Save La Bajada Mesa!

Endangered La Bajada Mesa

(photo © Patrick Allen Mohn 2002) (click picture above to enlarge)

-- APPLICATION TO STRIP-MINE HISTORIC LA BAJADA MESA --

(for application, click here ; for map, click here)
~

There will be no public hearings set until the Applicant, Rockology, posts a legal notice in the New Mexican and a sign along Waldo Canyon Road specifying their intent.

Take Action! Post flyer: (click here) & sign on-line petition: (click here)
Write letters: Send to Santa Fe County Case Planner Jose Larranaga: Email: joselarra@co.santa-fe.nm.us , Subject: Rockology.

Also, to write letters to the Governor and representatives, click on: Governor Richardson, State Senators and Representatives, & County Commissioners

Posting of August 18, 2008:

There will be no public hearing on the application to strip-mine La Bajada Mesa until the Rockology applicants (Steve Hooper, James Siebert, Peter Naumburg, Hugh Graham, and Jerry Geist) think they have found a reliable source of water.

If/ when they do post notice, we will have only a few weeks before the first of 2 hearings.

Get on our email list for updates and to be alerted about hearing dates. Email: savelabajadamesa@earthlink.net and put "La Bajada" in the Subject. Then sign petition, send letter to the County & commit to attend hearings.

Posting of July 1st, 2008:

There will be no public hearing this July on the application to strip-mine La Bajada Mesa. Applicant Steve Hooper, of Rockology, let the posting "notice" deadline expire for the July Santa Fe County CDRC hearing.

Has Rockology expired? Evidently not. According to Santa Fe County Case Planner, Jose Larranaga, after three similar postponements of hearings, Rockology is "still working on issues". When they think they have worked enough and they do post notices, we will have only 3 weeks to the first of 2 hearings.

Silence is consent. Stay informed, get on our email list for updates and to be alerted about hearing dates. Email: savelabajadamesa@earthlink.net and put “La Bajada" in the Subject. Then sign petition, send letter to the County & commit to attend hearings.

Posting of June 14, 2008:

La Bajada Mesa Strip-mine Hearing Postponed for 3rd Time

again for lack of secure water source

~
Rockology requests rescheduling to the July 17 CDRC

Rockology requested tabling from the June 19 CDRC agenda and a rescheduling to the July 17 CDRC. Due to the fact that their application has been tabled 3 times, Rockology must first re-notice in the legals & post notices along Waldo Canyon Rd starting June 26. Since they haven't altered their application, the notices will likely still make the bogus claim that the materials will first be used for the Railrunner.

In the meantime, the county has received letters opposing the mining of La Bajada Mesa from individuals and organizations, some of which are listed here: the Cerrillos Hills Park Coalition, the Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club, the San Marcos Association, the Turquoise Trail Association, the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, 1000 Friends of NM, La Cienega Valley Association, Common Ground United, and we expect more to arrive.

Has your organization written a letter? Have you written? Please do!

For discussion points, see flyer and scroll down to Introductory Posting of March 23, '08.

Send to Santa Fe County Case Planner: Jose Larrañaga

Email: joselarra@co.santa-fe.nm.us , Subject: Rockology

Posting of April 13, 2008:

La Bajada Mesa Strip-mine Ap Stalls

Rockology requests re-scheduling of Hearing

for Thursday, May 15

www.SaveLaBajadaMesa.org

Due to concerns raised by citizens, Rockology requested a "tabling" of the April 17 CDRC public hearing until the May 15th meeting. According to SFe County Case Planner, Jose Larrañaga, a May 15 CDRC hearing is contingent on the degree to which Rockology amends their application. If it is significant, the CDRC could be postponed into June. Larrañaga said Rockology has until April 25 to submit any changes. We should know by the end of the month if the Rockology application will be scheduled for May 15.

Mr. Larrañaga, reiterated that the Rockology application requests re-zoning. This is interesting because the lawyer for Rockology, Karl Sommer, said at the meeting on the 7th that for sand & gravel operations, all that is needed is an OK by the County Commission for a Special Use permit.

More Letters Please

Send to Santa Fe County Case Planner: Jose Larrañaga

Email: joselarra@co.santa-fe.nm.us, Subject: Rockology
or US Post: Santa Fe County, P.O. Box 276, Santa Fe, NM, 87504. Attn: Jose Larranga, Re. Rockology

For LIST OF ISSUES see flyer and scroll this page.

Posting of March 29, 2008:

Contrary to the applicant's assertion that their proposed mining of La Bajada Mesa would be needed for the Railrunner, it was revealed Tuesday, March 25, that NMDOT already has all the materials they need to build the Railrunner! Kudos to KOB TV for their Moyers-like reporting & the other good articles in the New Mexican & Journal North!

Also, Santa Fe County staff's recommendation to the committees and commissioners is denial of the Rockology application for a "cadre" of reasons, that include concern for the value of the historic and cultural resources and visibility from I-25 (let alone Waldo Canyon Road). The Staff is concerned that the proposed site also lies within the Galisteo Basin area being planned for growth management. Plus the County does not want to create new mining districts.

BUT NOTE that the opinion of the County Staff is not the end of this, as decisive public meetings & hearings remain scheduled.

¡WRITE A LETTER! You need only send one letter and your letter will be copied for all 7 members of the CDRC. Support the County Staff recommendation to deny the Rockology application and express your desire to permanently preserve La Bajada Mesa.

Support the County Staff recommendation to deny the Rockology application and express your desire to permanently preserve La Bajada Mesa. See Action Alert flyer for list of issues--best expressed in your own words.

Send to: Jose Larranaga, Case Planner, Re. Rockology

Via Email: Jose Larranaga joselarra@co.santa-fe.nm.us , Subject: Rockology

Via FAX: 986-6389 ATT: Jose Larranaga, Case Planner, Re. Rockology

Via US Post: Santa Fe County, POB 276, Santa Fe, NM 87504. Att: Jose Larranaga, Case Planner, Re. Rockology.

PLEASE CONTACT THE GOVERNOR, Rep. Rhonda King, Sen. Phil Griego and County Commissioners to preserve the Mesa.

With your help La Bajada Mesa will continue to be the magnificent gateway to Santa Fe and the Galisteo Basin Parklands.

Introductory posting of March 23, 2008:

The Railrunner is being used as an excuse to re-zone and start strip-mining historic / scenic La Bajada Mesa. The application (dated Jan. 30, 08) discloses that the operation would not be limited to ballast for the Railrunner (which is expected to be built by the end of 2008) but specifies continuation for commercial projects at least for the next 11 years, to 2020.

The Rockology, LLC application has much in common with an earlier Buildology, Inc. 2005 application (click here) to strip the mesa of its basalt. That application was withdrawn before going to hearing. Now Buildology has become Rockology, same applicant, Steven Hooper. The land owners are again Peter Naumburg and Hugh Graham of Buena Vista, LLC. This application, submitted by agent James Siebert, is for 50 acres!

Any rezoning by the County, would devalue the visual, cultural resources of La Bajada Mesa, setting up a model for continued decline into further strip-mining. The whole mesa is capped in basalt, thus preserved throughout the eons. In 2002, before citizen opposition curtailed it, JR Hale Contracting proposed a 500 acre strip-mine of the mesa. Attached is the map that J.R. Hale Contracting distributed to citizens in 2002 map when they proposed a 500 acre strip-mine of La Bajada Mesa (click here).

Back in 2005, the County staff was in the process of recommending denial when the Buildology applicants withdrew. The staff's draft "recommendation" also stated that "this location is not compatible or suitable for mining." They noted that the Mesa had been listed as one of New Mexico's "Most Endangered Places" and that "this demonstrates the cultural significance and importance of protecting this area."

Now in 2008, the same applicants and speculators are back. And citizens of Santa Fe and the County need to make sure the new County staff and all our representatives get the message that "this location is not compatible or suitable for mining."

With your help La Bajada Mesa will continue to be the magnificent gateway to Santa Fe and the Galisteo Basin Parklands.

TAKE ACTION !

OFF SITE WATER - Water is required by law for dust control. Rockology has proposed trucking 80,000 gallons a month from off-site. They have a contract with Cohiba Club, LLC near La Bajada Village. Off site water sources have been questioned by County hydrologists in the past. According to the Conditions of Approval from the Office of State Engineer, the permit expires Sept. 6, 2008. The permit, we understand, is restricted to use for public works like the Railrunner. We are seeking further clarification.

Has Rockology missed the train? The Railrunner project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2008. But since the permit expires Sept. 6, Rockology would only have 4 months of permit for water if their project were to be allowed after the May BCC hearing. Rockology would go dry 3 months short of the completion of the Railrunner. There is no permit for water for subsequent commercial activity as envisioned in the Rockology application.

THE PROPOSED SITE IN PLAIN SIGHT

The application reads: "The crusher [would] be located behind the finished stockpiled materials, in order to minimize visibility from public roadways." Question. What do they plan to locate in front of the stockpiles in order to minimize visibility from public view?

"Again, you won't have to see the actual mine to know it's there because there will be a dust plume marking its location."

-- Steve Blodgett, M.S.

To "Cumulative and Associated Environmental Impacts (click here)"

It’s time to save this historic sweeping panoramic New Mexico visual resource once and for all. For all New Mexicans, this time let’s make it clear that such inappropriate siting of a strip mine will never be granted by the people of Santa Fe, the County and the State of New Mexico.

There is another alternative: acquisition. The land is for sale.

In 2003, the NEW MEXICO HERITAGE PRESERVATION ALLIANCE Placed La Bajada Mesa and Escarpment on the MOST ENDANGERED PLACES LIST.

Historical heritage: La Bajada is of enormous historical significance for the province of Nueva Espana called Nuevo Mexico. During colonial times, La Bajada was the dividing line between the two great economic and governmental regions of Hispanic NM, the Rio Abajo, "lower river," and the Rio Arriba, "upper river." The division was delineated by that remarkable natural feature that we know as La Bajada Mesa & Escarpment. For 250 years La Bajada defined Spanish New Mexico, and today remains among the most significant geographical landmarks of our state and forever remains the southern gateway to the city of Santa Fe.