Heinrich To Join Community To Celebrate Designation of Columbine-Hondo Wilderness Area, Establishment of Manhattan Project National Historical Park
TAOS, N.M. - On Saturday, February 14, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), along with U.S. Senator Tom Udall, U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján, and former U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman, will attend events in Taos and Los Alamos to celebrate the designation of the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness area in Taos County, and the creation of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Los Alamos. The lawmakers championed legislation to protect the Columbine-Hondo area and conserve the historic sites and artifacts at Los Alamos. The measures passed Congress and were signed into law by the president in December.
Early Saturday afternoon, Senator Heinrich will deliver remarks at the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness designation celebration hosted by the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness Coalition at the Taos Mesa Brewing Company. The Columbine-Hondo is one of the most treasured places in the state and a key attraction for the local tourism economy. The measure to designate the Columbine-Hondo as wilderness will also expand the Wheeler Peak Wilderness by approximately 650 acres while modifying a boundary in order to create a loop trail accessible by mountain bikes along the Lost Lake trail from Taos Ski Valley to the East Fork trail to Red River. The event will honor the years of work by diverse stakeholders to protect the area for future generations.
Later Saturday afternoon, Senator Heinrich will deliver remarks at a celebration hosted by the Los Alamos Historical Society at the Mesa Public Library honoring the establishment of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. The park will conserve sites and artifacts that played a key role in the dawn of the nuclear era, and help tell the story of the creation of the world's first atomic bomb and its consequences for society. The event will recognize the many community volunteers who have worked to preserve Los Alamos' historical treasures and share them with the public.
Media are invited to attend both events.
