El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail 1,200 miles in Mexico and 654 miles in the US, (Texas and NM) of which 377 miles (57%) is privately owned.

A lot of the trail mileage is beside the Rio Grande River.

Estimated visitors per year: Should increase from 900 to 5,500.

To have activities that integrate themes, resources, and landscapes on private land.

Grandfathered and valid existing rights would be recognized on Public lands.

Routes on BLM-administered land where the physical integrity and high-potential sites and segments and the surrounding visible landscape would be negatively impacted would be closed.

OHV routes on BLM-administered lands where protected archeological and historic and trail route segments would be negatively impacted would be closed.

Livestock grazing under the preferred alternative would continue on public lands with no reductions and limited additional restrictions. The greatest impacts would occur on Jornada del Muerto area of the Las Cruces Field Office.

Protection of non-federal lands would be accomplished through certification, cooperative agreements, easements, local regulations, and fee simple purchase or exchange with willing sellers.

AND they want Non-governmental organizations as partners. They consider working with land preservation groups such as The Nature Conservancy would be a great help.

Being this trail starts in Mexico, is it going to be a new route for uncontrolled illegal immigration?

I did not find any mention of immigration in the document when scanning through it.

ALL THIS FOR 5500 VISITORS A YEAR -- MAYBE.

Contact information: Leaders, Harry Myers Harry_Myers@nps.gov  and Terry Humphrey at the address listed above.

Suggested comments:

Recommend adoption of Alternative A, the no action alternative.

Request an extension to the comment period for the preparation of a economic impact analysis.

The Draft Environmental Impact Statement does not comply with the National Environmental Policy Act. It provides no information on:

a. The relationship between local short-term uses of man's environment and the maintenance and enhancement of long-term productivity.

b. The impacts of proposed actions on the physical, biological, social and economic aspects of the human environment. This should include a thorough and complete economic impact analysis.

The draft document does not include any type of economic analysis or cost information.

Information from the Federal Register announcing the availability of the document.

October 18, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 202)]

Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail, and proposed amendments to the Taos, Mimbres and White Sands Resource Management Plans, New Mexico.

SUMMARY: The National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management announce the availability of the Draft El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail Comprehensive Management Plan (CMP) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The plan provides alternative visions for managing the trail between El Paso, Texas, and San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico. This plan also addresses Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendments to the BLM's Taos, White Sands, and Mimbres RMP's related to protection of scenic values.

Added to the National Trails System in October 2000, El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (Royal Road of the Interior) National Historic Trail (NHT) recognizes the primary route between the colonial Spanish capital of Mexico City and the Spanish provincial capitals at San Juan de Los Caballeros (1598-1600), San Gabriel (1600-1609) and then Santa Fe (1610-1821). The NHT, as designated, extends 404 miles from El Paso, Texas, to San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico.

This draft CMP/EIS focuses on the NHT's purpose and significance, issues and concerns related to current conditions along the NHT, resource protection, visitor experience and use, and long-term administrative and management objectives. Elements of the proposed plan have been developed in cooperation with federal, state, and local agencies as well as nonprofit and non-governmental organizations--the entities that will form the core of partnerships with the NHT. Community meetings were held in Alcalde, Espanola, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Socorro, Truth or Consequences, Sunland Park and Las Cruces, New Mexico, as well as in El Paso, Texas. Meetings were held with several North American Indian Pueblos.

The plan provides a range of alternatives for management direction for the NHT, addressing management of BLM-administered lands within the Las Cruces, Socorro, Albuquerque and Taos Field Offices as well as opportunities on other federal, tribal, state, local or private lands. Issues addressed in the draft plan include three statutory requirements (recreation, interpretation and protection of historic values), as well as integration with tribal and community plans, visitor services, education, scenic values and international interests. The following alternatives are discussed in the draft plan:

Alternative A: This is the no-action alternative, which serves as the baseline for evaluating the changes and impacts of the other action alternatives. Under Alternative A, federal agencies would continue to manage their lands (through which the trail passes) based upon their existing management plans. There would be no overall administration or coordination of the NHT. There would be no effective coordination of the activities of an NHT association, private landowners, and federal, state, and local agencies. There would be no directed cooperation that would result in resource protection. Current visitor and recreational activities commemorating or interpreting the trail would continue.

Alternative B: Collaborative efforts by NHT administration and partners would be directed toward the protection of trail resources (historical, cultural, and natural) on both private and public land. Active stewardship and certification priorities would protect threatened trail resources. A coordinated visitor experience along El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro NHT would be provided and structured to promote public understanding and appreciation of NHT-related resources. An auto tour route would be established. Existing recreational opportunities that are not trail-related, but provided by private landowners and various agencies and organizations would continue.

Alternative C (preferred alternative): An ambitious program of resource preservation and visitor use would be implemented under this alternative. Trail administration and partners would work cooperatively to provide coordinated programming and activities that integrate themes, resources, and landscapes at certified sites on private land or protected sites on public land. Resources that best illustrate the trail's significance would be identified and protected on both public and private land (high-potential sites and segments). Certification priorities would be placed upon sites and segments supporting interpretive and educational programming and protecting significant resources. An auto tour route would be established. A bi-national approach with Mexico would promote activities such as interpretation, events, and signage. The BLM's Taos, White Sands and Mimbres Resource Management Plans would be amended to protect important scenic values.

DATES: Comments must be received within 90 days from the date that the Environmental Protection Agency publishes a Notice of Availability and Filing of the Draft EIS in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES:

National Park Service Long Distance Trails Office 2968 Rodeo Park Drive West Santa Fe, New Mexico

Bureau of Land Management New Mexico State Office 1474 Rodeo Road Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Correspondence should be addressed to:

Team Leaders El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail P.O. Box 728 Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504-0728.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Team Leaders, Harry Myers Harry_Myers@nps.gov  and Terry Humphrey at the address listed above.

http://www.nm.blm.gov/www/news_releases/NR_2003/cam1024.rel.htm