The Valles Caldera National Preserve. Courtesy photo
VCNP News:
JEMEZ SPRINGS — The Valles Caldera National Preserve has published for public review the Environmental Assessment for the proposed construction of a new garage and maintenance facility in the Preserve.
The new facility would feature two large garage bays for the Preserve’s all-electric shuttle vans, and a shop/office area. The all-electric shuttle vans would be sheltered and re-charged in the garage bays, and be protected from the ever-present rodents that damage vehicle electrical wiring systems. The building will also be structured to provide the facility management program with an on-site maintenance shop and base of operations. The garage construction site would be located in a previously disturbed part of the Valle Grande cabin district, and would replace several large metal storage containers and a shed.
The project is funded in part from a 2013 grant to the Preserve from the Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, under the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in Parks Program (TRIP). The $545,000 grant funded the purchase of the two all-electric vans, a 25kW solar photovoltaic panel system to generate the electricity for the vans, and a garage to protect the vans from weather and rodents. The vans and solar PV system have been acquired, and the garage will satisfy the third and final component of the grant.
The Environmental Assessment can be viewed on the NPS Planning, Environment & Public Comment (PEPC) website (https://parkplanning.nps.gov/ ), and the public is invited to comment on the project within the website or in written comments via the U.S. mail (address written mailed comments to: Robert R. Parmenter, Valles Caldera National Preserve, P.O. Box 359, 090 Villa Louis Martin, Jemez Springs, NM 87025-0359 USA).
The comment period closes April 13, 2018.
