From jodonnell at vallevidal.org Thu Mar 2 13:08:57 2006 From: jodonnell at vallevidal.org (Jim O'Donnell) Date: Thu Mar 2 13:28:58 2006 Subject: [Coalition_for_valle_vidal] Valle Vidal Summer Outings 2006 Message-ID: <296e1d12443cbceeaaabfccf8cdd562a@vallevidal.org> VALLE VIDAL OUTINGS 2006 Below is a list of Valle Vidal outings for this coming summer. There are several more events in the planning but they have yet to firm up dates. I will send an updates list of events and additional information on the events below in about a month, but mark these on your calendar and please join us! May 27-29, 2006: Issues outing to the Valle Vidal. Memorial Day Campout. Arrive Saturday and enjoy easy to moderate hikes on Sunday and Monday. Communal meals possible on one or both nights. Co-sponsored by the Pajarito Environmental Education Center. Reservations a must. For more information, call Ilse Bleck at 662-2368. June 13-19, 2006: Watershed and Restoration Structure Evaluation on Comanche Creek. Sponsored by the Quivira Coalition, New Mexico Trout, Trout Unlimited and others. For more information please call Jim O?Donnell at 505-758-3874. June 16-18: Midnight Meadows ATV exclosure construction. Sponsored by Amigos Bravos and the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance. For more information, please call Rachel Conn at 505-758-3874. July 7-21, 2006: Installation of Restoration Structures on Comanche Creek. Sponsored by the Quivira Coalition, New Mexico Trout, Trout Unlimited and others.For more information please call Jim O?Donnell at 505-758-3874. July 7-8, 2006: Restoration Workshop with Bill Zeedyk. Sponsored by the Quivira Coalition, New Mexico Trout, Trout Unlimited and others. For more information please call Jim O?Donnell at 505-758-3874. September 9, 2006: Ash Mountain Hike. Sponsored by the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance and the Coalition for the Valle Vidal. For more information please call Jim O?Donnell at 505-758-3874. September 10, 2006: McCrystal Creek Hike. Sponsored by the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance and the Coalition for the Valle Vidal. For more information please call Jim O?Donnell at 505-758-3874. September 23, 2006: Little Costilla Climb. Sponsored by the Coalition for the Valle Vidal. For more information please call Jim O?Donnell at 505-758-3874. 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 From jodonnell at vallevidal.org Tue Mar 14 14:13:13 2006 From: jodonnell at vallevidal.org (Jim O'Donnell) Date: Tue Mar 14 14:26:11 2006 Subject: [Coalition_for_valle_vidal] Valle Vidal listserve cleanup and verifications Message-ID: Dear Valle Vidal supporters, We have recently had a large addition of folks to the Valle Vidal news and action e-list. If you were subscribed to this list by accident or no longer wish to be a member of this list, please unsubscribe here: http://lists.mandala-designs.com/mailman/listinfo/ coalition_for_valle_vidal. Scoll to the end of the page and enter your email address. The purpose of the Valle Vidal list is to make sure that those fighting for the permanent protection of the Valle Vidal have access to the latest information regarding the Valle Vidal and are kept apprised of the latest actions you can take to help protect the Valle Vidal. Out of respect for members of the list, we are keeping our emails to a minimum. You will generally receive no more than 2-3 emails a month from this list. That said, there are times when numerous actions take place all within a few days of each other and we will notify you of those actions accordingly. Again, if you were subscribed to this list by accident or no longer wish to be a member of this list, please unsubscribe here: http://lists.mandala-designs.com/mailman/listinfo/ coalition_for_valle_vidal. Scoll to the end of the page and enter your email address. Jim 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 From jodonnell at vallevidal.org Thu Mar 16 14:56:40 2006 From: jodonnell at vallevidal.org (Jim O'Donnell) Date: Thu Mar 16 15:12:57 2006 Subject: [Coalition_for_valle_vidal] Valle Vidal Benefit Dinner - March 30th - Taos Message-ID: <2a36c2d07529f08aab755fa8360562b7@vallevidal.org> Dear Valle Vidal supporters, Please join us for a benefit dinner for: The Coalition for the Valle Vidal -------------- next part -------------- RESERVATIONS https://secure.taoswebb.com/simplechange/vallevidal/reservation.php Please visit the following websites for complete project/event information: The Fund for the Valle Vidal? The Coalition for the Valle Vidal We hope to see you there! 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 From jodonnell at vallevidal.org Mon Mar 20 14:43:32 2006 From: jodonnell at vallevidal.org (Jim O'Donnell) Date: Mon Mar 20 15:03:05 2006 Subject: [Coalition_for_valle_vidal] The Effect of Your Valle Vidal Letters Message-ID: PEOPLE?S VOICE IS OVERWHELMING: PROTECT VALLE VIDAL !! Final Tally: 54,019 to 9 Taos, NM ? Of the 54,029 people who submitted comments to the U.S. Forest Service on New Mexico?s Valle Vidal, only 9 people favored coal-bed methane drilling in the area, andjust one?Senator Pete V. Domenici?did not take a position, according to a tally of the public comments conducted by the Coalition for the Valle Vidal. ?I am thrilled to see the results of this report,? said Tracy Boyce, a business owner in Cimarron, New Mexico. ?Considering the Boy Scouts and all the people who come here forthe Valle Vidal, coal-bed methane drilling there would truly hurt our local businesses.? The fate of ?New Mexico?s Yellowstone? will not be decided by a public vote; however, and local officials caution that special interests still wield massive power behind the scenes. ?I hope this overwhelming voice of citizens and business owners will help convince Senator Domenici and Representative Wilson to help pass legislation protecting the ValleVidal for the people of New Mexico,? said Don Borgeson, President of the Angel Fire Chamber of Commerce. ?Without their help, the will of the people could be ignored just to benefit a single special interest.? In September 2005, Northern New Mexico Representative Tom Udall introduced the Valle Vidal Protection Act (HB3817) in the House, while Senator Jeff Bingaman introduced theValle Vidal Preservation Act (SB1734) in the Senate. This legislation will protect the Valle Vidal for fishing, hiking, hunting, grazing and other traditional uses important to localeconomies and local lifestyles?however, it will only pass with bi-partisan help from Senator Pete Domenici and Representative Heather Wilson, according to local officials. Senator Jeff Bingaman has reviewed the analysis of public comments and had this to say: ?The analysis confirms what I?ve been hearing from New Mexicans for months ? that an overwhelming majority of people want this special place preserved. We know the benefits of drilling would be very small compared to what would be lost. I hope this impressive show of support for protecting the Valle Vidal helps build momentum forpassing legislation to preserve this area for the future,? Senator Bingaman said. Representative Heather Wilson submitted comments in September 2005 to the U.S. Forest Service opposing coal-bed methane drilling in the Valle Vidal; however, the Albuquerque representative has not yet thrown her support behind legislation that would provide certain and permanent protection for the ?Valley of Life.? Senator Pete Domenici submitted a letter in August 2005, which stood out as the only comment among 54,029 comments submitted that did not take a position on coal-bed methane drilling. ?Legislation is the only sure and permanent way to protect the Valle Vidal. We need help from Representative Wilson and Senator Domenici,? said Oscar Simpson, president of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, a statewide conservation group that works for the interests of hunters and anglers. All public comments submitted to the U.S. Forest Service were tallied by Theodore B. Hughes, who worked for the U.S. Forest Service?s Content Analysis Team, before the team?s privatization. The team compiled documents of public concerns for land managers within theUSFS, BIA, USFWS, NPS, BLM, and other federal agencies. ?The coalition decided to conduct this analysis because the U.S. Forest Service does not have the resources to go through every comment in detail,? said Oscar Simpson, president of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation. ?We wanted to make sure every voice was counted.? Public comments were obtained from the U.S. Forest Service through a formal request under the Freedom of Information Act. The Coalition for the Valle Vidal consists of a staggering list of municipalities, county commissions, chambers of commerce and over 400 businesses across New Mexico who have banded together in opposition to industrialization of the highly valued ?Valley of Life.? The Coalition determined to hire Hughes to be certain that every voice was counted. The Valle Vidal provides an outdoor adventure each year for thousands of Boy Scouts, is NewMexico?s only once-in-a-lifetime elk hunt, and is a nationally recognized fishing destination. The tally of public comments submitted to the U.S. Forest Service comes on the heels of four more local communities passing resolutions supporting permanent protection of the Valle Vidal. These communities join a long list of towns and counties that have passed similar resolutions. The communities of Wagon Mound, Maxwell, Roy and the Mora County Commission all passed resolutions March 14 asking for permanent protection from the U.S. Congress. These communities add their weight behind those of Cimarron, Eagle Nest, Questa, Las Vegas, Taos, Red River, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Springer, the Taos County Comission and Santa Fe County Commission, which have already passed similar resolutions. Nearly 400 businesses and local chambers of commerce across northern New Mexico have also joined together asking for the Valle Vidal?an economic engine generating millions each year in tourism revenue?to be permanently protected against coal-bed methane drilling. ?This overhelming voice of the people sends a clear and significant message that the Valle Vidal is vital for our communities? way of life,? said State Representative Hector Balderas of Wagon Mound. ##### 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 From jodonnell at vallevidal.org Thu Mar 2 13:08:57 2006 From: jodonnell at vallevidal.org (Jim O'Donnell) Date: Thu, 2 Mar 2006 11:08:57 -0700 Subject: [Coalition_for_valle_vidal] Valle Vidal Summer Outings 2006 Message-ID: <296e1d12443cbceeaaabfccf8cdd562a@vallevidal.org> VALLE VIDAL OUTINGS 2006 Below is a list of Valle Vidal outings for this coming summer. There are several more events in the planning but they have yet to firm up dates. I will send an updates list of events and additional information on the events below in about a month, but mark these on your calendar and please join us! May 27-29, 2006: Issues outing to the Valle Vidal. Memorial Day Campout. Arrive Saturday and enjoy easy to moderate hikes on Sunday and Monday. Communal meals possible on one or both nights. Co-sponsored by the Pajarito Environmental Education Center. Reservations a must. For more information, call Ilse Bleck at 662-2368. June 13-19, 2006: Watershed and Restoration Structure Evaluation on Comanche Creek. Sponsored by the Quivira Coalition, New Mexico Trout, Trout Unlimited and others. For more information please call Jim O?Donnell at 505-758-3874. June 16-18: Midnight Meadows ATV exclosure construction. Sponsored by Amigos Bravos and the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance. For more information, please call Rachel Conn at 505-758-3874. July 7-21, 2006: Installation of Restoration Structures on Comanche Creek. Sponsored by the Quivira Coalition, New Mexico Trout, Trout Unlimited and others.For more information please call Jim O?Donnell at 505-758-3874. July 7-8, 2006: Restoration Workshop with Bill Zeedyk. Sponsored by the Quivira Coalition, New Mexico Trout, Trout Unlimited and others. For more information please call Jim O?Donnell at 505-758-3874. September 9, 2006: Ash Mountain Hike. Sponsored by the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance and the Coalition for the Valle Vidal. For more information please call Jim O?Donnell at 505-758-3874. September 10, 2006: McCrystal Creek Hike. Sponsored by the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance and the Coalition for the Valle Vidal. For more information please call Jim O?Donnell at 505-758-3874. September 23, 2006: Little Costilla Climb. Sponsored by the Coalition for the Valle Vidal. For more information please call Jim O?Donnell at 505-758-3874. 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 From jodonnell at vallevidal.org Tue Mar 14 14:13:13 2006 From: jodonnell at vallevidal.org (Jim O'Donnell) Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2006 12:13:13 -0700 Subject: [Coalition_for_valle_vidal] Valle Vidal listserve cleanup and verifications Message-ID: Dear Valle Vidal supporters, We have recently had a large addition of folks to the Valle Vidal news and action e-list. If you were subscribed to this list by accident or no longer wish to be a member of this list, please unsubscribe here: http://lists.mandala-designs.com/mailman/listinfo/ coalition_for_valle_vidal. Scoll to the end of the page and enter your email address. The purpose of the Valle Vidal list is to make sure that those fighting for the permanent protection of the Valle Vidal have access to the latest information regarding the Valle Vidal and are kept apprised of the latest actions you can take to help protect the Valle Vidal. Out of respect for members of the list, we are keeping our emails to a minimum. You will generally receive no more than 2-3 emails a month from this list. That said, there are times when numerous actions take place all within a few days of each other and we will notify you of those actions accordingly. Again, if you were subscribed to this list by accident or no longer wish to be a member of this list, please unsubscribe here: http://lists.mandala-designs.com/mailman/listinfo/ coalition_for_valle_vidal. Scoll to the end of the page and enter your email address. Jim 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 From jodonnell at vallevidal.org Thu Mar 16 14:56:40 2006 From: jodonnell at vallevidal.org (Jim O'Donnell) Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2006 12:56:40 -0700 Subject: [Coalition_for_valle_vidal] Valle Vidal Benefit Dinner - March 30th - Taos Message-ID: <2a36c2d07529f08aab755fa8360562b7@vallevidal.org> Dear Valle Vidal supporters, Please join us for a benefit dinner for: The Coalition for the Valle Vidal -------------- next part -------------- RESERVATIONS https://secure.taoswebb.com/simplechange/vallevidal/reservation.php Please visit the following websites for complete project/event information: The Fund for the Valle Vidal? The Coalition for the Valle Vidal We hope to see you there! 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 From jodonnell at vallevidal.org Mon Mar 20 14:43:32 2006 From: jodonnell at vallevidal.org (Jim O'Donnell) Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 12:43:32 -0700 Subject: [Coalition_for_valle_vidal] The Effect of Your Valle Vidal Letters Message-ID: PEOPLE?S VOICE IS OVERWHELMING: PROTECT VALLE VIDAL !! Final Tally: 54,019 to 9 Taos, NM ? Of the 54,029 people who submitted comments to the U.S. Forest Service on New Mexico?s Valle Vidal, only 9 people favored coal-bed methane drilling in the area, andjust one?Senator Pete V. Domenici?did not take a position, according to a tally of the public comments conducted by the Coalition for the Valle Vidal. ?I am thrilled to see the results of this report,? said Tracy Boyce, a business owner in Cimarron, New Mexico. ?Considering the Boy Scouts and all the people who come here forthe Valle Vidal, coal-bed methane drilling there would truly hurt our local businesses.? The fate of ?New Mexico?s Yellowstone? will not be decided by a public vote; however, and local officials caution that special interests still wield massive power behind the scenes. ?I hope this overwhelming voice of citizens and business owners will help convince Senator Domenici and Representative Wilson to help pass legislation protecting the ValleVidal for the people of New Mexico,? said Don Borgeson, President of the Angel Fire Chamber of Commerce. ?Without their help, the will of the people could be ignored just to benefit a single special interest.? In September 2005, Northern New Mexico Representative Tom Udall introduced the Valle Vidal Protection Act (HB3817) in the House, while Senator Jeff Bingaman introduced theValle Vidal Preservation Act (SB1734) in the Senate. This legislation will protect the Valle Vidal for fishing, hiking, hunting, grazing and other traditional uses important to localeconomies and local lifestyles?however, it will only pass with bi-partisan help from Senator Pete Domenici and Representative Heather Wilson, according to local officials. Senator Jeff Bingaman has reviewed the analysis of public comments and had this to say: ?The analysis confirms what I?ve been hearing from New Mexicans for months ? that an overwhelming majority of people want this special place preserved. We know the benefits of drilling would be very small compared to what would be lost. I hope this impressive show of support for protecting the Valle Vidal helps build momentum forpassing legislation to preserve this area for the future,? Senator Bingaman said. Representative Heather Wilson submitted comments in September 2005 to the U.S. Forest Service opposing coal-bed methane drilling in the Valle Vidal; however, the Albuquerque representative has not yet thrown her support behind legislation that would provide certain and permanent protection for the ?Valley of Life.? Senator Pete Domenici submitted a letter in August 2005, which stood out as the only comment among 54,029 comments submitted that did not take a position on coal-bed methane drilling. ?Legislation is the only sure and permanent way to protect the Valle Vidal. We need help from Representative Wilson and Senator Domenici,? said Oscar Simpson, president of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, a statewide conservation group that works for the interests of hunters and anglers. All public comments submitted to the U.S. Forest Service were tallied by Theodore B. Hughes, who worked for the U.S. Forest Service?s Content Analysis Team, before the team?s privatization. The team compiled documents of public concerns for land managers within theUSFS, BIA, USFWS, NPS, BLM, and other federal agencies. ?The coalition decided to conduct this analysis because the U.S. Forest Service does not have the resources to go through every comment in detail,? said Oscar Simpson, president of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation. ?We wanted to make sure every voice was counted.? Public comments were obtained from the U.S. Forest Service through a formal request under the Freedom of Information Act. The Coalition for the Valle Vidal consists of a staggering list of municipalities, county commissions, chambers of commerce and over 400 businesses across New Mexico who have banded together in opposition to industrialization of the highly valued ?Valley of Life.? The Coalition determined to hire Hughes to be certain that every voice was counted. The Valle Vidal provides an outdoor adventure each year for thousands of Boy Scouts, is NewMexico?s only once-in-a-lifetime elk hunt, and is a nationally recognized fishing destination. The tally of public comments submitted to the U.S. Forest Service comes on the heels of four more local communities passing resolutions supporting permanent protection of the Valle Vidal. These communities join a long list of towns and counties that have passed similar resolutions. The communities of Wagon Mound, Maxwell, Roy and the Mora County Commission all passed resolutions March 14 asking for permanent protection from the U.S. Congress. These communities add their weight behind those of Cimarron, Eagle Nest, Questa, Las Vegas, Taos, Red River, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Springer, the Taos County Comission and Santa Fe County Commission, which have already passed similar resolutions. Nearly 400 businesses and local chambers of commerce across northern New Mexico have also joined together asking for the Valle Vidal?an economic engine generating millions each year in tourism revenue?to be permanently protected against coal-bed methane drilling. ?This overhelming voice of the people sends a clear and significant message that the Valle Vidal is vital for our communities? way of life,? said State Representative Hector Balderas of Wagon Mound. ##### 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