Santa Fe, N.M. – The Mining and Minerals Division of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department presented the 2017 Excellence in Reclamation Awards to Rangeland Hands, Inc., of Santa Fe, and to Riverbend Engineering, LLC, of Albuquerque, for their outstanding work on the Madrid Low Impact Stormwater Project in Santa Fe County.

"The awards this year recognize a context-sensitive effort to safely and successfully mitigate historic mining-related impacts to the community in Madrid, New Mexico," stated Ken McQueen, Cabinet Secretary of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department. "These companies designed and applied state-of-the-art, innovative reclamation techniques in the Madrid Low Impact Stormwater Project."

Rangeland Hands and Riverbend Engineering worked with the Mining and Minerals Division's Abandoned Mine Land Program to design and install innovative, effective, and locally sustainable stormwater infrastructure and erosion control measures that rehabilitated degraded land, and minimized visual impacts to the historic landscape such that the work is barely noticeable.

Ken McQueen, Secretary of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (middle)
Steve Carson, Rangeland Hands, Inc. (Left)
Chris Philips, Riverbend Engineering, LLC (Right)

Instituted in 1996, the Excellence in Reclamation Award recognizes excellence and innovation in coal, hard rock and aggregate mine reclamation and abandoned mine land reclamation projects, and for raising public awareness of mining issues through outreach projects conducted around the state. The Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department presents the awards at the annual New Mexico Mining Association Conference.

MMD warns citizens to please be aware that abandoned mine features contain nothing of value, are extremely unstable, and pose serious danger, even death, to those who disturb them or enter hazardous openings. The best practice is to Stay Out and Stay Alive.

The award presentation and information on previous award winners are posted on MMD's website at: http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/mmd/ExcellenceReclamation.html.