ES-CA and LPA representatives met with County Manager Phil Rios and Commissioner James Dominguez on July 22, 2015 to learn why they recommended that most of the “Whereas” statements included in the Resolution be removed. ES-CA believe that the Resolution could play an important role in future County gravel mining deliberations such as the potential expansion of gravel mining in the BLM Buffalo Tract. The BLM Rio Puerco Resource Management Plan that includes the Buffalo Tract is now expected to be released in August or September. We need the County to protect its citizens who have invested wisely in Sandoval County, those who would like to invest in Sandoval County, and to guard all its residents from any activity that would negatively affect our economy, health, or safety.
A new draft Resolution [click here to see] will come before the Commission at its regular meeting on Thursday, August 6th, 6:00PM, at the County Administration Building located at Hwy 528 and Idalia. The new draft has added back :”WHEREAS, those areas of Sandoval County that are contiguous to the Buffalo Tract are currently zoned RRA (Rural Residential Agricultural)“. This is an important statement that demonstrates that property investments made throughout Placitas were and will be made anticipating homes and agriculture land use and not mining. The county staff felt strongly that the other health and property value statements we had included in the original draft might be expensive for them to defend if a legal issue arose. They expressed confidence that the current draft puts the “non-adversarial use” burden-of-proof on the developer. The original draft from earlier this year may be viewed by clicking DRAFT County Resolution _15April2015.
Eastern Sandoval County currently has four of New Mexico’s thirteen largest gravel mines all within a six-mile radius of the Placitas community where more than 14,500 people reside in over 6,200 homes with no Federal, State, or County agency actively monitoring the cumulative effect of the fugitive dust and small particulates from these mines on surrounding residents.
While we felt the deleted assertions had sufficient basis for inclusion, ES-CA (and its LPT) have concluded that the current resolution needs to be supported to put the County on record that they cannot support gravel mining that “adversely affects” its citizens. We would encourage each of you to attend the meeting and let the Commissioners know that:
1) We want them to pass the resolution,
2) The economic net loss to the County and the health and safety concerns we are experiencing indicate that we are already being adversely affected and don’t need another large gravel mine in the area adding to the issues, and
3) We expect the County to take an active role in working with the BLM as well as other Federal and State agencies to ensure that any such mining proposal clearly demonstrate that such concerns will be adequately mitigated.
We do understand that the County has no control over the BLM and therefore must accomplish the above with diplomacy–and we do appreciate the efforts of the County staff to present a resolution that “keeps the door open” to the BLM for such discussions.
I would like to request that Sandoval County, through its officials and employees, take whatever positions and actions necessary to prevent the expansion, location and development of any new mining and/or resource extraction operations in eastern Sandoval county. In addition I would like to request that Sandoval County take whatever opportunities are available to it to eliminate existing mining operations in the area. These operations present a nuisance and danger to residents in the area not only from the the noise, dust and destruction of natural habitat they cause but also the heavy and careless truck traffic present on the I-25 frontage road used by local residents. It is common knowledge the mine operator does not accept or share any liability posed by independently owned gravel trucks leaving their facilities. However that does not mitigate their moral responsibility for any accident caused by these trucks who serve as a conduit for gravel to their customers construction sites as well as profit to the mine operators shareholders.
Respectfully
Dan Lawrence
Support passing of Sandoval County Resolution No. 8-6-15.7.
Thanks to all the dedicated Placitas residents who have hung in there because, as homeowners, they have lost peace, air quality, safety, and just about everything they’ve bought their homes here for never expecting it to become the best corporate gravel mining corridor in all of NM within less than 16 years living here having been told originally by realtors/developers that “LaFarge is a good neighbor!” Right!. Newcomers please take note..
Questions:
– Can anyone supply firm quantitative data regarding the gross receipts taxes paid to Sandoval County by Vulcan? Fisher told the Bernalillo Town Council that the whole operation would bring in a mere $250,000 over the 7 years they expect to continue to ruin our lives with dust and noise. So, please give us actual data so we can use this as leverage. Someone who worked for Lafarge once said that the benefit for a county comes only at “Point of Purchase” – ie, where the gravel is used, not where it is mined from. Anyone have a knowledgeable answer to this?
– Has the NMEPA done testing on the amount of diesel exhaust coming off the great number of trucks in and out of Vulcan? I know my shutters have black soot rather than the more familiar grey dust over the past few years. Hardly scientific, but has anyone thought about it?
– Has anyone recorded the beeps and crusher noise from as far away as the FR 445 Cibola National Forest area especially in the morning when the wind carries this sound.
– Somewhere I read that the CEO/President/whomever lives in Placitas — does he live near the Pit and do a River Dance each morning to the noise? $$$$$
– This Placitas community never signed up for Lafarge/Vulcan/nor betrayal by the Sandoval County Commissioners but as we all know — NM truly IS the Land of Enchantment. This means being in a coma as you spent all your hard earned dollars to live here is a good option.
Chris we are always looking for people to run down information and produce credible reports on the questions you have raised. Through a great expenditure of volunteers time, and development of relationships with entities that may be able to support us, ES-CA is making progress raising the awareness of the adverse affects gravel mining is having on our communities. Thanks for your support.
We support passing of resolution 8-6-15.7 and other actions necessary to prevent expansion of gravel mining near populated areas of Sandoval county.