Mount Taylor Area
July 1, 2020
Due to COVID-19 concerns, we have decided to postpone the 2020 Mount Taylor Area Field Conference until 2021.
Letter from the NMGS President, Shannon Williams, to the membership:
Dear NMGS Members,
I am emailing today to let you know that after careful consideration, the Executive Committee and Conference Organizers have chosen to postpone the Mt. Taylor Area Fall Field Conference to 2021. We have come to this decision based on several factors related to COVID-19:
- The state of New Mexico continues to adjust recommendations and requirements associated with COVID-19 and continues to loosen requirements; however, at this time, none of the current business openings would assure that field conference housing, food supply, and food venues could meet the needs of such a large group by September. Although this may all change for the better by September, making plans in such a tenuous atmosphere is not advisable.
- Although this is a field trip, which will allow social distancing on any given outcrop, the transportation between stops will require close proximity of attendees within vehicles.
- At least one day of the trip is on Laguna property. Our collaborator on that portion of the trip, the Laguna Environmental and Natural Resources Department, continues to be closed. We consider it unlikely that we will be able to secure the needed permit to go forward, which would be submitted this month under normal circumstances.
- And finally, we make this decision with NMGS Members in mind. We have heard concerns from members who would like to go on the field trip but who think attending in September 2020 is a risk to their health. As many of our members are at high risk for the coronavirus disease, we feel it is irresponsible to encourage members to attend a field conference this year, and we would regret to lose the attendance of members who would add so much to the quality of the conference.
We are working out the details of getting technical papers posted online; the full guidebook will be published next year with the occurrence of the fall field conference. Another email will announce when those online papers become available, likely in September. Future fall field conferences, Socorro Area and Southeast NM, will also be pushed back a year to 2022 and 2023, respectively.
I am truly saddened to be sending this news, but we will always do what is in the best interest of our membership, even when it is difficult. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, concerns, or comments. swilliams@geo-logic.com
With kindest regards,
Shannon Williams
NMGS President