VallesCaldera.com – The independent news source about the Valles Caldera

Approximately 15-20 members of the public attended a workshop in Albuquerque on Monday to discuss access and development options on the Valles Caldera National Preserve. During this meeting, which was conducted by Preserve staff and consultants, there was little support expressed for any of the five development options under consideration by the Valles Caldera Trust. Additionally, no audience member raised their hand when asked if they support the mandate of the Valles Caldera Preservation Act of 2000 that the Preserve be financially self-sufficient.

The first hour of the workshop consisted of an informal meet-and-greet, in which members of the public were able to chat with Preserve staff and consultants, and examine various displays and maps that corresponded with the five alternatives to develop the Preserve that have been proposed by Houston-based environmental consulting firm ENTRIX. These options, which have been reported here, include new trails, picnic areas, campgrounds, roads, RV parks, luxury lodges, observatories, bars, snack bars, food service stations, a conference center, new staff housing, a new administrative center, and “a full service science and education center and campus.”

After the meet-and-greet, the event entered what a Trust consultant characterized as a “speed-dating format,” which featured three 30-minute rounds. For each round, members of the public were invited to choose between two tables — at each table one of the following six topics having to do with future development on the Preserve was explored: access, capacity, activities, development, financing, and values. In this manner, all six topics were covered in 90 minutes, albeit with each member of the public only able to participate in one-half of the designated topics.

There was little support expressed for any of the ENTRIX proposals, and many attendees spoke strongly against commercial development.  And when a Preserve consultant asked the audience if anyone present was in favor of continuing to mandate that the Valles Caldera National Preserve be financially self-sustaining, no one raised their hand.

Staff assured the public that their comments would be entered into the Preserve’s official record; when these are released those who did not attend will be able to read all of the comments given by the public at these meetings.

For those who did not attend the two meetings this week and were not able to have their comments entered into the official record, you will be able to comment upon the five development options being considered by the Trust online at their public access and scoping web site. These comments, according to a Trust consultant, are due by October 15.

The next public meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Valles Caldera National Preserve will be held in Las Cruces on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at the Student Senate Chambers of New Mexico State University’s Corbett Center, at 9:00 AM.