Eastern Sandoval Citizens Association (ESCA)
Signpost article
March 2021
Eastern Sandoval Citizens Association (ESCA) Report
By President of ESCA, George Franzen
In early February, Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan reintroduced legislation to prohibit gravel mining on the Buffalo Tract, which is adjacent to Placitas neighborhoods along our northern boundary. The legislation, Senate Bill 180, is with the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for consideration. We anticipate that Representative Deb Haaland will reintroduce the bill in the House as well.
ESCA has worked closely with the Las Placitas Association and others to urge these actions, and Commissioner Katherine Bruch has also worked with the County Commission to write a letter in support of the legislation. Legislation does not carry over from one Congress to another, so reintroduction is necessary as the 117th Congress begins its work.
We also plan to pursue additional avenues to prevent Buffalo Tract gravel mining. If Representative Haaland is confirmed as Interior Secretary, she may be able to assist in moving the Buffalo Tract Protection Act through Congress.
ESCA’s website home page at www.ES-CA.org, features a comprehensive, 18-page paper on the public health, environmental, economic, and cultural costs of current and potential gravel mining in the Placitas area. The paper, entitled “Land of Enchantment or Gravel,” is a collaborative effort of ESCA and the Las Placitas Association.
We continue to participate in annual meetings to discuss plans for completion and reclamation of the Vulcan gravel mine currently in Placitas, provided for in the settlement agreement between Sandoval County, ESCA, and the owners/operators of the mine, and a copy of the agreement is also posted on ESCA’s website home page. The most recent annual meeting was held virtually on February 12, 2021.
Ron Overley, the Sundance Mesa Subdivision coordinator with the Vulcan mine representatives, provided the following comments. “The meeting was attended by representatives of Sandoval County, Vulcan Materials, Mt. Adams Development (the landowner), ESCA, the Land Protection Trust, and homeowners’ associations adjoining the mine. There were three developments discussed.
1. Mining will continue south of the arroyo and to the west. That should be completed sometime in 2023, and reclamation should be completed late in 2023 and the land returned to Mt. Adams Development.
2. Mining in the north along the ridge will begin in either late 2021 or early 2022. Prior to that, ample notice will be given so residents know what is going on. The berm will be constructed before mining starts, potentially as early as the third quarter of 2021. If possible, an in-person meeting will be held before mining starts, and if not possible, we will meet by Zoom or another format.
3. At the conclusion of all mining, the property will be returned to Mt. Adams. Currently there are no developed plans for the land use.
ESCA also continues to monitor issues that come before the Sandoval County Commission, and we encourage area residents to check bimonthly meeting agendas posted on the County website at www.sandovalcountynm.gov. Links to the agendas and videos of the meetings are on the www.ES-CA.org home page.