Bulldozing Interrupts Key Mountain to River Corridor

Bulldozing on Lower Sunset in critical Arroyo 41A Mountain to River Corridor

Looking east from slickrock boundary

Members of the Borderland Mountain Bike Association recently discovered damage to the key arroyo corridor known as the Mountain to River Trail. The damage was done along the Lower Sunset Trail of the Franklin Mountain State Park in NW El Paso. Jobe Materials, which operates a quarry just to the west of the State Park, has admitted to bulldozing the area. Whether the area bulldozed was completely on State land leased to Jobe is being determined. The State Parks and Wildlife office is having their GPS survey analyzed at the State office in Austin. There is also some question whether the bulldozing affected PSB property.

Of course, if all of the area bulldozed was on land leased by Jobe, Jobe would be legally within their rights. What is questionable is whether the action was ethical in light of the need to preserve Arroyo 41A, the critical mountain to river corridor.

I have learned that Stanley Jobe is sensitive about the environmental issue and has promised that there will be no further damage. Jobe Materials has been a frequent contributor to many local charitable events. Some hope that their good corporate citizenship will continue and that they will mitigate the damage done to this arroyo while helping to preserve other arroyos.

Dave Wilson from the bike Association said: "It looks like they took a dozer for a joyride in order to put out boundary markers. The paths go to almost every marker they put out."

Two video clips showing the results of the bulldozing can be seen beginning here.

Looking west

Click to enlarge map. Follow Flow Path 41A