BLM completes major land swap with New Mexico

The Bureau of Land Management and New Mexico have completed a land swap that allows Union Pacific Railroad to move ahead with efforts to secure a Santa Teresa refueling station. The exchange was announced Friday by Union Pacific spokesman Luis Heredia. The State Land Office will give the BLM a square mile of land on the edge of the Organ Mountain recreation area east of Las Cruces and 9,300 acres in the Sand Ranch about 25 miles east of Roswell. In return, the BLM will provide 320 acres on the Las Cruces west mesa and 1,838 acres along an eight-mile stretch of Union Pacific track north of the Santa Teresa port of entry. Heredia said Omaha, Neb.-based Union Pacific will bid to acquire the 1,838-acre tract when it is offered for sale at auction, perhaps this fall. AP