Search for the Final Comment Letter for a project that technical guidance staff at New Mexico Department of Wildlife 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
Castle Springs Restoration
The Pecos springsnail (Pyrgulopsis pecosensis) is a small snail that is endemic to one spring system (Blue Spring) in southeastern New Mexico. They prefer rocky substrates in high volume spring-fed systems and are mostly found at the source of the spring. Because the entirety of the Pecos springsnail's global distribution is only in one spring, the Department would like to improve the habitat conditions at another spring system (Castle Spring south of Carlsbad, NM: 32.201505, -104.251705) with the intent of translocating Pecos springsnails to this new location to bolster population numbers. Castle Spring is also the original type locality where Pecos springnsnail was originally described, and establishing a population there would also provide a separate, redundant population to protect against potential catastrophic events. The goal of this project is to enhance the habitat conditions of Castle Spring so that it is conducive to Pecos springsnail survival and persistence.
Fish/Wildlife Conservation/Management, Fish/Wildlife Habitat Improvement, Threatened or Endangered Species, Wetlands/Springs
The New Mexico MMD has received an application from Frank Bain (Lordsburg Playa Exploration Manager) to issue the minimal impact exploration permit for the Lordsburg Lithium Exploration 2 Project assigned Permit No. HI025EM. This application requests drilling of six exploration boreholes to a depth of 500 feet, construction of six drill pads 75 feet by 50 feet, and 11,000 feet of overland travel. The applicant anticipates disturbing approximately 2.52 acres associated with the exploration activities.
Supplemental Watershed Plan Environmental Assessment for Upper Rio Penasco Sites 1, 2, and 3A Dam Rehabilitation Project
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Otero Soil and Water Conservation District are preparing a Supplemental Watershed Plan-Environmental Assessment for the Upper Rio Penasco Sites 1, 2, and 3A Dam Rehabilitation Project in the Lincoln National Forest in Otero County. A Public Alternatives Finalization Meeting will take place Tuesday April 14th at 6:30 PM in Mayhill, NM with a virtual attendance option available. The meeting will focus on a presentation of the alternatives considered, the overall evaluation processes, the alternatives selected as preferred, and to offer stakeholders an opportunity to provide feedback on any aspect of the project.
Proposed New CE for Forest and Woodland Density Management
The Bureau of Land Management is proposing the creation of a new Categorical Exclusion (CE) for forest and woodland density management. The new CE will allow the modification of tree density for up to 5,000 acres of treatment area, along with the creation 5 miles of new permanent roads and up to 2.5 miles per 1,000 acres of temporary roads (maximum of 12.5 miles for largest treatments). This CE would not replace the existing CE regarding these activities, and would be used in addition to the current CE which applies to smaller acreages.
Categorical Exclusion, Forest Thinning, Proposed Rulemaking, Roads and Bridges
The project is an approximately 0.88-mi underground oil pipeline. Additional details are unknown at this time, but wildlife and natural resource surveys are built into the project.
Steins/Kobold is planning to conduct exploratory drilling within the Analysis Area. This project will include drilling at 9 drill-hole locations, the construction and maintenance of access roads and project-associated facilities, and following the completion of the project, reclamation of the land. Anticipated start dates for the project are August 2026. Preliminary surveys have been completed to evaluate biological and cultural resources in the area, and to plan for their avoidance.
Site preparation will include construction of nine drill pads, each measuring approximately 100 feet by 100 feet (approximately 0.23 acres per pad, totaling 2.07 acres). Pads will be constructed using a D6 bulldozer or equivalent equipment and sized to accommodate the drill rig, support vehicles, water storage, core storage facilities, and ancillary equipment. Each pad will include adequate working space for safe equipment operation and material handling, including sumps for drill cuttings management, a driller's shed, portable toilet facilities, and designated areas for pipe storage, water trucks, and support equipment.
Access to drill locations will require construction of approximately 1.02 miles of new access roads and work on approximately 1.52 miles of existing access roads, consisting of approximately 0.78 miles of widening, 0.47 miles of 2-foot widening, and 0.28 miles of regrade. New roads will be constructed to a 13-foot width (11-foot blade width plus 1-foot spoil on either side) to accommodate drill rigs and support vehicles. Existing roads will be widened or regraded as needed to achieve a consistent 13-foot running surface. Access routes traverse a combination of BLM-administered surface, Hooper private lands, and approximately 0.25 mile of New Mexico State Trust lands administered by the NMLO. All work on private lands will be conducted pursuant to the executed surface access and exploration agreement with the Hooper family. All roads will be designed to follow natural contours to minimize cut and fill requirements and reduce erosion potential.
Water for drilling operations will be supplied through commercial water hauling from permitted sources, with an estimated daily usage of 500 to 1,000 gallons depending on drilling method and geological conditions encountered. Water will be transported in a 2,000-gallon capacity water truck and stored temporarily on drill pads. Support facilities at each drill location will include portable sanitation facilities serviced weekly by a licensed contractor, temporary core storage areas for geological logging and sampling, and equipment staging areas. All facilities will be removed upon completion of drilling at each location.
Following exploratory drilling operations, all disturbed areas will be returned to a condition suitable for the land's pre-disturbance use in accordance with the performance standards specified in 43 CFR 3809.420 and requirements established by the BLM Las Cruces District Office. Reclamation will incorporate concurrent reclamation during operations and final reclamation following completion of drilling.
Drill pads will be regraded to blend with surrounding topography and eliminate sharp angles or unnatural landforms. Roads will be reclaimed by pulling berms, installing water bars on slopes greater than 5 percent at 50- to 100-ft intervals, and restoring natural drainage patterns. Compacted surfaces will be scarified to a minimum depth of 6 inches on drill pads and 8 inches on roads to restore soil permeability and provide suitable seedbed conditions for revegetation. Sumps will be filled with excavated materials and compacted in 12-inch lifts.
Topsoil will be salvaged from drill pad and road locations prior to construction and stockpiled separately from subsoil and rock materials. Stockpiles will be clearly marked and protected from erosion throughout operations. Salvaged topsoil will be respread across all disturbed areas during final reclamation to restore nutrient-rich growing medium and seed bank for native plant establishment.
All reclaimed areas will be seeded with native plant species appropriate for Chihuahuan Desert plant communities native to Hidalgo County, New Mexico. Seed mixes will be selected in consultation with BLM Las Cruces District Office personnel to ensure species composition is consistent with the surrounding vegetation community and meets BLM reclamation standards. Seeding will be performed using hydroseeding or broadcast seeding with crimped straw mulch applied immediately following seeding operations to improve moisture retention and seed-to-soil contact. Noxious weed monitoring and control will be implemented throughout operations and the post-reclamation monitoring period using methods approved by BLM and the New Mexico Department of Agriculture.
All equipment, materials, supplies, and facilities associated with exploration operations will be removed from the Project Area within 30 days of completing operations at each location. Core boxes and geological samples will be transported to secure storage facilities. Any concrete pads or equipment footings will be removed and resulting excavations properly backfilled and restored to grade. No materials will be buried on site unless specifically approved by the BLM.
The Gila National Forest is seeking comments on the proposed Black Fire Watershed Restoration Project, a long-term effort to restore watershed health, ecological function, and infrastructure within areas affected by the 2022 Black Fire. The project area includes lands within the Wilderness, Black Range, and Silver City Ranger Districts of the Gila National Forest in Catron, Grant, and Sierra counties, New Mexico.
The Forest Service is preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) to evaluate potential environmental effects of implementing restoration and management actions across approximately 24 watersheds impacted by the Black Fire or its downstream effects. The proposed project uses a condition-based management approach that would allow restoration activities to occur over an extended implementation period, potentially 30 years or more, in response to changing conditions on the landscape.
Proposed activities may include restoration of riparian, aquatic, and wetland habitats; reforestation and vegetation management to improve ecosystem resilience; hazardous fuels reduction through thinning and prescribed fire; repair, reconstruction, or decommissioning of roads and trails; and management of caves, mines, and historic properties. These activities are intended to restore ecological function and improve watershed conditions, reduce the risk of future high-severity wildfire, protect water quality and wildlife habitat, and maintain safe public access.
Fire Management Planning, Fish/Wildlife Habitat Improvement, Flood Control/Mitigation, Forest Management, Forest Restoration, Proposed Action, Riparian Restoration, Water Management
New Mexico Statewide Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) General Permit Proposal
The Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 is providing notice of a proposed national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) statewide general permit for storm water discharges from municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) located in urbanized areas in the State of New Mexico. This permit offers discharge authorization to regulated MS4s within the boundaries of the Bureau of the Consus-designated 2000, 2010, and 2020 urbanized area and any other MS4s designated by the Director as needing a MS4 permit.
Clean Water Act Permit, Erosion Control, Flood Control/Mitigation, Water Infrastructure, Water Quality
The purpose of this project is to provide a desktop evaluation of potential existing resources within the Project Area that may preclude, constrain, or otherwise affect the development of the Project, and to provide a summary of potential federal, state, and local regulatory requirements for development of a project in this area.
The Project currently consists of seven active monitor wells MW-1, MW-2, MW-3A, MW-4, MW-5, MW-6, and MW-7. In addition, one monitor well MW-3 was plugged and abandoned on September 2, 2020. All constructed and plugged and abandoned wells are installed entirely on lands managed by New Mexico State Lands Office (NMSLO).
Search for the Final Comment Letter for a project that technical guidance staff at New Mexico Department of Wildlife 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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