Created on December 31, 1987, and dedicated on August 24, 1991, the El Malpais National Conservation Area was the first area so designated by Congress in New Mexico. Congress established it to conserve and protect the important geological, archeological, ecological, cultural, scenic, scientific, and wilderness resources of the public lands surrounding the Grants Lava Flows, while allowing compatible multiple uses such as livestock grazing, hunting, and trapping. Its legislation was accomplished through the support and hard work of Senator Pete V. Domenici, Senator Jeff Bingaman, Congressman Manuel Lujan, Jr., Congressman Bill Richardson, Governor Garret Carruthers, BLM District Manager Paul Applegate, and BLM Area Manager Herrick Hanks.