Pueblo Land Control Sparks Debate | Santa Fe News

The Pueblo of Sandia is pushing to take over management of key lands in the Sandia Mountains, citing federal budget cuts and their own capacity to handle law enforcement and maintenance. But wilderness advocates fear losing public access, sparking a heated debate over tribal sovereignty versus public land use. Senator Martin Heinrich, usually a strong public lands advocate, meets the Pueblo’s concerns with respect for tribal rights but pushes back on full title transfer. Instead, he’s crafting legislation for shared management with the Forest Service — ensuring public access and wilderness protections stay intact while honoring tribal stewardship. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/eab331277d020025