On June 9th, State Senator John Sapien met with ES-CA board members and other members of ES-CA to listen to residents’ concerns. The main issue discussed was sand and gravel mining in the Placitas area. Both LaFarge and Fisher were highlighted.
A major issue raised was the location of the air sensor that is monitored by the State. It was noted that the only sensor in the area is located in Bernalillo. Senator Sapien said that he will contact the New Mexico Environment Department to discuss placing an air monitoring device in Placitas that is proximate to the LaFarge mining operation. ES-CA will follow-up with the Senator on this matter.
Senator Sapien said that he has been working with the Sandoval County Counsel to craft legislation that will strengthen the zoning enforcement powers of the County. The next legislative session is not until 2015 and the Senator will have a bill ready to introduce at that time.
There was also a discussion as to whether sand and gravel mining should be under the control of the State, or remain under control of the County. While County control gives Placitans more access to the government, State control would carry more authority when dealing with violations. ES-CA welcomes your comments on this issue.
Senator Sapien also said that he opposes Bernalillo annexing the Fisher site. Bernalillo Mayor Jack Torres has also expressed reservations about annexing the site. As of now, there have been no new applications submitted by Fisher to the Town. ES-CA will continue to monitor this issue.