Domenici Statement on the Paseo del Norte Extension in Albuquerque
from the Office of Senator Pete V. Domenici

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Pete Domenici today issued the following statement regarding the city of Albuquerque opening of an extension of Paseo del Norte through the Petroglyph National Monument, an effort that has been before the city since Congress created the West Side monument in 1990.

“This extension has been a long time in coming, but I believe the city will soon see that the road was necessary and will not be a detriment to the future of the Petroglyph National Monument. I remain proud of leading the effort to protect the petroglphys, but it was never the intent of Congress for the monument to be a roadblock to Albuquerque’s growth,” Domenici said. “The petroglyphs will remain a protected asset to Albuquerque and to those who cherish what the monument represents.”

Domenici authored the 1990 law that created the Petroglpyh National Monument to protect the 17-mile-long escarpment of volcanic rock on which are etched thousands of historic and prehistoric petroglyphs. In 1998, Domenici authored the subsequent law that allowed the city of Albuquerque to choose whether to extend Paseo del Norte across a narrow band of the monument.

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