Urgent Letters Needed to prevent Petroglyph National Monument Roads

Sacred Sites International, since 1990, has joined with various grassroots organizations to fight against the Paseo del Norte and Unser freeway-type roads through the sacred landscape and petroglyphs at Petroglyph National Monument in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

A final victory seemed won in October 2003, when the citizens of Albuquerque overwhelmingly defeated a Street Bonds measure that would have funded the roads. Subsequently, developers and Albuquerque officials took the issue straight to the governor's office asking for funding. The Governor is still considering the proposal.

Please write before November 2, to Governor Bill Richardson , Office of the Governor, State Capitol, Rm. 400, Santa Fe, NM 87501, asking him to not fund the Paseo del Norte or Unser Road extensions through Petroglyph National Monument. Local Indians consider the area sacred and use it for sacred ceremonies. The roads would interfere with their right to practice religion and they would be forced to abandon time-honored sacred traditions and places.

Albuquerque Mayor and local developers are trying again, November 2, 2004, to pass another Street Bonds Act to fund the roads. You can help by sending donations to the SAGE Council, the native coalition who was instrumental in winning against last years Bond Measure:

www.sagecouncil.org .

Update of Petroglyph National Monument, February 1999

Early in February, the Albuquerque City Council (with the support of Mayor Baca who campaigned against Petroglyph roads) moved to amend a transportation tax to make it available for funding the 4-lane Unser Road extension through Petroglyph National Monument. The wording on the ordinance and ballot was changed so that the tax can not be used for roads that are not in "the existing portions of the City. We can thank Ike Eastvold and The Friends of the Albuquerque Petroglyphs for this change.

This apparent victory does not mean that Petroglyph National Monument is safe from roads. There are numerous other funds that could be used for building roads through the Monument. Other amendments can be introduced and there are State and Federal moneys that can be accessed as well.

Please continue to send letters to the Albuquerque City Council protesting the building of roads in Petroglyph National Monument.

Learn more about Petroglyph National Monument.......

ssif / preservation / Petroglyph