By Jody Benson, Pajarito Group newsletter editor After 21 months of strategizing, communicating with the local government and Krogers Corporate, after research, meetings, letter-writing, public presentations, and op-editorializing — after addressing the SavetheBaggers’ issues by changing our request from a
The dirty history of oil near Chaco
By Robert Tohe, Our Wild America New Mexico coordinator Chaco Canyon’s ancient legacy and the oil and gas industry have been on a collision course since oil was first discovered in 1920s. The early role of the federal government, through
Chaco communities in oil-field crosshairs
By Teresa Seamster, Northern New Mexico Group How can oil-drilling leases cause the loss of an individual’s safety, private property and ability to follow religious practices? The greater Chaco area in northwest New Mexico’s San Juan Basin is experiencing a
Southwest Chief gets lifelines
By Norma McCallan, Chapter vice chair You may remember that the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, which owns much of the tracks in New Mexico that the Southwest Chief travels daily between Los Angeles and Chicago, announced it would not
Bernalillo County Okays Santolina master plan
By Chantel Chavez and Antonio Maestas, Southwest Organizing Project The residents of Bernalillo County are wrestling with questions about the well-being of New Mexico after the Bernalillo County Commission approved the Santolina development master plan on June 16. In this
Be an Abq Bosque Sentinel and protect urban open space
Albuquerque is one of only two urban places in the country that protects its riparian zone as a natural place rather than a developed urban park. To help protect what makes our Bosque so special, we’re forming a Bosque Sentinels
Deal shuts door on funding for Gila River alternatives
By Allyson Siwik, Chapter Executive Committee, Gila Resources Information Project/Gila Conservation Coalition After weeks of negotiations, the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission approved in June a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) to form the entity that will be responsible for the
Gains and losses for clean water in dairy settlement deal
By Dan Lorimier, Chapter Conservation Coordinator At its May 12 meeting in Santa Fe, New Mexico’s Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC) adopted sweeping amendments to the existing discharge rules for our more than 150 Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) dairies.
Solar Summer: step back from the abyss and act
By Camilla Feibelman, Chapter director Sierra Club members and activists come from all backgrounds. But I think on Thursday, June 18, we all felt a little bit Catholic, and those of us who are Catholic or were raised so might
Clean-water groups appeal copper rule
By Allyson Siwik, Rio Grande Chapter Executive Committee and Director, Gila Resources Information Project The New Mexico Attorney General and water-protection groups have filed petitions with the New Mexico Supreme Court seeking reversal of the Court of Appeals’ opinion upholding