015 are available here and here. The webcast of the hearing will be archived on the committee's website, along with a complete list of witnesses. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is planning on holding a separate hearing on the provisions under its jurisdiction soon.