[Coalition_for_valle_vidal] Update on the Fight to Protect the Valle Vidal

[Jim O'Donnell]

Valle Vidal Supporters,

The Forest Service has called the battle over the Valle Vidal a 
"marathon".  They are exactly right.  As of today, we find ourselves at 
around mile seven.  The battle for the Valle Vidal is far from over.

Where are we now?

Forest Service Amendment Planning process is not yet half over. During 
the scoping comment period, the Forest Service received nearly 55,000 
comments from people opposed to drilling the Valle Vidal. Now, the 
Forest Service has to wade through those comments, take them into 
account and develop a DRAFT Environmental Impact Statement that will be 
issued sometime in the spring of 2006.  At that time, the public will 
have another chance to comment on the plan.  The final plan will be 
issued about one year from now.

Valle Vidal Legislation in Congress.  In October, the Valle Vidal 
Protection Act was heard in the House Subcommittee on Forests and 
Forest Health.  By all accounts, the hearing went very well for us 
although it has not moved forward since then.  The bill will not move 
forward without the support of Rep. Heather Wilson from Bernalillo 
County.  While she has opposed drilling with today’s drilling 
technologies, she has not come out in support of Rep. Tom Udall's bill. 
 We need to have her on our side if we are to reach our goal of 
permanent protection.

Letter Writing – an explanation

Over the past few months, the Coalition for the Valle Vidal has, again 
and again, asked for you to write letters to various policy makers and 
newspapers on behalf of the Valle Vidal.  Getting your letters in at 
the appropriate time has a very large impact for the Valle Vidal.  It 
is only through a sustained and continuous public outcry that our 
policy makers know that the Valle Vidal is of the utmost importance to 
the people of New Mexico and beyond.  Your response to our letter 
writing appeals IS having an effect.   But you can’t stop now.

There is a lot more letter writing to come.   

In 2006 we will again ask for your help to:

•	push the Forest Service on the Valle Vidal Amendment Plan,
•	support the ONRW nomination for the waters of the Valle Vidal (see 
below),

•	push our elected representatives to do the support our legislation in 
Congress and to fight off an underhanded and backroom attacks on the 
Valle Vidal.

•	VOLUNTEER TODAY! The Coalition is in need of at least three 
volunteers to pass out information, perform data entry and organize 
information.  A bit more information about volunteer duties is provided 
below.


We hope that you will stick with us for the duration of this "marathon!”

Oustanding National Resource Waters (ONRW) Nomination

In August, Governor Richardson nominated the waters of the Valle Vidal 
for protection under the ONRW clause of the Clean Water Act and NM 
Water Quality Standards. To be eligible for ONRW status, waters must 
have “ecological or recreational significance.”  The waters of the 
Valle Vidal surely meet those standards and achieving ONRW designation 
will protect these waters from future degradation, while still allowing 
current activities in the area to continue.

The hearing to determine the status of the Valle Vidal waters is 
scheduled for Tuesday December 13th and will probably carry over into 
the 14th.  The hearing starts at 9:00am and is being held in Apodaca 
Hall of the  PERA building in Santa Fe.  We now need to get as many 
people there as possible.  There will be an opportunity for public 
comment so we want to get as many people as possible to give comment as 
well as just to fill up the room to show the Water Quality Control 
Commission that there is public support for the nomination.  The Water 
Quality Control Commission is the decision making body who will decide 
whether or not to designate the waters of the Valle Vidal as 
Outstanding National Resource Waters.

We will organize transportation to the hearing on the morning of the 
13th and if necessary the 14th.  We will eave from the AB office at 
7:30 am each morning,  We will send out more details as it gets closer, 
call/email if they plan on attending.

If people can't make it to the hearing we are asking them to send a
letter in support of the nomination to the Water Quality Control 
Commission.  A sample letter and mailing address are at: 
http://www.amigosbravos.org/actionalerts/actionalerts.html

Please contact Rachel Conn at: 505-758-3874 for more information

ONRW On the Radio

Brian Shields and Rachel Conn of Amigos Bravos and Yvette Paroz from 
the Department of Game and Fish discussed the upcoming Outstanding 
Natural Resource Water (ONRW0 nomination for the waters of the Valle 
Vidal. The show was aired on Monday November 28th at 8:30am on KRZA 
88.7 FM and it will be posted on Cultural Energy's (the production 
studio) website at http://www.culturalenergy.org.

Volunteers Sought

  The Coalition is in need of at least three volunteers.   We need 
someone who could help us:

1.   Organize our information library, file newspaper and magazine 
clippings, catalouge photographs, etc.
2.   Perform data entry. Literally thousands of people have asked to be 
continually updated on the Valle Vidal battle and we need to enter 
their emails and addresses into a database over the next two to three 
months.
3.  Tabeling.  Currently, we have one brave volunteer who is passing 
out information on a weekly basis.  She needs some help!

If you would like to volunteer, please call Jim O'Donnell at 
505-758-3874.


The Valle Vidal will not be industrialized.


Are you a member of the Coalition for the Valle Vidal?  Would you like 
to support our efforts?  Join or contribute today at: 
http://www.vallevidal.org/involved.html
Jim O'Donnell
Outreach Coordinator, Coalition for the Valle Vidal
www.vallevidal.org
PO Box 238
Taos, NM 87571
505-758-3874

Are you a member of the Coalition for the Valle Vidal?  Would you like 
to support our efforts?  Join or contribute today at: 
http://www.vallevidal.org/involved.html