Santa Clara Pueblo could gain 3,600 acres of state trust land near Española as part of a land-exchange deal between the CS Cattle Co. and the New Mexico State Land Office.

The CS Cattle Co. is offering to trade 2,600 acres of ranch land in the Whites Peak area of Northern New Mexico in exchange for trust land there, a parcel near Albuquerque and two large parcels near Española. The 3,600 acres near Española — appraised in 2009 at a value of almost $10 million without mineral rights — would then be sold to Santa Clara Pueblo, according to Kristin Haase, public information officer for the State Land Office.

Walter Dasheno, the recently re-elected governor of Santa Clara Pueblo, was out of the office and did not respond to a message left for comment. Julia Davis Stafford, who handles legal issues and strategic planning for the company, did not return a call for comment.

The State Land Office has worked for more than a year on a proposed trade of 10,963 acres of state trust lands around Whites Peak, a popular hunting site, for 9,656 acres of private land from four ranches. The appraised value of the private land is $23.2 million and the value of the trust land was appraised at $10.3 million. The four landowners involved are CS Cattle Co., the David Stanley Ranch, the UU Bar and William Galloway.

The deal has angered hunters who say the deal isn't a good one for sportsmen or the public and will create a private playground for hunters. State Land Commissioner Patrick Lyons maintains the land exchange will resolve land disputes in the checkerboard area, consolidate trust lands and improve public access. Lyons plans to give a briefing for state legislators about the situation at 1 p.m. Thursday at the State Land Office in Santa Fe.

The CS Cattle Co., a ranch since 1873, is offering 2,600 acres in exchange for 166 acres of state trust land near Whites Peak. Since the swap involves a value-for-value trade, not acre-for-acre, the Land Office is offering the other parcels to the company to sweeten the deal.

One of the parcels is 41 acres of undeveloped industrial state trust land in the middle of Mesa del Sol, a development south of Albuquerque. The parcel was valued at $2.24 million. The ranch would plan to sell the parcel to Mesa del Sol after the trade, Haase said, though no one from the ranch has confirmed that yet.

Haase said Santa Clara Pueblo has been talking to the State Land Office for three years now about acquiring the 3,600 acres known as Arroyo Seco State Trust Land. "It's important because it's adjacent to tribal land, and I understand holds significant religious value to Santa Clara and other pueblos," Haase said.

CS Cattle Co. would get the land through the proposed Whites Peak trade and then negotiate a price for the property with the pueblo.

The grassland, piñon and arroyo-marked property has been used for grazing. One of two grazing leases is held by Roddy Leeder, president of the paving and construction company RL Leeder in Santa Fe. Leeder has built barns, corrals, installed a mobile home and made other improvements on the land, which weren't included in the appraisal, according to the appraisal report by Whitney Appraisal Associates. Leeder did not return a call seeking comment.

The appraisal notes no water rights are included.

Contact Staci Matlock at 986-3055 or smatlock@sfnewmexican.com.