Mark Udall: “As a Coloradan but also as an American, I rise to tell the body what a beautiful and unique place the Black Canyon is.…”

“As a Coloradan but also as an American, I rise to tell the body what a beautiful and unique place the Black Canyon is. This bill which has already passed the Senate, would revise the boundary of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area in Colorado. It was introduced by our senior Senator, Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell. A similar bill was introduced by our colleague here in the House and the chairman of our Subcommittee on Forest and Forest Health of the Committee on Resources, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. McInnis). They took the initial lead back in 1999 and 2000 in securing the enactment of the legislation that established the National Conservation Area and redesignated the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument as a national park. The bill today authorizes additions to both the park and the National Conservation Area, the NCA. And according to the Interior Department, these transactions should meet the present and future land requirements for the park.”