New Mexico tribe keeps title to portion of national preserve

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN
Associated Press

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A Native American tribe has retained its title to a portion of a national preserve in northern New Mexico following a yearslong court battle against the federal government. The 10th U.S. Circuit of Appeals issued a split ruling Wednesday in the case of Jemez Pueblo and the Valles Caldera National Preserve. The pueblo argued its aboriginal property rights were never extinguished despite a lower court ruling that found the U.S. government had clear title to the expansive preserve. The pueblo eventually narrowed its claims to our specific areas within Valles Caldera’s boundaries. The court confirmed title to just one of those spots — Banco Bonito. The National Park Service has declined to comment on the ruling.