We are increasingly optimistic that the feasibility study for the Bike/Hike Placitas Project may happen this year as funding looks promising.
We are in receipt of a letter from our congressional delegation to Secretary Haaland requesting that the BLM lands in Placitas be administratively removed from mineral development pending passage of legislation. This is a rarely used tool that starts what we have been told is a two-year clock that prohibits the BLM from issuing mining permits while permanent mining prohibition goes through hearings and becomes law. We will post the letter on our website and keep you advised.
The Santa Fe Canyon Preserve is now temporarily closed so the June 26 visit was postponed. If you signed up for the hike, you were notified. If you wish to be notified of the alternate date, email us at theboard@lasplacitas.org.
Curious where the trucks full of rocks were going? Those huge boulders ended up in Las Huertas Creek in the Cedar Creek area and west of there. LPA requested a copy of the permit for the work Kinder-Morgan is doing and learned that no permit was issued; the Corps of Engineers verbally informed them that they could repair/replace the damaged mats within the original permit area without a new approval. This addresses our concern about oversight – there was none! The pipeline companies own an easement but we don’t believe that gives them license to rip out trees and substantially change the ecology of the creek bed. We plan to meet with the Corps on this issue.
REMINDERS: As drought conditions continue to grip the state, even with the start of monsoon season, we caution you to be “bear aware.” Bear-human encounters tend to increase in drought times as wildlife moves into populated areas in search of food. The early arrival of monsoon rains is a blessing and we hope they stick around long enough to provide some relief. The Forest Service has decided to lift fire restrictions in the Sandias effective June 24. Congressional noticeBe careful out there folks.