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Final Comment Letter
Forest Restoration stewardship management plan
Stewardship plan to improve forest stand health and decrease catastrophic wildfire risk by reducing basal area (stand density), create and maintain defensible space around structures and buffer around property boarder. Reduce ladder fuels by thinning small trees in the understory of dominant trees. Promote a healthy forest stand by releasing some large dominate trees and improve resilience and tree vigor by thinning stands where appropriate. No forest thinning will be conducted at this time.
On April 4, 2024, the Mining and Minerals Division ("MMD") received a permit application from Southern Silver Exploration Corp for a modification to their regular exploration permit in Grant County, New Mexico. Pursuant to 19.10.4.402.F NMAC, MMD is requesting comments from your agency regarding this application.
Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument draft RMP and EIS
The Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument (Monument) Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) describes and analyzes a range of alternatives for managing public lands within the Monument planning area. The planning area encompasses lands within the Monument's boundaries regardless of surface ownership or jurisdiction. Within the planning area, the United States (U.S.) Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administers approximately 476,591 acres of surface land, referred to as the decision area. The decision area does not include state, municipal, or private land. On May 21, 2014, President Barack Obama signed Presidential Proclamation 9131 (79 Federal Register 30431), which identified approximately 496,330 acres of federal lands and interest in lands owned or controlled by the government of the United States as the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument (BLM 2014). The Monument is composed of Bureau of Land Management (BLM)-administered lands encompassing five rugged mountain ranges surrounding the city of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Protection of the Monument was established to "preserve its cultural, prehistoric, and historic legacy and maintain its diverse array of natural and scientific resources, ensuring that the prehistoric, historic, and scientific values of this area remain for the benefit of all Americans." The Monument's current management is directed by the existing Mimbres RMP (BLM 1993), relevant amendments that apply to this planning area, and any interim Monument guidance. Although some decisions in the Mimbres RMP are still relevant, there are management issues, direction, and desired future conditions that need to be addressed, given the Presidential Proclamation. The Monument was established as a new planning area independent of other BLM-administered lands; to address these issues, the BLM has prepared a stand-alone document (OMDPNM RMP/EIS) pursuant to the BLM's regulation for resource management planning found in 43 CFR 1610 and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA).
Environmental Impact Statement, Land Management Plan
Minimal Impact Exploration Application, Alhambra Project, Standard Silver Corp.
On April 18th, 2024 the Mining and Minerals Division ("MMD") received an application from Standard Silver Corp. for a minimal impact exploration permit called Alhambra Project. The application proposes to drill up to seventy five (75) drill holes up to 200 feet deep on nine (9) drill pads, creating 3.484 acres of total disturbance. MMD is tracking this permit as Permit No. GR094EM. The proposed drilling sites are located approximately ~ 13 miles from Silver City on US 180 west.
On April 23, 2024, the Mining and Minerals Division ("MMD") received an application from THEMAC Resource Group ("Applicant") requesting a minimal impact exploration permit for the Copper Flat Exploration Project 2024, Permit No. SI061EM. The Application proposes 23 drill holes and drill pads to disturb approximately 4 acres of United States Bureau of Land Management (BLM) property and/or Private Patented claims approximately 4 miles Northeast of Hillsboro, NM. MMD has deemed the application administratively complete. Your agency was notified of a site inspection that was scheduled and occurred on May 23rd.
Phase 2 of National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC), Mountain-Plains Southwest
By June 24, 2024, DOE invites the public to submit comments on the potential NIETCs on the preliminary list, including about:
-Transmission needs within the potential NIETCs and associated consumer harms;
-The geographic boundaries of the potential NIETCs; and
-Potential impacts on environmental, community, and other resources within the potential NIETCs.
The Forest Service is proposing to authorize Robert L. Bayless, Producer LLC to construct and operate a natural gas and water pipeline on the Jicarilla Ranger District. The proposed project is identified as the La Jara 1-2 00 I1-1 Pipeline Project. An overview of the project area is depicted in Figure I. This project will facilitate initial
development of the La Jara Mancos Unit (Unit No. NMNM I 05770971 ).
This project will involve surface disturbance and construction activities on private land, within the Jicarilla Ranger District boundary, and on National Forest System (NFS) lands. The Forest Service will only approve those activities on NFS lands. Activities located on private land will be approved by the Bureau of Land Management- Fannington Field Office and the respective private landowners. Please see Figure 2.The proposed action consists of construction, maintenance, and operation of the following (all acreages provided are approximate):
Our client proposes the construction of a 199-foot self-support tower and associated ground-based equipment inside a proposed 50-foot-by-50-foot lease area. A 15-foot-wide access and utility easement is proposed to extend from the lease area approximately 260 feet east and then north to join an existing gravel road, and then west for approximately 180 feet to join State Highway 18. An 8-foot-wide utility easement is proposed to extend approximately 75 feet west from the lease area to a proposed fiber vault to be installed at the right-of-way. This site is currently an unutilized portion of desert land along State Highway 18.
White Sands Missile Range Supplemental EA for Expanded Test Activities at Lee and Yucca Impact Areas
The White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) Test Center has prepared the draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) for Expanded Test Activities at Lee and Yucca Impact Areas at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. The purpose of the proposed action is to expand Lee and Yucca Impact Areas and increase the number of long-range test missions. Extended range testing is essential for the development of effective weapon systems with the capability for precision engagement beyond the range of current systems ensuring combat readiness of the United States armed services and protect national security. The draft SEA assessed impacts on valued environmental components for three alternatives. The preferred alternative proposes to increase the size of Lee and Yucca Impact Areas as well as to increase the number of test missions into these areas. Environmental analysis focused on the impacts from increasing the area of and number of test missions into these impact areas. The environmental analysis shows there will be no significant impact.
BLM Gila Lower Box Recreation Area Management Plan (RAMP) and EA
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Las Cruces District announces a 30-day public comment period for the final Recreation Area Management Plan and Environmental Assessment, Finding of No Significant Impact for the Gila Lower Box Area. The public comment period is open from April 17 to June 1, 2024. The 11,200-acre Gila Lower Box RAMP planning area is located in Hidalgo and Grant counties, approximately 20 miles northwest of the town of Lordsburg. The planning area includes the Gila Lower Box Wilderness Study Area, the Gila Lower Box Area of Critical Environmental Concern, and the Gila Lower Box Special Recreation Management Area. The plan will guide future development and provide management direction for recreation resources within the Gila Lower Box Area. The planning area is characterized by cliffs and steep canyon sides rising above a significant riparian area. The area is home to several threatened, endangered and sensitive wildlife species as well as designated critical habitat for these species. The area also provides important habitat to a variety of native plants and wildlife. While recreation is an important use of the planning area, unmanaged recreation use has resulted in disturbance and damage to sensitive resources. There is a need to implement primitive and sustainable recreation actions to protect the Gila Lower Box Area while being consistent with the management goal of protecting riparian values outlined in the 1993 Mimbres Resource Management Plan.
New Minimal Impact Mining Permit Application, Chloride North Face Placer No. 1
On March 26, 2024, the Mining and Minerals Division ("MMD") received a permit application from Mitchell Vokaty for a new minimal impact mining permit in Sierra County, New Mexico. Pursuant to 19.10.3.304.H NMAC, MMD is requesting comments from your agency regarding this application. The application from the operator can be downloaded from MMD's website at https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/mmd/si060mn-chloride-north-face-placer-no-1/
Response to Agencies’ Comments Revision 23-1 to Continental Mine and Mill – Update to Closure/Closeout Plan
The New Mexico Mining and Minerals Division (MMD) received a response (Response) to agencies' comments from Freeport-McMoRan Chino Mines Company (Chino) dated April 30, 2024 as part of the process of a revision to Permit No. GR002RE, for the Continental Mine Closure/Closeout Plan (CCP) Update (Application). Chino responded to MMD's comments and other agency comments.
This is a stewardship plan for a private property that is interested in improving wildlife habitat, erosion control and fuel reduction. Tools utilized will include a feller buncher, hand crews, chipper, chainsaws. BISON will be used for a wildlife survey.
BOR Invitation to DGF to Participate as a cooperating agency for the EIS on the Lower San Acequia Reach Improvement Project
The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) sent a letter to the DGF inviting them to participate as a cooperating agency in the development of an EIS on the LSARI project.
Environmental Impact Statement, River/Stream Management, Water Management
USFWS is proposing to treat areas recently Rx burned with herbicides to prevent establishment of invasive species (targeted species will be Canada thistle, hoary cress, houndstongue, pepperweed, Russian knapweed, and salt cedar), from May 15- May 22, 2024. These units are in close proximity to an area where the state-threatened least shrew (Cryptotis parvus) was detected in October 2023. Potential herbicides used will be Polaris AC Complete, Escort XP, Telar XP, Method 240SL, and Glystar Plus. Best management practices will be followed for each herbicide. Please note that the attached invasives treatment proposal does not include one of the units that was burned.
Invasive Plant Control, Proposed Action, Threatened or Endangered Species
Dam maintenance and/or modification for 5 dams in Cooke's Range.
Location of Dams:
Dam 1: Section 36, Township 21 South, Range 9 West
- This Dam is located west of AO16 road, South of Dam 2, and North of Dam 5
Dam 2: Section 25, Township 21 South, Range 9 West
- This Dam is located on Butterfield Trail, North of Dam 1, Southwest of Dam 3
Dam 3: Section 30, Township 21 South, Range 8 West
- This is the Northernmost dam, located east of Dam 2 and West of Dam 4
Dam 4: Sections 29 and 32, Township 21 South, Range 8 West
- This Dam is the Easternmost dam, also located on Butterfield Trail, South of Dam 3, North of Dam 5
Dam 5: Section 6, Township 22 South, Range 8 West
- This Dam is the Southernmost Dam, East of Dam 1, and West of Dam 4
Alternative A: Modification to All Dams:
Dam 1: The modifications to Dam 1 include lowering the dam 10 to 12 feet and construction of a 430-foot-long concrete weir, 10-foot-wide stilling basin with approximately 160 cubic yards of 8-inch rock rip rap, 225-foot earthen channel, one 18 inches by 24-foot HDPE pipe culvert, and two 18 inches by 20-foot HDPE pipe culverts. Approximately 1,140 feet of County Road A016 will be re-aligned to direct traffic away from the dam embankment and the culverts will be installed under the re-aligned roadway. The existing spillway, 24-inch concrete outlet riser pipe, and existing dirt livestock tanks would be protected in place. Modifications to Dam 1 would require the removal of approximately 4,340 cubic yards of soil.
Modification of Dam 1 would continue to retain some stormwater behind the structure while allowing stormwater to flow over the concrete weir into the stilling basin, earthen channel, and livestock tanks. Water would also flow over the downstream embankment to the east as sheet flow to an existing natural channel and then under the roadway.
Dam 2: The modifications to Dam 2 include lowering the dam 11 to 14 feet and construction of a compound concrete weir with a 250-foot section to pass small frequent storm events and a 190-foot section nine inches higher than the 250-foot section to pass the large, less frequent storm events. A 10-foot-wide stilling basin with approximately 365 cubic yards of 6-inch rock rip, a 24 inches by 18-foot HDPE pipe culvert and elevated road crossing would also be installed. An earthen berm would be placed along the west side of County Road A016 downstream of the embankment. The existing spillway, 30-inch outlet riser pipe, and livestock tank would be preserved in place. Modifications to Dam 2 would require the removal of approximately 11,600 cubic yards of soil. As much as possible of the removed soil would be used as fill to repair a portion of County Road A016 that has been damaged by erosion.
Modifications to Dam 2 would allow stormwater to flow over both concrete weirs and into the existing livestock tank as well as drain over the downstream embankment to the southeast as sheet flow across an existing flat area.
Dam 3: The modifications to Dam 3 include lowering the dam approximately 10 feet and construction of a 365-foot earthen weir and installing 15 cubic yards of 6-inch rock rip rap along a 2-foot-wide strip where the downstream side of the earthen weir meets the embankment. The 12-inch concrete outlet riser pipe on the west side of the dam would be capped and plugged with concrete. This would require the removal of vegetation around the pipe, including roots, and a high slump flowable concrete would be pumped into any voids around the pipe prior to backfilling. The existing spillway and the 18-inch outlet riser pipe on the east side of the dam would be preserved in place. Modifications to Dam 3 would require the cut of approximately 6,312 cubic yards of soil, most of which may be placed and compacted over the existing spillway at the northwest end of the dam.
Modifications to Dam 3 would allow stormwater flows to drain over the downstream embankment to the southwest as sheet flow, constrained by an existing 500-foot-long earthen berm. From the berm, sheet flow would drain west to join the existing channel at the pipe riser outlet.
Dam 4: The modifications to Dam 4 include lowering the dam approximately 14 feet and construction of a 100-foot concrete weir armored with a geomat composed of linked or tied concrete blocks with open cells that are filled with screened native soil. The geomat would be draped over the weir with a two-foot overlap on the upstream embankment and placed with a six-foot apron at the toe of downstream slope. Using some of the cut soils, a number of small earthen berms would be placed as diversions downstream of the weir to direct sheet flow southwest towards the existing channel that has formed below the 18-inch pipe outlet. The existing 18-inch intake riser pipe would be extended up to 7 feet higher to ensure continuing stormwater retention behind the structure.
Approximately 460 feet of the existing access road would be realigned to direct traffic away from the dam and two 24 inches by 17-foot HDPE pipe culverts would be installed to convey water from the above-mentioned channel under the road. The existing spillway on the northwest end of the structure and the water well with livestock tanks would be preserved in place. Modifications to Dam 4 would require the cut of approximately 3,775 cubic yards of soil.
Dam 5: The modifications to Dam 5 include lowering the dam 2 to 8 feet and construction of a 1,000-foot long weir that serves as a 16-foot wide road with 4-foot shoulders. Under the road six 24-inch by 80-foot-long HDPE pipes with trash racks in each of two culvert banks [or concrete box culverts] would each discharge to a concrete stilling basin with approximately 20 cubic yards of 6-inch rock rip rap, and the 36-inch concrete outlet riser pipe would be preserved in place The resulting road and shoulders would be stabilized with soil cement or lime stabilization. Modifications to Dam 5 would require the cut of approximately 6,880 cubic yards of soil.
Modifications to Dam 5 would allow stormwater to flow through the pipe culverts which are designed to drain to the overbanks of the downstream arroyo to help prevent downstream erosion.
Inlet elevations of the pipes would be stepped, to accommodate passage of smaller, more frequent runoff rates closer to the main arroyo.
Alternative B: No Action Alternative:
- No action would be taken to modify or rehabilitate the dams. Removal of vegetation and debris from trash racks would continue.
Alternative C: Maintenance Common to All Dams:
Maintenance activities include:
- Vegetation and debris would be removed from trash racks.
- Earthwork would re-shape the crests and berms.
- Material would be added to crests/groins/head cuts to fill erosion.
- Pipe inlets and outlets would be armored to reduce head cutting and erosion.
- Risers would be added to intake structures.
Dam Maintenance, Proposed Action, Roads and Bridges
The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) proposes improvements to a 0.7-mile section of Interstate 40 (I-40) near Tijeras, New Mexico. The Beginning of the Project (BOP) is located at Milepost (MP) 168.78 and the End of Project (EOP) is at MP 169.99. Project improvements would include replacing three bridges (Bridges 7655, 7656, and 7657) with single span bridges and completing minor repairs/maintenance to Bridge 7654. The project would also close and demolish the I-40 westbound off-ramp bridge.
The project is located near the I-40 Carnuel Interchange in Bernalillo County, New Mexico. Just east of the Carnuel Interchange, four parallel bridges carry I-40 eastbound and westbound, a frontage road, and the I-40 westbound off-ramp over the Tijeras Arroyo. The bridges were built in 1978, and their conditions range from satisfactory to poor. The project will make improvements to the bridges, so they continue to allow traffic to safely cross the Arroyo.
The proposed project would involve the installation of rock bendway weirs along with launchable riprap to divert water flow to the thalwag and stop bank erosion adjacent to an acequia and NM 435 at milepost 2.9. Work would be performed during low flows.
This project is looking to potentially upgrade the road to allow for trucks carrying turbine blades to make the turns safely. The client does not expect to change the ROW width, but potentially reinforce the shoulders. Timing of the project is unknown at this point as routes are still being investigated. Attached is the proposal westwood submitted for the scope of this project
This is a potential road retrofit to safely allow large truck with turbine blades to pass. The company is exploring options and does not have timing or materials decided upon. The proposal from Westwood to support this work is attached to help clarify.
Draft EA Addressing Operations and Training Support Facilities and Activities at White Sands Missile Range, NM
WSMR is proposing to construct and improve facilities and designate existing training areas to support the operations of tenant and transient units, such as the Special Operations Forces - Training and Experimentation Center (SOF-TEC), at WSMR. SOF-TEC was formally activated as a tenant directorate at WSMR, New Mexico in March 2022 under the operational control of 1st Special Forces Command to become the premier irregular warfare training and experimentation center. The Proposed Action includes the construction or improvement of barracks, shower and laundry facilities, a vehicle wash station, and a bivouac area. The Proposed Action also includes the designation of existing areas used for operational testing mission sets (i.e., when testing of various military systems is used in a tactical training environment) for training mission sets. Although no construction dates have been established, construction is anticipated to take a year to complete.
The biological survey encompassed a 200-foot-wide area, 100-feet on each side of the pipeline centerline. Water pipeline with a 30-foot permanent workspace and 20-foot temporary workspace. Timing of activities is unknown.
Our client proposes to install a new 199-foot self-support tower in a proposed 50-foot by 50-foot lease area. A proposed approximately 12-foot-wide access and utility easement will extend approximately 140 feet east from Delaware Basin Road, connecting with a new 50-foot-wide access and utility easement extending approximately 60 feet north to the lease area. A proposed 8-foot-wide utility easement will extend approximately 90 feet east from Delaware Basin Road to the lease area. A proposed fiber conduit will be routed within the 8-foot-wide easement from a new fiber vault immediately south of the lease area 85 feet west to another new fiber vault. A proposed power conduit will be routed within the 50-foot-wide easement and 8-foot-wide easement from a new junction box immediately south of the lease area 115 feet west to a new utility pole. The site is located in undeveloped desert scrubland off the east side of Delaware Basin Road.
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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