WASHINGTON – Sen. Mark Udall will be the chairman of a field hearing for the Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s National Parks Subcommittee in Mesa Verde this Saturday in an effort to bring attention to the Colorado park and get people interested in the issues affecting it.

“I want to hear from the National Park Service and others about how they’re planning to protect Mesa Verde and other national parks as cultural sites and as economic interests,” Udall said in an interview with The Durango Herald.

The hearing, which will take place at 11 a.m. in the park’s CCC Recreation Hall, will cover management of archaeological, cultural and historic resources at Mesa Verde and other national parks.

“Mesa Verde rivals Angkor Wat, and that’s something we can’t forget because these areas are really important to our sense of identity, but they are important to our economy and our jobs,” said Udall, referring to the famous Asian temple. “Many of our parks were created in part to preserve cultural resources, and Mesa Verde is one of them. I think as a Coloradoan, I’m biased to think that it’s at the very top of that list.”

Americans have become displeased with their representatives in Washington, something Udall said he can see when he meets with constituents. He added that this is one of the reasons he wanted to have the hearing in Colorado.

“Why are Americans dismayed with what’s happening in Washington? Because we’re not focused on jobs or the economy, and this hearing is in part focused on maintaining these cultural resources so people in the Four Corners area continue to have good, well-paying jobs,” Udall said.

There are more than 6,700 jobs tied to national parks in Colorado, according to the National Park Service.

Established in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt, the purpose of the Mesa Verde National Park is to “preserve the works of man.” The National Park Service says the park protects more than 4,000 known archaeological sites, and it was the first national park of its kind.

The senator said that currently he is not working on any particular legislation regarding national parks, but he hopes that the hearing will provide insight on protecting resources.

“The legislative process can be challenging, so anything you can do with existing authorities and existing resources, I’m all for,” he said.

However, the senator has been busy when it comes to natural-resources legislation. On Tuesday, he introduced the Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act, meant to sponsor clean-energy development from the private sector on federal lands. That bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Rocío González is an intern for The Durango Herald and a graduate of American University in Washington, D.C. Reach her at herald@durangoherald.com