On January 5, 2012, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visited Albuquerque and met with local community leaders to discuss strengthening existing partnership efforts in the Middle Rio Grande region (the 180-mile stretch of river between Cochiti and Elephant Butte reservoirs). Secretary Salazar challenged attendees to develop a partner-driven plan for the Middle Rio Grande that would support the Department of Interior’s America’s Great Outdoors (AGO) initiative and build off the existing successes in our community. These efforts build off of the 2010 AGO New Mexico listening session and are designed to support existing efforts to address water management and endangered species concerns and to add an additional focus of conservation, education, and recreation opportunities as well. Secretary Salazar appointed an eight-member Committee to lead plan development in conjunction with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and announced his intention to return to New Mexico in July 2012 to receive an update on the progress of the development of a conservation plan for the Middle Rio Grande Valley. The plan can address both existing and desired future projects, programs, and partnerships that can foster river conservation, facilitate connection of people to the outdoors, and support outdoor education.