Above: Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park

People contribute to the destruction of the Franklin Mountains every time they use large rocks from the Franklins to build rock fences and crushed rock for landscaping.

New  rock quarry in west El Paso threatens people, plants and animals     

by Ursula Sherrill


Speak Out: What do you think should be El Paso's response to the new rock quarry in West El Paso?

Of 42 desert arroyos stretching from the Franklin Mountains to the Rio Grande, only one, number 41A, is undeveloped.  The El Paso City Council declared arroyo 41A part of the official “Mountain to River Trail” in the Open Space Master Plan in 2008.  41A can be seen from Franklin Mountains State Park’s Upper Sunset Trail.   Recently, a large segment of the arroyo appeared to be enclosed in a bulldozed rectangle, containing hundreds of acres, which marks the boundaries of a new rock quarry.

If the quarry becomes operational, it could drastically alter the landscape and life of the Franklin Mountains and adjacent lands. To envision these potential changes, take a look at existing quarries in the area. Several can be seen while driving east on US 62/180 toward Hueco Tanks, and then there is the massive 750 acre McKelligon Canyon quarry. The first change is likely to occur when vegetation is removed. Native wildlife, such as the Lesser Nighthawk and the Texas Horned Lizard, depends on vegetation for cover, food sources, and nest sites. Some plants of concern, the Night-blooming Cereus and Sneed’s Pincushion Cactus, for example, need stable soil conditions to grow.  The effects of a quarry could compound the difficulty that wildlife and native plants have surviving in our increasingly urban setting. We have enough species of concern as is.  Drilling and blasting can send particulates into the air. Particle fallout could coat vegetation so that growth is hampered and food supply for deer and other plant eaters is diminished.

Tiny particles in the air can sink into human lungs as well. Depending on wind direction, particulates can impact air quality around schools and homes.   According to an El Paso Times report from June 22, 2006, airborne particulates in the Montana Vista neighborhood near an eastside quarry were associated with widespread breathing problems in adults and children and concern that lower property values would result from the pervasive dust. Further, the Mine Safety and Health Administration website (http://www.msha.gov ) describes the dangers to mine workers themselves from fine particulate matter.

Water quality and flow issues are also possible problems. Runoff from rain events naturally follows arroyos to the Rio Grande. However, if these conduits are altered, as arroyo 41A may soon become, enhanced flooding can occur, as in the August 2006 monsoon season (www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/2006/ann/events.html).

Since area drinking water comes in part from the Rio Grande, we need to be careful that our watershed is not funneling silt and sand to the river from a quarry which is instigating erosion of topsoil.

Furthermore, a quarry could dramatically alter the gateway to the city. As seen from I-10 heading south toward El Paso, a quarry could mar the natural beauty of its Northern Chihuahuan Desert setting and prompt visitors to wonder about the city’s values and priorities. The majesty of the Franklin Mountains is a reason to live in El Paso. If the magnificence of the mountains is marred, our city’s economy may suffer.

Should the quarry develop as planned, it may bring about some uncomfortable changes in our lives. I urge you to talk with your city representatives to find a solution before we are faced with what could become a matter of compromised public health and safety. For more information, please see the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition website at http://www.franklinmountains.org and then click Conservation Issues on the left.