ONRT News:
ALBUQUERQUE — The New Mexico Office of Natural Resources Trustee (ONRT) announced recently that it has identified a proposed project to create new floodplain habitat along the Bosque and enhance public use of the area through new trails utilizing remaining funds from natural resource injury settlements at the AT&SF Tie Treater and South Valley Superfund sites.
The project is described in a draft addendum to previously approved natural resource restoration plans and ONRT is seeking public comment before finalizing the plan.
In the early 2000s, ONRT reached settlements in two natural resource injury cases that provided approximately $5,847,000 for groundwater quality and habitat restoration projects.
After implementing the restoration projects selected in the original publicly noticed Restoration Plans, approximately $566,000 in restoration funding remains to be used for additional groundwater restoration projects. The draft addendum describes ONRT’s proposed restoration project that, if implemented, would expend the remaining restoration funds.
Public participation and review are an integral part of the natural resource restoration planning process. The draft addendum is available for public review and comment until Sept. 30. Public comments may be submitted through ONRT’s online comment portal here, via email to nm.onrt@state.nm.us, or by mail to the New Mexico Office of Natural Resources Trustee, 121 Tijeras NE, Suite 1000, Albuquerque, NM 87102.
ONRT will consider all public comments received during the comment period and will address comments, as appropriate, in the final version of the addendum.
The AT&SF Tie Treater site is in Albuquerque near Rio Grande State Park. The site operated as a railroad tie treating plant from 1908 to 1972. The use of wood treatment products led to the release of hazardous substances, which injured groundwater and wildlife habitat resources. The South Valley Superfund site is also in Albuquerque and spans approximately two square miles in the South Valley area. This site was used for industrial operations beginning in the 1950s. Hazardous substance releases led to the contamination of soil and groundwater resources.
To begin this phase of the restoration planning process, ONRT reached out to local stakeholders to identify potential restoration projects in the Albuquerque area that would benefit groundwater resources. ONRT identified one priority restoration project, a partnership with the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority on the Southside Wastewater Reclamation Plant Outfall Restoration project.
The draft addendum includes a description of this proposed project and the results of ONRT’s evaluation of the project. The proposed project would provide groundwater and habitat benefits through the creation of new floodplain habitat along the Bosque and the enhancement of existing riparian habitat. The project would also enhance public use of the area through new trails. ONRT encourages the public to review the draft addendum and provide public comment.
The Draft Addendum to the Restoration Plans for the AT&SF Tie Treater and South Valley Superfund sites and other documents related to those sites are available on ONRT’s website here or may be requested from the New Mexico Office of Natural Resources Trustee, 121 Tijeras NE, Suite 1000, Albuquerque, NM 87102, 505.670.6499. The Executive Summary of the Draft Addendum is available in Spanish here.
About the Office of Natural Resources Trustee (ONRT)
ONRT is a state agency created by statute to ensure that New Mexico’s natural resources that have been injured by the release of hazardous substances are restored for the full benefit of New Mexicans. ONRT assesses injury to natural resources caused by contamination and then seeks compensation from the responsible parties for restoration of those injured resources. The funds obtained through settlements are used to restore, replace, or acquire the equivalent of injured, destroyed or lost natural resources and the services they provide. For more information about ONRT, visit www.onrt.state.nm.us.
