Other communities fight Concrete plants

Read the following article from San Antonio that a neighbor forwarded.

Four things I immediately picked up on: WE need a big sign close to the property

Need to write NMED Air Quality with concerns of Cystalline Silicia. Its Periodic Table symbol is SiO2. Do not see that listed in Roper's list of expected air emission pollutants per day during normal plant operations (3am to 9 pm).

Pollutant / Pounds Per Hour / Tons Per Year

PM10 / 3.50 pph / 5.72 typ

PM2.5 / 1.26 pph / 1.95 typ

SO2 / 0.00068 pph / 0.0030 typ

NOx / 0.063 pph / 0.28 typ

CO / 0.053 pph / 0.23 typ

VOC / 0.0070 pph / 0.031 typ

HAPs / 0.0012 pph / 0.0052 typ

TAP / <0.0001 pph / <0.0001 typ

CO2e / na / <10,000 typ

Instead of spending money on a lawyer - spend the money on making a park. Not really. Just my wishful thinking that maybe a park could solve all our problems AND we'd have a park! From the article:

As previously mentioned at Alto CEP meetings: Elect future County Commissioners willing to implement zoning laws. That is our problem here, likewise in this Texas town the article is about - No Zoning Laws. Change is needed to protect our prestine forested mountains and valleys.

Letter received from NMED-Air Quality. When you write opposing the cement plant - they keep you informed. Please note last paragraph on page 2

Initial Citizen Letter (9295)

Saikrishnan, Deepika, NMENV Attachments Sep 17, 2021, 5:10 PM (1 day ago) to Deepika,

Dear Concerned Citizen,

The New Mexico Environment Department's Air Quality Bureau (AQB) has received your comments expressing concern about Roper Construction Inc’s application for an air quality permit to construct the Alto Concrete Batch Plant near Ruidoso, in Lincoln County, near your home or property.

Your comments will be included as part of the permit application record.

This letter is intended to provide general information about the permit process and to inform you that the public notice is available in the Department’s website at the following link under the Lincoln County dropdown option: https://www.env.nm.gov/public-notices/.

Thank you,

Deepika Saikrishnan

If guidance or a determination is included in this email, it is intended to serve as general guidance and is in no way a formal statement of Department policy. New information or changes to regulations may result in a different determination or guidance.

Deepika Saikrishnan

Environmental Scientist

Permitting -Technical Services

NM Environment Department – Air Quality Bureau

525 Camino de los Marquez, Suite 1

Santa Fe, NM 87505

Work Cell: 505-629-3593

Deepika.saikrishnan@state.nm.us

www.env.nm.gov

Fighting the Cement Plant

At the Alto Coalition for Environmental Preservation meeting Sept. 16, the environmental lawyer, Tom Hnasko, said to keep writing letters opposing the plant to the NMED-Air Quality. The more they hear the community complianing and protesting, the better.

There are many other reasons besides Air quality to oppose the plant - water, endangerment to wildlife and bats, located on a scenic by-way, less than 3 miles to a Wilderness area, traffic/road conditions, operating hours of 3am to 9 pm (lights!), noise, declining property values, and protecting Snowy River Cave / Little Creek and the Bonito River. But it is important to limit your letter to reasons pertaining to air quality. This branch of NMED does not deal with nor cares about all the other reasons. Supposedly, when you write an opposition letter to NMED, they keep you in loop, letting you know when any action is taken by their department.

Original application can be read at: https://www-archive.env.nm.gov/air-quality/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/AQBP-Roper-AltoCBP-Application-Recv-2021.06.22.pdf

Write or email, including this heading to your letter: Reference: AQBP-Roper-AltoCBP-Permit Application Roper Construction’s Alto CBP

Deepika Saikrishnan

Environmental Scientist

Permitting -Technical Services

NM Environment Department – Air Quality Bureau

525 Camino de los Marquez, Suite 1

Santa Fe, NM 87505

Work: 505-629-3593

Deepika.saikrishnan@state.nm.us

www.env.nm.gov

Realtors of Lincoln County opposed concrete batch plant with letter to Lincoln County Commissioners, Office of the State Engineer, NMED Air Quality and Water Quality

More detail on What's Happening with the Roper Cement Plant Opposition

Opposition to Concrete Batch Plan: What’s Happening

Hearing Info: Our phone calls, letters, emails and signing the petition have worked!!! The New Mexico Environmental Department (NMED) has agreed to hold a public hearing regarding the proposed Concrete Batch Plant at a yet to be determined location in the Alto-Ruidoso area. Due to Covid-19 related schedule delays, the date for the hearing has been set back to sometime in the winter of 2021-2022.

Coalition Info: The newly formed group, “The Alto Coalition for Environmental Preservation” or Alto CEP has been established by The Ranches of Sonterra Property Owners Association (ROSPOA), and includes representatives and participation from other neighborhoods including Alto Lakes, Rancho Ruidoso Valley Estates, Enchanted Forest, Sun Valley, Legacy Estates and Gray Fox Lane, as well as participation from a number of local businesses. A web page is under construction at AltoCEP.org so everyone can follow and keep up on the fight forward.

Attorney Info: Mr. Tom Hnasko from Hinkle Shanor LLP of Santa Fe has been hired and is actively working our case. Mr. Hnasko is a well respected and a nationally recognized environmental and natural resources attorney with lengthy credentials. Mr. Hnasko has estimated legal costs could be as high as $500,000 due to the complexity of our case. The Ranches of Sonterra Property Owner’s Association has contributed $10,000 to fund Mr. Hnasko’s initial work on our case.

Donation Info: The Alto CEP is requesting donations of any amount to help fund our legal objections. Ruidoso CPA Phyllis Bewley will oversee the account, which will be used exclusively for legal costs.

Currently donations can be made in two ways: 1. Checks or Money Orders payable to “ROSPOA”, with a memo note designating “CBP Legal Fund". Send to: Phyllis Bewley, CPA-POB 123, Ruidoso, NM 88355 Attn: ROSPOA CBP Legal Fund

2. Or donations can be made via PayPal at theranchesofsonterra.com or AltoCEP.org. Monthly account statements showing balances, contributions and expenditures will be made public and available at theranchesofsonterra.com website. The identity of all donors will be anonymous. Please note - DONATIONS ARE NOT TAX DEDUCTIBLE.

Next Meeting Info: The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday September 16 at 7 pm at the Alto Lakes Country Club in the Pavilion Room. Mr. Tom Hnasko will be present to field questions. Everyone concerned about the proposed concrete batch plant on Hwy 220 is invited to attend.

The rain in August was Phenomenal

Roper Cement Plant UPDATE

Hearing Info:

Our phone calls, letters, emails and signing the petition have worked! There will be a hearing in Alto with the NMED Air Quality Division, but due to covid-19, the date for the hearing has been set back to some time in the winter of 2021-2022.

Coalition Info: The newly formed group, “The Alto Coalition for Environmental Preservation” has been set up under the Ranches of Sonterra Homeowner’s Association. A web page is in the works so everyone can follow and keep up on the fight forward.

Attorney Info: Mr. Tom Hnasko has been hired. Mr. Hnasko is a well respected environmental attorney with lengthy credentials throughout the country. Mr. Hnasko has predicted, worse case scenario could be up to $500,000 in costs. Ranches of Sonterra has put up $10,000 to get the ball rolling.

Donation Info: The Coalition is looking for donations of any amount to help defer the legal cost. Phyllis Bewley, CPA will oversee the account. Scrutiny as to monies donated, how the monies are dispersed and the disposition of surplus funds, will be the responsibility of the Chair, Vice Chair and Treasury Team.

To Donate Info: Money orders and checks please make out to “ROSPOA , For/Memo” designating the Concrete Batch Plant Legal Defense. Send to Phyllis Bewley, CPA - POB 123 Ruidoso, NM 88354 Attn: ROSPOS CBP or go to Ranches of Sonterra web page and on the left you will see a menu and a place to click on, to donate using PayPal.

Next Meeting Info: The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday September 16 at 7 pm at the Alto Country Club in the Pavilion Room. Mr. Tom Hnasko will be present to field questions. Everyone concerned about the concrete batch plant on Hwy 220 is invited to attend.