Search for the Final Comment Letter for a project that technical guidance staff at New Mexico Department of Game and Fish have reviewed using the filters below. If you select multiple search terms in the "Search Terms" box, the filter will return all projects that are associated with at least one of the search terms you selected.
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Final Comment Letter
FY24 Riverside MRGCD Drain Thin Phase 2
Work will occur under the supervision and approval from Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (Entity) experts.
As a continuation of the FY23 Peralta Riverside Drain Unit Project, Entity Project Managers have identified a 23-mile stretch of the riverside drains to the east and west of the Rio Grande starting from the southern boundary of Isleta Pueblo, through to the southern boundary of Valencia county. This will include the Upper Peralta, Lower Peralta, and Upper San Juan Riverside Drains on the east side of the river and the Upper Belen, Lower Belen, Upper Sabinal, and Lower Sabinal Riverside Drains on the west side of the river. See attached maps for Project Area. The Project Area is total of 145 acres. This work plan covers Phase 2 of the project which will treat 25 acres within this Project Area. Treatment will consist of cutting, excavating, and removing the vegetation within the outer banks of the Riverside Drains on the Entity's land. Forestry Division will select a thinning contractor from a statewide price agreement to complete the work as follows:
• The thinning contractor shall cut all trees and shrubs within the outer bank of the riverside drain right-of-way including the side slope unless identified by marking or flagging. This will be the east bank for drains east of the river and the west bank for drains west of the river. Entity Project Manager shall mark 'leave' trees prior to thinning.
• All trees and shrubs within the drain bank and slope of the drain to be cut shall have the root balls removed where feasible in the project area, if the Thinning Contractor is unable to remove root ball they shall notify the Entity Project Coordinator.
• Trees or shrubs to remain will be marked or flagged. Branches on the 'leave' vegetation shall be limbed to a minimum height of 13 feet to facilitate access by maintenance equipment.
• Tree felling must be away from private property boundaries and fences. Measures shall be taken to prevent damage to spoil bank levees on the opposite side of the drain.
• Cut and excavated vegetation must be removed immediately from inside the drain channel to prevent plugs.
• Boundary vegetation that is dead, has substantial dead wood, may imminently fall or cause damage to an Entity facility or pose an imminent public safety threat may also be removed at the determination of Entity or Forestry Division Project Manager.
• The Thinning Contractor shall chip all slash into the bed of a pickup truck or dump trailer for removal. All cut and mulched vegetation and root balls will be removed offsite and legally disposed.
• The thinning contractor shall obtain access to the project location through a Special Use License issued from the Entity by applying at licensing.mrgcd.com and clicking on the Special Use icon.
Timeline:
October 2023 Forestry Division selects thinning contractor and issues a notice to proceed.
October 2023 Thinning contractor begins work.
October 2023 - May 2024 Entity and Forestry Division Project Managers conduct periodic inspections.
October 2023 - May 2024 Thinning contractor submits invoices to Forestry Division no more than twice monthly.
May 2024 Thinning contractor completes work and submits final invoice for payment to Forestry Division.
May 2024 Forestry Division and Entity Project Mangers conduct final inspection.
May 2024 Forestry Division provides Entity and thinning contractor with final inspection report and final invoice is paid to thinning contractor.
Project Completion Date: May 30th 2024.
The Cutter Lateral Phase 6F Waterline Project would be extended to include an additional waterline that would better intertie with the existing water system where transmission and distribution bottlenecks occur and would increase the water system capacity for future water demands. The additional waterline would help to provide water to about 424 homes in the Huerfano and Tiis Tsoh Sikaad (Burnham) chapters that rely on the existing Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA) Carson-Burnham community water system.
The Cutter Lateral Phase 6F that includes 6.6 miles of waterlines and new tank site would be expanded to include 2.57 miles of waterline added to the DZ intertie alignment. This waterline would become a part of the NTUA Carson-Burnham community water system, distributing water to the 424 homes via the previously evaluated waterlines and water storage tank. The total area of disturbance would be approximately 31 acres in addition to the 82.3 acres for the original intertie lines and associated storage tanks and supply line for the Cutter Lateral 6F waterline project.
New Minimal Impact Exploration Permit Application, Peloton Group Drolte Hole
On August 10, 2023, the Mining and Minerals Division ("MMD") received a permit application from The Peloton Group, LLC, for a new minimal impact exploration permit in Sierra County, New Mexico. Pursuant to 19.10.3.302.G NMAC, MMD is requesting comments from your agency regarding this application.
Program, in cooperation with the US Department of Interior, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), is planning to mitigate impacts from historical mining within the boundaries of the Red Hill Mine Safeguarding Project Area in the Caballo Mountains/Rincon Mining District. The proposed project area is located in Sierra County and is approximately 3 miles northwest of Derry, New Mexico (USGS Garfield and McLeod Tank 7.5' quadrangles, in Township 17 S, Range 4 W). The proposed Area of Potential Effect (APE) includes approximately 796 total acres of land administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and State Land Office (SLO).
Based on recent BLM inventory data, the AML Program estimates there are 52 low risk, 13 medium risk, 12 high risk and 8 extreme risk mines within the proposed APE. The Proposed Action involves safeguarding measures utilizing a variety of methods, including manually or mechanically filling mine openings with surrounding waste material or polyurethane foam, and building structural barriers that restrict human ingress, such as locking gates, cupolas, high-tensile steel mesh coverings, gated culverts, or other wildlife-compatible closures while limiting disturbance to other resources on adjacent county, federal and private lands.
Throughout the past 40 years, the OSMRE and AML have addressed public safety and environmental concerns associated with the open abandoned mine adits and shafts throughout New Mexico. As a federally funded program this proposed AML project constitutes an undertaking subject to review under NEPA. Under the Proposed Action, the OSMRE would approve a Federal Grant for use by the state of New Mexico in implementing the Proposed Action. Based on our draft EA and the proposed construction, the AML Program finds that remediation activities proposed for the Red Hill Mine Safeguarding Project will not have significant effects on the quality of the human or natural environment, and proposed construction for the Red Hill Project is estimated to start Spring, 2024.
A draft Environmental Assessment (EA) has been completed, including a Biological Analysis and Evaluation in addition to a report from Bat Conservation International documenting bat use and habitat of the abandoned mine features within the project area. The AML Program is aware of bat activity and the presence of bats in many of the mine features within the project area and plans to install gated, bat-friendly closures where applicable. Also, AML has an updated bat habitat survey planned with our consultant (Bat Conservation International) and is scheduled to be completed in the coming weeks to be followed by a report documenting the updated conditions observed in the project area. The EA is available for your review via the following link:
https://fs.emnrd.nm.gov/portal/s/011944318380922195483
AML requests that you review the draft EA and provide any comments you may have by September 22, 2023.
Rio Grande Watercraft Landing Project for City of Albuquerque
The City of Albuquerque is proposing the addition of a watercraft landing on the western bank of the Rio Grande and south of the Central Ave. Bridge. The landing would be a concrete pad that would partially enter the waterway.
The Cañon Convenience Station (Facility) is an existing facility that is updating its Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) for compliance with the 2021 Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP). Eligibility for coverage under the MSGP requires a determination to verify if there are any species that have been placed on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (USFWS) threatened or endangered species list for the facility's defined Action Area, and that the Facility activities are not expected to adversely affect any such species. This request is submitted on behalf of the Facility for a review of the project by the Department of New Mexico Game and Fish regarding anticipated impacts of the project on any federally listed endangered or threatened species and/or their critical habitats.
The project consists of obtaining soil samples for foundation recommendations and other
subgrade recommendations for the bridge and pavement.(See attached for
locations.)The soil borings will be advanced vertically using a rubber-tire, truck-mounted
CME 75 drilling equipment, using hollow-stem auger drilling techniques (up to the depth
of the groundwater table), and mud-rotary drilling techniques (below the groundwater
table where applicable) to the planned termination depths, or to a depth of bedrock,
whichever occurs first. Should bedrock be encountered more than 5 feet prior to our
proposed boring termination depth(s), we will obtain 5-foot runs of rock core every 5 feet
to a maximum of 15 feet of penetration into rock. Typical sampling intervals (every 2½
feet within the top 10 feet, and every 5 feet thereafter) are considered applicable to this
project. Our exploration team will prepare field logs of soil borings as part of standard
drilling operations including sampling depths, penetration distances, and other relevant
sampling information. Samples will be obtained while the boring is being advanced by our
drilling operations working under the direction of our field engineering staff or his/her
representative. The field exploration will also include observations for free or perched
groundwater (if encountered). This will occur during the exploration program while the
boring is being advanced. No provisions have been made to collect water level data other
than the observations made during the advancement of the borings. The borings will be
backfilled immediately after their completion with auger cuttings or cement bentonite as
required by the state engineer, if groundwater is exposed. The backfilled holes will be
patched at the surface with cold (emulsified) asphaltic patch mixture if pavement was
penetrated. Excess auger cuttings will be disposed of at the site by spreading them in
areas immediately adjacent to each exploration point. No tap water used during mud
rotary operations will be discharged in the area. It'll be recycled throughout the operation
with a water pump attached to the drill rig. A mud pan will be used to prevent a flood
area. When the holes are being backfilled with cement bentonite, the groundwater will be
displaced at the surface of the hole but not in excess so as to cause damage away from
the hole. The hole will not be more than 10-in in diameter. The project is expected to last
5 business days.
The project consists of obtaining soil samples for foundation recommendations and other subgrade recommendations for the bridge and pavement.(See attached for locations.)The soil borings will be advanced vertically using a rubber-tire, truck-mounted CME 75 drilling equipment, using hollow-stem auger drilling techniques (up to the depth of the groundwater table), and mud-rotary drilling techniques (below the groundwater table where applicable) to the planned termination depths, or to a depth of bedrock, whichever occurs first. Should bedrock be encountered more than 5 feet prior to our proposed boring termination depth(s), we will obtain 5-foot runs of rock core every 5 feet to a maximum of 15 feet of penetration into rock. Typical sampling intervals (every 2½ feet within the top 10 feet, and every 5 feet thereafter) are considered applicable to this project.
Our exploration team will prepare field logs of soil borings as part of standard drilling operations including sampling depths, penetration distances, and other relevant sampling information. Samples will be obtained while the boring is being advanced by our drilling operations working under the direction of our field engineering staff or his/her representative.
The field exploration will also include observations for free or perched groundwater (if encountered). This will occur during the exploration program while the boring is being advanced. No provisions have been made to collect water level data other than the observations made during the advancement of the borings.
The borings will be backfilled immediately after their completion with auger cuttings or cement bentonite as required by the state engineer, if groundwater is exposed. The backfilled holes will be patched at the surface with cold (emulsified) asphaltic patch mixture if pavement was penetrated. Excess auger cuttings will be disposed of at the site by spreading them in areas immediately adjacent to each exploration point. No tap water used during mud rotary operations will be discharged in the area. It'll be recycled throughout the operation with a water pump attached to the drill rig. A mud pan will be used to prevent a flood area. When the holes are being backfilled with cement bentonite, the groundwater will be displaced at the surface of the hole but not in excess so as to cause damage away from the hole. The hole will not be more than 10-in in diameter.
The project is expected to last 5 business days.
Cut stump treatments (herbicide sprayed onto stump) of invasive trees and or foliar herbicide application. Removal of cut slash and dead and down material.
Chainsaws, trucks, chippers and herbicide may be used.
The proposed undertaking is located 286 Nugent Road, Edgewood, Sante Fe County, New Mexico 87015 and consists of an 80-foot tall monopine telecommunication tower and associated equipment contained within a 60-foot by 60-foot lease area at the above property. The undertaking includes an existing 35-foot wide by 1,500-foot-long access/utility easement that extends northwest connecting with Nugent Road. Also included is an existing 25-foot wide by 2,400-foot-long access/utility easement that extends northeast connecting with Nugent Road. In total the proposed undertaking is approximately 116,100.00 square feet. The proposed tower site is approximately 7,080 feet above mean sea level (AMSL).
Thinning of Pinyon/Juniper on 14.5 acres of private property to reduce fuel loads and create defensible space. Thinning will reduce basal area by 30 square feet per acre. Slash will be removed from site. Project will occur in fall 2023.
Proposed construction of a new 295-foot (overall height) lattice (self-support) telecommunications tower and installation of associated equipment within an approximate 6,000 square foot lease area
Year-Round Tourism Destination/ Emergency Center Building: 100,000 Square Feet Area Floor: 6,000 Square Feet Seating: 6,000 people. Heavy equipment and metal building materials will be used.
Our client proposes to build a 220-foot self-support communications tower with antennas at a centerline height of 195 feet, within a proposed 65-foot by 65-foot fenced compound in a new 100-foot by 100-foot lease area. A proposed 30-foot-wide utility easement, with a 12-foot-wide access road, will extend 192 feet east terminating at South G Avenue. The proposed tower compound lease area and the access/utility easement will be located within a grass covered lot.
Our client proposes to build a 60-foot tall monopine (overall 65 feet) within a 40-foot by 40-foot ground lease area enclosed within an 8-foot-tall CMU wall. A proposed underground power will run 65 feet from electrical area, west then southeast then northeast, to proposed disconnect bank. A proposed fiber will run 45 feet southeast from electrical area to proposed fiber vault, then 50 feet southeast to another proposed vault within a 5-foot utility easement. A proposed 12-foot-wide access easement will extend generally southeast to existing driveway adjacent to Calle Del Sur. This site is in a grass covered lot.
T&E species review for a site, no current construction of buildings currently planned. This property is vacant, with very little vegetation and rock mining operations. Timing - unsure. This is a preliminary assessment for the client.
Year-round firewood harvesting activities using forestry tools including motorsaws and transportation of wood products off-site for firewood cutting and splitting.
A proposed 100' monopine within a 50' by 50' lease area. Also included are two easements, 50' by 2,481' existing access easement and a 21' by 278' utility easement.
Middle Rio Grande Lower San Acacia Reach Improvement Project Public Scoping Meeting EIS
The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) intends to realign a portion of the Rio Grande to the west of the existing channel between miles 74 and 54.5, all south of Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge and north of Elephant Butte Reservoir. During this scoping phase, the BOR is requesting information on available data for the project area, natural resources known to occur in the project area, current resource uses, and how the proposed project would impact the resource or resource use. New information, different ways to meet the project's purpose, and factual corrections or information on sources of credible research or data are all appreciated. Project goals include increasing water delivered to Elephant Butte Reservoir; enhancing ecosystem health; and increasing benefits of system maintenance activities by working with geomorphic trends of the river.
Environmental Impact Statement, Public Meeting, River/Stream Management, Threatened or Endangered Species, Water Diversions/Irrigation
Search for the Final Comment Letter for a project that technical guidance staff at New Mexico Department of Game and Fish have reviewed using the filters below. If you select multiple search terms in the "Search Terms" box, the filter will return all projects that are associated with at least one of the search terms you selected.
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