Below is a copy of a November 24, 2008 email that Lucia Turner, Acting Executive Director, Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP), sent to update the public about the Preserve's continuation of the planning for "public access and use" that was begun on December 6, 2006 (here, under Visitor Use and Access, December 6, 2006) and will continue in 2009. This planning is a part of the VCNP's upcoming National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process that is required by federal law. The letter gives a brief outline of the planning process and a rough idea of how long it will take. It tells the public how they may participate and includes exact details on how to submit comments. It is an informative letter that is respectfully cognizant of how long the public has waited for this NEPA process to begin.
A planning team, Enterprise Technical Services (ETS), that "will include engineers and landscape architects who have expertise in designing multi-use facilities on public lands and incorporating innovative techniques in planning" has been commissioned by the VCNP Board of Trustees. ETS is part of the United States Forest Service. This team will use the information gathered during public meetings in 2007 as well as a business plan being developed by ENTRIX Inc. and additional public feedback to "draft a reasonable set of alternatives" for the Preserve's NEPA process (here, under National Environmental Policy Act Procedures, July 17, 2003).
The "planning and decision-making process" required by NEPA is expected to extend into 2010-2011 before any action on public access and use is taken. Not long after that, by 2015, the VCNP is constrained to prove that they have the potential to become financially self-sufficient. The Preserve is required to have actually attained financial self-sufficiency by 2020 or become a land unit of the forest service. (Some of us who have observed the tumult of the VCNP's constant turnover of staff, administration and board members believe that financial self sufficiency will only happen with divine intervention.)
What worries me is that in the interest of forcing the VCNP to prove that they can become financially self-sufficient, the true desires and needs of the public to re-create on this public land will be lost in a welter of ill-advised money-making schemes that won't allow fair access to the Preserve except for those who have the big bucks (and I don't mean elk!) required for admission.
Do we have to wait until this tortured "Experiment in Public Land Management" mercifully ends to be allowed to enjoy this beautiful, tax-payer purchased land? Do we have to wait until then to hear no more excuses like that allowing people to hike along the rim of the Valles Caldera will only encourage poaching and trespass (more on that here)? Are you tired of this long process of waiting to be allowed to explore the land that your tax dollars purchased? Is it unreasonable to have expected greater access nine years after the VCNP became public land? How many of you feel this way? What can we do together to change this experiment in public land mis-management?
Will you please give your comments to the VCNP on what you would like to see happen in relation to your use and access of this great public land.
18161 State Highway 4
P.O. Box 359
Jemez Springs, NM 87025
T 505-661-3333
F 575-829-4614
www.vallescaldera.gov
info@vallescaldera.gov
Date: November 24, 2008
File Code: VCVCPN
Friends of the Valles Caldera,
In December of 2006, the Board of Trustees authorized Trust staff to “collect data and information (Phase 1) to support planning (Phase 2, NEPA) to develop programs, facilities and infrastructure for public access and use of the Valles Caldera National Preserve” This Proposed Stewardship Action (PSA) can be viewed on our website, www.vallescaldera.gov; a link is available on our homepage, From our Home Page, select “Get Involved” from the menu on the left; then select “Stewardship”, scroll down and select “Proposals”, on the left; select "Visitor Use and Access" ‐ the document is titled Proposed Steward Action, dated December 6, 2006.
One of the elements identified in the PSA was to, “Complete a socio-economic and market analyses at various scales to look at current and future trends as well as potential markets and niches.” Towards this end, we have recently acquired a draft Business Plan from ENTRIX Inc. That effort started in March of 2008. While we refer to it as a plan, the purpose of the ENTRIX document is to suggest alternatives under which financial self-sufficiency is possible. We do not consider it as a plan in the sense that any decisions have been made, or any actions have been proposed, on its contents. It is to be used as a reference to continuing the information gathering efforts as described in the PSA. In the outreach and subsequent award of the contract to be fulfilled by ENTRIX Inc., the Trust emphasized the consideration of alternatives that could lead to financially self-sufficient management of the Preserve. As suggested in the State of the Preserve, public use of and access to the Preserve is likely the key to achieving this benchmark established by Congress.
The Trust has put together a planning team, Enterprise Technical Services (ETS), who is using the information collected through the public workshop series held in 2007, the business planning document being completed by ENTRIX Inc., as well as additional analysis and public feedback, to draft a reasonable set of alternatives in support of Phase 2 (NEPA), of public use and access planning as described in the PSA. The team being developed will include engineers and landscape architects who have expertise in designing multi-use facilities on public lands and incorporating innovative techniques in planning. In the upcoming year, this team will be focused on completing phase one and will be calling on our interested public for their participation and feedback.
Phase 2 will represent the planning and decision-making process as defined in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This process begins with a Notice of Intent (NOI), published in the Federal Register that identifies the proposed action, the purpose and need for action as well as any alternatives being considered. It is our intent that when the Trust publishes this NOI, our stakeholders will clearly see the values and goals put forward in the public work shop series and their feedback provided to our planning team this year, represented in the alternatives put forward.
We expect to publish the NOI late in 2009. Planning and decision making under NEPA is expected to take from 12-18 months following the publication of the NOI. NEPA mandates a period for public comment following the NOI and another period of review and comment for a draft Environmental Impact Statement. Opportunities to comment through meetings or workshops will also be provided during this process. Of course the public is welcome to comment at anytime by:
• selecting the “feedback” option on our website,
• sending an email to comments@vallescaldera.gov,
• sending surface mail to P.O. Box 359, Jemez Springs, NM 87025 to the attention of “Public Use and Access Planning” or,
• providing verbal comments any of our public meetings of the Board of Trustees, held three or more times throughout the year.
As previously stated, the PSA authorized in December of 2006 can be viewed on our website, www.vallescaldera.gov. In addition, all the posters and materials presented at the 2007 public workshop series are also available. From our home page, select “Get Involved” from the menu on the left; then select “Public Meetings”, “Planning Meetings”, and “Virtual Meetings”; the complete link is: http://www.vallescaldera.gov/get_involved/public/public_plan_vm.aspx .
We recognize that the length of time required for planning is frustrating. The development of programs and facilities for use and access represents an important array of decisions regarding the management of the Preserve. The time and resources required for planning typically reflect the importance and complexity of the decision to be made. We appreciate your patience as well as your participation and are looking forward to your continued participation as we begin this phase of planning.
Sincerely,
/s/ Lucia Turner
Lucia Turner
Acting Executive Director
A planning team, Enterprise Technical Services (ETS), that "will include engineers and landscape architects who have expertise in designing multi-use facilities on public lands and incorporating innovative techniques in planning" has been commissioned by the VCNP Board of Trustees. ETS is part of the United States Forest Service. This team will use the information gathered during public meetings in 2007 as well as a business plan being developed by ENTRIX Inc. and additional public feedback to "draft a reasonable set of alternatives" for the Preserve's NEPA process (here, under National Environmental Policy Act Procedures, July 17, 2003).
The "planning and decision-making process" required by NEPA is expected to extend into 2010-2011 before any action on public access and use is taken. Not long after that, by 2015, the VCNP is constrained to prove that they have the potential to become financially self-sufficient. The Preserve is required to have actually attained financial self-sufficiency by 2020 or become a land unit of the forest service. (Some of us who have observed the tumult of the VCNP's constant turnover of staff, administration and board members believe that financial self sufficiency will only happen with divine intervention.)
What worries me is that in the interest of forcing the VCNP to prove that they can become financially self-sufficient, the true desires and needs of the public to re-create on this public land will be lost in a welter of ill-advised money-making schemes that won't allow fair access to the Preserve except for those who have the big bucks (and I don't mean elk!) required for admission.
Do we have to wait until this tortured "Experiment in Public Land Management" mercifully ends to be allowed to enjoy this beautiful, tax-payer purchased land? Do we have to wait until then to hear no more excuses like that allowing people to hike along the rim of the Valles Caldera will only encourage poaching and trespass (more on that here)? Are you tired of this long process of waiting to be allowed to explore the land that your tax dollars purchased? Is it unreasonable to have expected greater access nine years after the VCNP became public land? How many of you feel this way? What can we do together to change this experiment in public land mis-management?
Will you please give your comments to the VCNP on what you would like to see happen in relation to your use and access of this great public land.
VCNP Letter to the Public
Valles Caldera Trust18161 State Highway 4
P.O. Box 359
Jemez Springs, NM 87025
T 505-661-3333
F 575-829-4614
www.vallescaldera.gov
info@vallescaldera.gov
Date: November 24, 2008
File Code: VCVCPN
Friends of the Valles Caldera,
In December of 2006, the Board of Trustees authorized Trust staff to “collect data and information (Phase 1) to support planning (Phase 2, NEPA) to develop programs, facilities and infrastructure for public access and use of the Valles Caldera National Preserve” This Proposed Stewardship Action (PSA) can be viewed on our website, www.vallescaldera.gov; a link is available on our homepage, From our Home Page, select “Get Involved” from the menu on the left; then select “Stewardship”, scroll down and select “Proposals”, on the left; select "Visitor Use and Access" ‐ the document is titled Proposed Steward Action, dated December 6, 2006.
One of the elements identified in the PSA was to, “Complete a socio-economic and market analyses at various scales to look at current and future trends as well as potential markets and niches.” Towards this end, we have recently acquired a draft Business Plan from ENTRIX Inc. That effort started in March of 2008. While we refer to it as a plan, the purpose of the ENTRIX document is to suggest alternatives under which financial self-sufficiency is possible. We do not consider it as a plan in the sense that any decisions have been made, or any actions have been proposed, on its contents. It is to be used as a reference to continuing the information gathering efforts as described in the PSA. In the outreach and subsequent award of the contract to be fulfilled by ENTRIX Inc., the Trust emphasized the consideration of alternatives that could lead to financially self-sufficient management of the Preserve. As suggested in the State of the Preserve, public use of and access to the Preserve is likely the key to achieving this benchmark established by Congress.
The Trust has put together a planning team, Enterprise Technical Services (ETS), who is using the information collected through the public workshop series held in 2007, the business planning document being completed by ENTRIX Inc., as well as additional analysis and public feedback, to draft a reasonable set of alternatives in support of Phase 2 (NEPA), of public use and access planning as described in the PSA. The team being developed will include engineers and landscape architects who have expertise in designing multi-use facilities on public lands and incorporating innovative techniques in planning. In the upcoming year, this team will be focused on completing phase one and will be calling on our interested public for their participation and feedback.
Phase 2 will represent the planning and decision-making process as defined in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This process begins with a Notice of Intent (NOI), published in the Federal Register that identifies the proposed action, the purpose and need for action as well as any alternatives being considered. It is our intent that when the Trust publishes this NOI, our stakeholders will clearly see the values and goals put forward in the public work shop series and their feedback provided to our planning team this year, represented in the alternatives put forward.
We expect to publish the NOI late in 2009. Planning and decision making under NEPA is expected to take from 12-18 months following the publication of the NOI. NEPA mandates a period for public comment following the NOI and another period of review and comment for a draft Environmental Impact Statement. Opportunities to comment through meetings or workshops will also be provided during this process. Of course the public is welcome to comment at anytime by:
• selecting the “feedback” option on our website,
• sending an email to comments@vallescaldera.gov,
• sending surface mail to P.O. Box 359, Jemez Springs, NM 87025 to the attention of “Public Use and Access Planning” or,
• providing verbal comments any of our public meetings of the Board of Trustees, held three or more times throughout the year.
As previously stated, the PSA authorized in December of 2006 can be viewed on our website, www.vallescaldera.gov. In addition, all the posters and materials presented at the 2007 public workshop series are also available. From our home page, select “Get Involved” from the menu on the left; then select “Public Meetings”, “Planning Meetings”, and “Virtual Meetings”; the complete link is: http://www.vallescaldera.gov/get_involved/public/public_plan_vm.aspx .
We recognize that the length of time required for planning is frustrating. The development of programs and facilities for use and access represents an important array of decisions regarding the management of the Preserve. The time and resources required for planning typically reflect the importance and complexity of the decision to be made. We appreciate your patience as well as your participation and are looking forward to your continued participation as we begin this phase of planning.
Sincerely,
/s/ Lucia Turner
Lucia Turner
Acting Executive Director
VALLES CALDERA NATIONAL PRESERVE
“An Experiment in Public Land Management”
“An Experiment in Public Land Management”