Bulldozers won't be rumbling through the Petroglyph National Monument anytime soon.
Sens. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., and Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., agreed on a proposal to extend a road through the park of ancient Indian etchings to make room for growth in Albuquerque, and the U.S. Senate Wednesday attached it to the Supplemental Appropriations Bill, which deals with spending in Bosnia and Iraq.So, if the spending bill passes, so will the petroglyph legislation.
"Just the fact that they have to attach it to another bill shows it just does not have much merit on its own," said Albuquerque Mayor Jim Baca, who opposes extending the road. "This is the way things work in Washington. When you have bad legislation that needs to be passed, this is what you do."
But the red tape goes on. If the bill passes, it would be up to the city whether to build the road. Unlike the mayor, the City Council supports the extension. An override vote is expected.
Then the city and the National Park Service would have to come up with a design to extend the road - Paseo del Norte - through the park.
Bingaman previously opposed the road extension measure, saying the Park Service should have more say in the road design to help reduce any impact on the petroglyphs.
"With this agreement, I am satisfied that the Park Service will be given an equal opportunity with the city to shape the design of this road," Bingaman said.
The Park Service and the city would have 180 days to come up plans for the extension.
If the two sides can't agree, the city could have the University of New Mexico civil engineering department design the road.
The petroglyph proposal would amend the 1990 law establishing the national monument on Albuquerque's west side.
The monument holds more than 15,000 petroglyphs.
Baca said he wished Bingaman, too, had opposed Domenici's proposal.
"Domenici will have his way with Jeff or without him. . . . I guess Jeff didn't want a fight," Baca said.
"It's very sad to know that our Senators Bingaman and Domenici are now willingly and purposely acting to destroy a sacred area," said Eli Il Yong Lee of the Petroglyph Monument Protection Coalition.