New Mexico senators want the Carson National Forest to let natural gas and oil drilling continue through the winter on the Jicarilla Ranger District, something that hasn't occurred for decades.

The Jicarilla Ranger District is closed to drilling in the winter to protect migrating big game, according to the Forest Service.

The New Mexico Senate on Wednesday night passed a memorial, voting 27-11 in favor of asking the Forest Service to allow drilling through the winter. Bill Sharer, R-Farmington, sponsored the bill, saying continued drilling would help an industry hit hard by the recession and low gas prices.

"Responsible natural gas and oil development during the normal winter closure period can balance extraction and the needs of wildlife," Sharer said in a statement.

But the Jicarilla Ranger District can't allow drilling without changing its management plan and that would require a long federal National Environmental Policy Act process, according to Kathy DeLucas, a Carson National Forest spokeswoman. "It would be a pretty big deal," she said.

DeLucas said the district has long been closed to drilling in the winter, from Nov. 1 to April 1, but just formalized the closure in an updated management plan.

The road closure doesn't prevent oil and gas companies from doing basic maintenance on their wells. "They can continue their day to day functioning," DeLucas said. "Only thing that stops is new drilling."