BEND, OR -- Deschutes River Woods residents are celebrating the cancelation of the sale of a lava flow in their neighborhood. Kevin Peterman, the owner of the rock quarry Able Supply, withdrew his $185,000 offer to purchase the lava field from Arnold Irrigation.
Julie Kisic, with the group "Save the Lava," tells KBND News, "Our primary goal has always been to acquire the land and to protect this land from any type of development. And see it incorporated into the Newberry Volcanic National Monument." The group hopes to combine private donations and public fundraising to purchase the land with the conservation group Trust for Public Lands and turn it over to the forest service.
Read more about Save the Lava.
Peterman says he planned to build a home on the property and had no intention of mining for gravel. The group said either activity would have a negative impact on their neighborhood and property values. "It’s almost as if somebody drew an imaginary line through the lava field and said, 'on this side it is a national treasure and on this side of the line it’s just useless rock,'" says Kisic. She says the group feared building a home on the property could lead to further development of the 86-acres.
