BDD Project Newsletter
Vol. 1, Issue 1 • July 2009
BDD Contractor Joins BLM To Clean Up Recreational Area
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During a cleanup of BLM-administered land near
the Buckman Direct Diversion (BDD) project on May 30, 2009, crews helped
full up three dumpsters with large items such as televisions and mattresses. |
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One area cleaned up by volunteers with the
BDD contractor in partnership with the Santa Fe Field Office of the
BLM was dubbed “toilet hill.” |
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Lester Smith, project engineer with the BDD
contractor, stands by a loader that the BDD contractor donated use
of in order to help remove items illegally dumped on BLM-administered
land during a cleanup on May 30, 2009. |
CH2M HILL/Western Summit Constructors Joint Venture, the contractor for the Buckman Direct Diversion (BDD) Project, joined the Santa Fe Field Office of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on May 30 to clean up several acres of BLM-administered land near the BDD construction area that had become an unofficial “large item” waste dump.
The BDD contractor donated the use of four loaders, one forklift, a Ranger (two-passenger All Terrain Vehicle), five pickup trucks and several dumpsters in addition to a dumpster provided by Santa Fe County. A number of volunteers, including 23 people associated with the BDD, helped pick up and remove items including old tires, refrigerators, toilets, couches, and computers. Public volunteers picked up broken glass and materials related to the area’s use as an informal shooting range, such as used shotgun shells and brass casings.
“By removing these items, we hope to discourage people from continuing to dump unwanted things in the area, and also to encourage those who use this land as a shooting range to pick up after themselves by cleaning up their used shotgun shells and brass,” said Ray Selvy, general manager for the BDD contractor.
He said the BDD contractor is committed to keeping the construction zone clean, and that they hope the cleanup will encourage recreational users of the land near BDD construction area to do the same. “A lot of people use this area for dirt bike riding, ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) riding, hiking and fishing. We encourage the people who use the area to join together to keep it clean so that it can continue to be enjoyed by everyone,” Selvy said.
Selvy estimated the total value of equipment and labor donated by the BDD contractor at approximately $10,000. “We hope future cleanups will not be needed, but will certainly be willing to help when we can,” he said.