The Sandia Mountains, as seen from Sandia Pueblo in New Mexico. Photo from Sandia Pueblo
A bill to finalize a land swap between Sandia Pueblo in New Mexico and the federal government has been sent to President Barack Obama for his signature. Once the bill becomes law, the tribe will transfer two tracts of land to the U.S. Forest Service. These parcels, totaling about 230 acres, are located within the boundaries of the Cibola National Forest. In exchange, the tribe will receive 700 acres of federal land. This property is adjacent to the reservation and to land previously purchased by the tribe. The Senate passed S.611, the Sandia Pueblo Settlement Technical Amendment Act in March. The House passed the same version on Wednesday. The Obama administration supports the bill, a Forest Service official said at a hearing in February. Get the Story:
Sandia Mountains land swap is nearly complete (The Albuquerque Journal 5/30)
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