The Valles Caldera Listening Sessions are complete. Los Alamos County staff will continue to receive e-mail and written comments from the public through Sunday, March 14th. All comments received from the public will be compiled as part of a packet and presented to Council for review on Friday, March 26th. A new draft resolution will be included in the packet for Councilors’ to consider in advance of the April 6th Council meeting. At that meeting, it is expected that Council will vote to approve a resolution representing the County’s position regarding the future management of the Valles Caldera National Preserve
The public listening sessions were held on Thursday, March 4th at Fuller Lodge and Tuesday, March 9th at the White Rock Town Hall to provide County Council and staff the opportunity to hear the public’s opinions regarding VCNP management.
The listening session began with summary presentations from representatives from the following agencies:
1. The National Park Service. Rick Frost and Karen Breslin, representatives from the Intermountain Region out of Denver, CO provided insight and clarification regarding the National Park Service’s processes and policies. Michelle D’Arcy, the author and principal presenter of the NPS December 15, 2009 report Valles Caldera National Preserve, An Update Report on the NPS 1979 New Area Study, also participated. A copy of the report is readily available on their website
2. The Valles Caldera Trust. Communications and Marketing Manager Terry McDermott and VCNP General Manager Dennis Trujillo presented the current and planned activities on the VCNP. Information regarding the Trust’s activities, as well as its 2009 Report to Congress is readily available on their website .
3. Caldera Action. President Tom Jervis spoke on behalf of this 501(3)(C) non-profit organization whose mission is “…to foster active citizen participation in the restoration, protection, and appreciation of the Valles Caldera National Preserve, for the long-term benefit of the place itself, the American public, and visitors from around the world.” Information regarding Caldera Action, its observations and recommendations can be found on their website.
Both meetings were facilitated by Allison Majure from the Department of Public Utilities. Following the presentations, the attending County Councilors asked clarifying questions and then the microphone was turned over to the public for approximately one hour of comments. To make effective use of time and to understand the group consensus around specific issues, the facilitator summarized the points made by each commenter and asked for a show of hands.
Of the 69 members of the public who attended the first meeting at Fuller Lodge, the following number raised their hand in support of the 14 specific issues listed below:
1) Number of people who had accessed the VCNP: 18
2) Want more public access at a lower cost: 49
3) Want controlled access for dogs and horses: 16
4) Camping should be allowed: 44
5) Want larger openness and more recreational opportunities: 46
6) Keep hunting and fishing: 26
7) NPS management will alienate neighboring Native American tribes: 4
8) Trust is taking potential hotel, restaurant business from Los Alamos County: 38
9) Need for protection against threat of development: 50
10) There are Valles Caldera Trust inefficiencies, e.g., tax payer funds vs. rates per visitor : 42
11) Valles Caldera Trust’s Board of Trustees’ management style is inadequate: 45
12) Public lands should not have to pay for themselves: 41
13) Science and education programs should continue: 49
14) NPS should manage the VCNP: 67
Of the 27 members of the public who attended the second meeting at the White Rock Town Hall, the following number raised their hands in support of the specific issues listed below:
1) Current management provides lack of access: 19
2) There are too many controls on current access: 18
3) NPS will encourage development of lodging: 3
4) NPS does not necessarily provide easier or free access (per Bandelier): 4
5) Best solution is to keep the Trust, but change the enabling legislation so that locals can serve on Board of Trustees: 4
6) Need more access on more days for mountain biking: 14
7) Need to more widely publicize current mountain biking events throughout the region/state: 14
8) With current management staff, the Trust needs to be given more time to make improvements within current enabling legislation: 6
9) 3 entities under NPS management (Bandelier, VCNP, proposed Manhattan Project Historic National Park): 17
10) More access for youth, scouts, camping, hiking: 22
11) No to national park: 16
12) Yes to a national preserve: 22
13) Turn the VCNP over to the Park Service: 16
14) Fire management/staffing is a concern with current management: 14
Continue to check the County's webpage for updates on VCNP management process.
In the meantime, you can still submit your comments on the VCNP by Sunday, March 14, 2010.