The Eastern Sandoval Citizens Association held its annual meeting on Saturday, June 25, 2016, at the Anasazi Winery. Board members attending included, Ed Majka, Bob Gorrell, Susan Fullas, Chris Daul, John McNerney and Lynn Koch. Elected officials attending were State Representative Jim Smith and Sandoval County Commissioner James Dominguez. There were approximately 60 residents in attendance.
The first speaker was Danita Burns, who is the Albuquerque District Manager for the Bureau of Land Management. John Brenner, the BLM Field Manager for the Rio Puerco Office, was also in attendance. Ms. Burns explained how large the BLM land area is in this District and the difficulties in managing the land wherein one half of New Mexico’s population resides. She stated that technical issues have kept the Resource Management Plan from being issued yet but that she expects it to be issued within the next two months.
We will have 30 days in which to submit comments after the RMP is released. ES-CA and the Las Placitas Association are coordinating notification of residents as soon as the document is released. It is expected that the RMP will recommend sand and gravel mining in part of the Buffalo Tract and it is important that all residents submit their comments in a timely manner and that we make our position known to all of our elected officials.
BLM has stepped up its requirements on reclamation of mining sites by requiring that the companies secure sufficient bonds to cover the costs, should they default. BLM does receive remuneration from any private company that utilizes BLM land for business operations and they do strive to balance land protection with other uses.
The next speaker was Valerie Espinoza, who is the chairwoman of the NM Public Regulation Commission and the representative for our area of the State. She provided an overview of what entities the PRC regulates, which includes utility companies, telecommunications and public transportation companies. She noted that the PRC does not regulate private trucking companies.
Ms. Espinoza also discussed pipeline safety and had an inspector from the Pipeline Safety Bureau of the PRC discuss in detail about the pipelines that run through Placitas. Information on the pipelines is posted in the Forum.
Dick Ulmer, chair of the Land Protection Trust discussed sand and gravel mining and how it has a negative effect on homeowners in the area. He noted that as soon as the LPT was added to the lawsuit against Vulcan, they began settlement talks. Dick also commented on the new air monitoring station that NMED has installed in Placitas and that NMED has issued violation notices to Vulcan for air violations.
ES-CA vice president Bob Gorrell spoke about Sandoval County ordinances and how ES-CA is trying to work with the County to adopt an ordinance that would regulate oil and gas drilling.
John McNerney, ES-CA’s director of political and legal affairs spoke about the pipelines in Placitas and his information sheet is posted on the Forum.
Chris Daul, ES-CA’s communications director spoke about the hospital tax and what the hospitals and the County are looking for as the tax expires at the end of this year. Sandoval Regional Medical Center has met with ES-CA and provided information as to their operations and cost. They have not made a formal request to continue the tax but it is expected that they will ask for a continuation at the present rate of 4.25. ES-CA will be meeting with RUST Medical Center to discuss this issue as well at the next ES-CA board meeting on July 11.
ES-CA has not taken a position on the tax question at this time. ES-CA has asked SRMC and will ask RUST if they would both make a joint presentation to the Placitas Community early this fall.
ES-CA president Ed Majka closed the meeting by reminding everyone of the important role that residents play in getting our voices heard by the County, the State and the Federal government.
