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

The Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) today released a draft environmental impact statement regarding its new Travel Management Plan, which includes five alternatives for managing where the public can drive motorized vehicles in the forest. The alternatives would eliminate between 47% and 63% of the Forest’s currently open roads (except for alternative one, which would do nothing). The SFNF also announced eight public meetings throughout Northern New Mexico in August to receive public comment about today’s released documents.

Also today, Daniel Jirón, the supervisor of the Santa Fe National Forest, announced that he is leaving his post to serve as the Deputy Regional Forest Supervisor for the Pacific Southwest Region, according to Staci Matlock of the Santa Fe New Mexican. Deputy forest supervisor Erin Connelly will serve as the interim supervisor for the SFNF. Click here to read Ms. Matlock’s article.

The Supervisor of the Santa Fe National Forest is automatically an ex-officio member of the Board of Trustees of the Valles Caldera National Preserve, so Mr. Jirón will also be departing from his position with the Preserve’s Board and will be replaced by Ms. Connelly. However, in practice, ex-officio members of the Board have had very little power relative to the politically-appointed members of the Board.

The Santa Fe National Forest manages 1.6 million acres of forest in Northern New Mexico, including most of land surrounding the Valles Caldera National Preserve, and about 20% of the geologic Valles Caldera itself.

Read the entire Draft Environmental Impact Statement by clicking here.

Access all of the documents released today by the SFNF by clicking here.

Read today’s press release from the Santa Fe National Forest (containing the five Travel Management Plan alternatives as well as details on the eight public meetings that the SFNF will conduct in August) by clicking here.

Continue reading ‘Between 47% and 63% of Santa Fe National Forest’s open roads could be closed under Travel Management Plan; eight public meetings planned for Aug.; Jirón departs as supervisor’

UPDATE: July 21, 2010 — The Valles Caldera Trust has announced that it will conduct a public meeting on Thursday, August 12th from 5:30-8:00 PM to discuss this landscape restoration and management plan, at the Preserve’s Science and Education Center at 90 Villa Louis Martin in Jemez Springs.

On Friday, a notice appeared on the Federal Register that had been submitted on July 8, 2010 by the Valles Caldera Trust, titled: “Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for a Long-Term Landscape Restoration and Management Plan To Restore and Manage the Forest, Grassland, and Riparian Ecosystems of the Valles Caldera National Preserve.”

You can read this 1,860-word notice by clicking here.

The accompanying summary of the notice is as follows:

The Valles Caldera Trust (VCT) a wholly owned government corporation empowered to provide management and administrative services for the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP) intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze and disclose the potential impacts of a proposed Landscape Restoration and Management Plan (LRMP) which includes mechanical treatments, prescribed burning, management of lightning caused wildland fires (wildland fire use), restoration or riparian areas, closure and maintenance of roads and eradication of noxious weeds and invasive plants.

The Trust requests comments on this notice by August 18, 2010, at comments@vallescaldera.gov.

In an article in today’s Albuquerque Journal, Stephen Henry, the Chairman of the Valles Caldera Trust, misrepresented essential details of the U.S. Senate bill that would transfer the Valles Caldera National Preserve to the National Park Service. Click here to read the article. Non-subscribers must click on the “trial access pass” button to read this story.

Specifically, Mr. Henry misrepresented the portion of the Valles Caldera National Preserve Management Act (S.3452) that restricts certain activities on peaks above 9,250 feet in elevation on the Preserve. Henry is quoted in the article as stating:

“Ninety-two thousand feet [sic] also shuts down some of the major roads we have to transport people from one end of the preserve to another,” he said. “That can probably be changed, but who wants to run a national park known for its sightseeing, and no one can climb to the top of any peaks?”

However, despite Mr. Henry’s assertion, no restriction on climbing to the top of these peaks exists in the legislation.

Specifically, section 3(h)1 of the bill states that on 14 volcanic domes higher than 9,250 feet in elevation in the Preserve, “no roads or facilities shall be constructed; and no motorized access shall be allowed.” But the bill does not restrict hiking access to these peaks — it actually protects them from development and vehicular use.

As a matter of fact, in the nearly ten-year history of the Valles Caldera National Preserve, the public (with the exception of Pueblo members) has been entirely shut out of opportunities to legally hike to the top of all volcanic domes inside the rim of the Caldera at all times, apart from South Mountain, which was opened last year.

It is ironic, therefore, that Mr. Henry would be objecting to a bill by claiming that it would restrict hikers’ access to 14 stunning and dramatic volcanic domes, when under his leadership, the public has been forbidden to climb to the top of all but one of these peaks and savor the views of the scenic crown jewel of Northern New Mexico from nearly two miles high.

Mr. Henry also implies in the article that the legislation is inadequate because forest restoration and thinning priorities wouldn’t be tackled by the National Park Service if the bill passes. But the Journal article implicitly points out the weakness of this argument:

The new bill would specifically require the NPS “to protect and preserve the fish, wildlife, watershed, natural, scientific, scenic, geologic, historic, cultural, archeological and recreational values of the area.”

This would presumably allow for thinning to go on as it would at any other national park where tree density is a concern. Nearby Bandelier National Monument, for instance, conducts thinning operations.

During this crucial time in the post-Baca Ranch history of the Valles Caldera, debate should be encouraged as to the merits of the legislation. But all sides should stick to the facts.

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Valles Caldera National Preserve, Stephen Henry, has amended his testimony that he provided last month to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee regarding legislation to transfer the Valles Caldera to the National Park Service. In Mr. Henry’s in-person testimony, he was one of two witnesses (out of eight) that did not express support for the Valles Caldera National Preserve Management Act, stating that he was “disappointed and concerned” about the bill. But he did not explicitly oppose the bill during his testimony.

However, on Friday, in a press release sent out by the Valles Caldera Trust, Mr. Henry unambiguously stated his opposition to the bill in its current form, proclaiming that it is “inadequate,” “rushed,” and does not address “complicated land management issues.”

There was no word from the Valles Caldera Trust regarding whether the two new members of the Board of Trustees that were appointed in May by President Obama, Melissa Savage and C. Kenneth Smith, agreed with the conclusions drawn by Mr. Henry, who was appointed by former President George W. Bush.

Friday’s press release is included below in its entirety:

Continue reading ‘Valles Caldera Trust chairman expresses objections to Senate bill in amended testimony’

The office of U.S. Sen. Tom Udall has released a video showing the testimony of the junior senator from New Mexico last week to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. During this testimony, Mr. Udall ardently contended that National Park Service management is the best option for the future of Valles Caldera National Preserve, and called for the passage of S.3452, the Valles Caldera National Preserve Management Act. Click on the video below to watch Mr. Udall’s testimony.

Roughly one decade after the devastating Cerro Grande fire of May 2000, a new book has been published that aims to tell the complete story of “the most costly wildfire in U.S. history.” Inferno by Committee: The True Story of the Cerro Grande (Los Alamos) Fire, America’s Worst Prescribed Fire Disaster is an in-depth study and “white-knuckle narrative” of the prescribed burn that began on the eastern rim of the Valles Caldera and proceeded to destroy hundreds of homes in nearby Los Alamos, as well as many structures at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, forcing a lengthy evacuation of the town and neighboring White Rock.

The 345-page book, published by Trafford Publishing, is written by Tom Ribe, a fire fighter and science journalist who also serves as the executive director of Caldera Action, a Valles Caldera advocacy group.

You can buy this book online by clicking here. You can also buy it by clicking here to visit the author’s web site, which also contains lots of other information regarding the fire.

The Los Alamos Monitor wrote that Ribe’s book is “useful and valuable to readers,” while informing the public “everything they wanted to know about the dynamics of Cerro Grande fire and the methods to fight it but were afraid to ask.” Click here to read the complete review. Below is an excerpt:

Ribe doesn’t just look back 10 years ago to the first week of May 2000, he scans all the way back to about 8,000 years ago to the area’s first residents. Furthermore, he examines how, over time, humans significantly change the landscape – whether it was through grazing or logging or politics. He discusses at length about the differences between the National Forest Service’s philosophy of maintaining the land and the National Park Service’s beliefs.

After heavily sifting through the ashes of time, Ribe presents an argument that is applicable now, tomorrow and forever after. He stresses the importance of environmental stewardship but also the need to exercise stewardship amongst humans. A lot of problems can be resolved by good teamwork, unity and taking the time and effort to make the right decisions for everyone.

Continue reading ’2000 Cerro Grande fire studied in new book, Inferno by Committee‘

[PHOTO: Pueblo of Jemez Governor Joshua Madalena testifies before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today. From committee web broadcast]

The future of the scenic crown jewel of New Mexico was publicly discussed in Washington, D.C., today, as Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) presided over a meeting of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee examining the Valles Caldera National Preserve Management Act (S.3452), which would transfer the Caldera to the National Park Service. During the hearing, eight individuals who represent significant stakeholders in Northern New Mexico offered testimony regarding their positions on the legislation.

The Albuquerque Journal reported that the bill “earned widespread support” at the hearing. Click here to read the Journal article — nonsubscribers must click on the “trial access pass” button to read it. You can also watch a report on the hearing by KOAT-TV by clicking here.

Four of the eight witnesses expressed unqualified support for the legislation (Sen. Tom Udall, Los Alamos County Council Chairman Michael Wismer, New Mexico Wildlife Federation Executive Director Jeremy Vesbach, and National Park Service Deputy Director Daniel Wenk). Two witnesses — the governors of the Pueblo of Jemez (Joshua Madalena) and Pueblo of Santa Clara (Walter Dasheno) — offered conditional support for the bill. The two other witnesses, Valles Caldera Trust Chairman Stephen Henry and Harris Sherman, the Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment (the official in charge of the U.S. Forest Service), did not express support.

The conditional backing offered by the pueblos during the hearing is significant because as recently as January, Jemez Pueblo Gov. Joshua Madalena publicly opposed transferring management from the Valles Caldera Trust.

A synopsis of each witness’ oral and written testimony follows, in order of appearance. Click on the name of a witness in order to download his prepared remarks.

Continue reading ‘Senate committee hears testimony on legislation to bring Caldera into Park Service; pueblos offer conditional support’

Due to the U.S. Senate’s memorial service planned in honor of West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd on Thursday, the hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to receive testimony about legislation to convert the Valles Caldera into a National Park Preserve has been moved to tomorrow (Wed.), June 30 at 12:30 PM MDT.

You can watch the hearing live by clicking here.

Albuquerque’s ABC affiliate, KOAT-TV, filed a report today on this upcoming hearing, stating that “fireworks are expected in Washington Wednesday when the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee discusses the future of the Valles Caldera National Preserve.” Click here to watch this report.

The committee also released an updated witness list for the hearing. One change from the prior witness list is that Sen. Tom Udall is now scheduled to testify, replacing Barbara Johnson, the vice chair of Los Amigos de Valles Caldera. Here is the latest witness list:

Panel 1
The Honorable Tom Udall, U.S. Senate

Panel 2
Daniel Wenk, Deputy Director, National Park Service, Department of the Interior
The Honorable Harris Sherman, Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Agriculture
Stephen Henry, Chairman, Valles Caldera Trust

Panel 3
The Honorable Joshua Madalena, Governor, Pueblo of Jemez
The Honorable Walter Dasheno, Governor, Pueblo of Santa Clara
The Honorable Michael Wismer, Chair, Los Alamos County Council
Jeremy Vesbach, Director, New Mexico Wildlife Federation

The Santa Fe New Mexican published the following letter to the editor today by Rudy Rios of Placitas, who opposes the Valles Caldera National Preserve Management Act, which would transfer the Preserve to the National Park Service:

Trust in the trust

Regarding recent comments concerning the Valles Caldera Trust and its alleged elitism and restrictive public-access policies: The Valles Caldera Trust has had some bumps, but it has fulfilled its role as a working ranch and has provided access with educational workshops, seminars and van tours that cover subjects including archaeology, botany, ecology, geology, history and wildlife.

The Valles Caldera has become, in a very short period of time, an outstanding example of sustainable government management of public lands.

On the other hand, the National Park Service, which some say should now manage the Valles Caldera, has at times alienated and polarized the Native American community. The Valles Caldera Trust has managed what was once a private preserve as a very public entity that respects the multi-culturalism of New Mexico. Turning this to the National Park Service is not the best management direction.

Rudy Ríos
Placitas

Several letters to the editor have been printed this month in the Santa Fe New Mexican in support of the Valles Caldera National Preserve Management Act, the legislation introduced by New Mexico’s U.S. Senators last month that would transfer the Valles Caldera to the National Park Service.

As far as can be determined, there have been no letters to the editor printed in any New Mexico newspapers that oppose this bill.

The three letters below, printed on June 17 and June 18, were written in response to Courtney White’s June 12 op-ed, “A step back for Valles Caldera.”

In the right hands

Regarding the June 13 My View, “A step back for Valles Caldera,” by Courtney White: While I admire Mr. White, I disagree with his view regarding the Valles Caldera management; it smacked of elitism.

Direct and personal experience in the outdoors is the best way for anyone to sufficiently understand the magic and wonder of nature and to come to want to protect it. Increased access to, as well as the restoration and protection of, the Valles Caldera National Preserve under management of the National Park Service would fulfill not only its mandate to protect our public treasure but, as importantly in my mind, it would address the other mandate — to educate through recreation.

Common folk come to NPS units: The cost is not prohibitive and the opportunities for recreation are not only healthy but informative. I applaud our U.S. senators for their efforts to place the Valles Caldera in the hands of our National Park Service for all our enjoyment and to provide true protection of the resource.

Susan Tixier
Embudo

Make it a national park

When we think of America’s national parks, words that come to mind are: timeless, incomparable, archetypal, primal, vast, spiritual, essential. They have shaped us in ways that are difficult to fully catalog. They represent landscape that has survived political impulse that inevitably subjugates and destroys.

How odd, then, to read Courtney White’s June 13 My View, “A step back for Valles Caldera,” in which he asserts that the 19th-century national park concept is not “well suited” to the modern era, and that somehow “global challenges” have negated their value.

To the contrary: As growth exacts more and deeper impact on open spaces, forests, grasslands and rivers, we need parks more than ever.

We should redouble our efforts to realize the full vision of John Muir and others, and to establish more of them, expand them, protect them better, experience them more intimately, make them a larger part of our collective understanding of what we ought not to lose.

Bernard and Dawn Foy
Santa Fe

 

Courtney White’s June 13 My View, “A step back for Valles Caldera,” objects to the legislation proposed by Sens. Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall to transfer management of the Valles Caldera National Preserve to the National Park Service. Most egregiously, he says that “America’s best idea,” our magnificent system of national parks, is “obsolete.” Few Americans would agree.

Although he cites no particular successes, he feels the trust management “experiment” should continue, and then he raises the possibility that hunting opportunities might be restricted.

However, the legislation directs that hunting “shall” be allowed, a strong guarantee of future opportunities.

More importantly, he ignores the many benefits of Park Service management in terms of public access, protection, and almost 100 years of experience managing a wide variety of landscapes, specializing in scientifically based land- and visitor-management services.

We should thank our senators for their recognition that the experiment has failed.

It is time to pass this legislation and move on.

Tom Jervis
Santa Fe