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Thursday, April 8, 2004

Rep. Wilson Sees Hope For Otero

By John Brennan
Mountain View Telegraph
    Congresswoman Heather Wilson hiked the trails of Otero Canyon on Tuesday, and found hope for a solution to a long-running dispute over access to the area.
    Wilson said she hopes to relate her firsthand impression of the area to Kirtland Air Force Base officials within two weeks.
    Otero Canyon has more than 40 miles of trails that are popular with mountain bikers and hikers. The trails have been described as a hidden gem by mountain bikers from around the world who have ridden the trails for years.
    Some of the trails, however, are located in what is called the withdrawal area— U.S. Forest Service land that was administratively withdrawn from Forest Service control in the 1940s and put under the authority of the Department of Defense. Kirtland officials say the area always has been closed to the public, although the closure has not always been enforced.
    Kirtland announced plans last year to erect a fence in the area, for security reasons and because the area contains unexploded weapons and other hazards. The plan drew strong opposition from recreational users of the area, including a public meeting in June attended by more than 600 people.
    Last month, Kirtland officials revealed what they called a compromise plan, which would move the fence back a half-mile from the base's eastern boundary and preserve some of the trails.
    Opponents of the fence noted at the time that the exact location of the new proposed fence route was still unclear, and that moving it a short distance either way could make a huge difference to trail users.
    Wilson hiked about 81/2 miles Tuesday with seven members of Friends of Otero, a grass-roots group that has worked since last year to preserve public access to the area.
    What she saw makes her think it may be possible to secure the base and also preserve public use of the trails, she said.
    "It strikes me that the line of that fence, whether it's 50 feet one way or another way, will really impact that trail system," Wilson said after the hike. "I just want the base to work with users of the area to preserve as much as they can while still securing the base."
    Wilson said she had reviewed the latest fencing plan from Kirtland but wanted to hike the area herself to "go up and see it on the ground."
    "The ridge is actually pretty wide and flat, and there is the option to move the fence and preserve trails," she said.
    Jeni Turgeon a Friends of Otero member who hiked with Wilson, said the day was "a very positive experience."
    "We were really pleased with having the congresswoman with us," Turgeon said. "She seems to see some areas where a compromise might still be possible with the base. It really showed her support for the Otero Canyon issue."
    Wilson's hike also opened her eyes to another possibility. She said a small adjustment in the fence route may allow public access to another 5,000 acres of Forest Service land that would be landlocked under the current fence plan.
    She said that land is accessed in the northeast corner of the withdrawal area and is bounded by Interstate 40 on north, the Four Hills area to the west, the Rio Grande Portland Cement plant on the east and Kirtland to the south.
    "If they run the fence as they currently plan to, that would be closed off from the East Mountain side," Wilson said. "It might be possible as well for the base to allow people to get in there. It's public land, and that also may be a way to help accommodate both recreational use and base needs."
    Wilson said she would write to Kirtland commander Col. Henry L. Andrews Jr. and also ask for a sit-down meeting with him.
    "I certainly have some suggestions for them and hope to work on them," she said. "I also will ask that the comment period (on the new plan) be extended, it's only 30 days now."
    Wilson said she will be in New Mexico for the next two weeks and hopes to meet with Andrews during that time.
    "I very much appreciate the base's willingness to work with us on this," she said.