By Camilla Feibelman, Chapter Director | Rio Grande Chapter
Year in review: Success partnered with chaos in 2025
January
Thousands attend the People’s March to protest Trump’s promised policies. State Sen. Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, introduces climate and just-economic transition bills at the legislative session.
February
SB4, The Clear Horizons Act, which would have codified the governor’s climate climate orders, fails in the Senate Finance Committee with all Republicans and two Democrats, Benny Shendo of Jemez Pueblo and Chair George Muñoz of Gallup, voting against it.
Hundreds gather for Climate Crisis and Lands, Water and Wildlife Days at the Roundhouse delivering dozens of articles enumerating the impacts of climate change on New Mexico to the offices of Senators Shendo and Muñoz.
March
Chapter wins major legislative victories including SB48, Community Benefits Act, and SB 83, Innovation in State Government, a $300M investment in climate solutions and a just economic transition. SB21, giving NM primacy over its surface water permitting and intermittent waterways that were left unprotected by a US Supreme Court ruling.
SB5, reforms the newly named State Wildlife Department and State Wildlife Commission — formerly the State Game Commission. Governor line item vetoes provision for commissioner removal for cause only. The US Fish and Wildlife Service releases the 2024 Mexican Wolf population count at 286, an increase of 11% over 2023. There are 162 wolves in NM and 124 in AZ.
April
Thousands turn out for the annual Earth Day Festival co-organized by the Chapter. This year’s we focused on energy efficiency and EV rebates available to the public.
Chapter members table at and join thousands of others for Hands Off! rallies to protest the destruction wrought by the Trump regime.
Rancho Viejo Solar and battery project to be located south of Santa Fe, supported by the Northern Group and the Chapter, gains county Planning Commission approval. Former Global Warming Express student, now university climate science major Magnificent Farrell gives a thoughtful and passionate speech in support of the project to great acclaim. Club opposes Trump administration’s efforts threatening public lands and monuments.
Catron County declares a “wolf emergency,” claiming wolves are a threat to humans, which they are not.
State Sen. Mimi Stewart, author of SB4, the Clear Horizons Act, and her entire staff request a visit with the students of the Global Warming Express Program at Acequia Madre Elementary School. They attend an after-school class in order to understand how the students learn and process environmental science and public policy information.
May
Sierrans join the May Day March in defense of working and immigrant families.
Chapter is part of a group that successfully persuades the state Water Quality Control Commission to adopt a rule to prohibit the discharge of toxic oil and gas produced water into surface and ground waters and opposes a House bill to end a methane emission reduction program that eliminates a charge on emissions and funds a grant program to reduce pollution.
June
Members gather at Capulin Springs for our annual appreciation picnic.
Chapter Director Camilla Feibelman is an invited speaker, addressing a crowd of about 20,000 people at the No Kings Rally in Albuquerque.
Thousands gather in Santa Fe to protest US Interior Department head Doug Burgum’s efforts to sell off public lands.
The US Supreme Court allows licenses for nuclear waste facilities to stand in NM and Texas. The Chapter and State of NM both opposed this storage; the legislature passed legislation prohibiting it in 2023.
The State Game Commission unanimously passes a science-based Wildlife Action Plan supported by the Chapter.
State learns of Trump plans to roll back several national monuments, including Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks. Letter of protest sent.
Mexican wolf Asha, who roamed in the wild almost to Colorado, twice, gives birth to 5 pups in captivity.
July
The Water Quality Control Commission votes to move forward with an oil and gas industry-backed proposal that would allow produced water to be discharged to surface and ground waters for a range of industrial, agricultural and commercial uses despite the ban on discharge outside of oil and gas operations it just approved in May.
Flash flooding ravages communities in Texas and in Ruidoso.
EPA proposes elimination of the “endangerment finding,” which allows the agency to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.
Sierra Club joins the Good Trouble Lives On Candle Light Vigil inspired by John Lewis to keep resisting Trump policies.
Club opposes EPA elimination of methane release fee.
New Mexico youth travel to the Sierra Club’s Claire Tappan Lodge for a student activist training. They join participants from across the US in a vote to reestablish the Sierra Student Coalition, the youth-led arm of the Sierra Club.
August
Asha, her captive mate and all 5 pups are named the Quartz pack and are finally released to the wild on a private ranch in NM. But not all the wolf news is good. Ella, “the wondering wolf,” was found dead near Mt. Taylor, and two other wolves were killed by US Fish and Wildlife at the urging of ranchers. The Catron County Emergency Wolf Declarations spreads to Socorro and Sierra Counties. The NM State Game Commission signals willingness for wolves to be allowed to roam north of I-40 at its meeting in Catron County, where comments supporting wolves in the wild exceeded those in opposition.
Dozens of New Mexicans speak out against the rollback of the EPA’s Endangerment Finding.
Trump EPA proposes a delay of the implementation of its methane rule that would have applied to Texas, which is largely unregulated, leaving New Mexico communities exposed even with our nation-leading rules. Also EPA rules would have led to certain improvements to our state rules.
The Chapter and other partners win the fight against the reopening of the Copper Flat mine in southern NM.
September
Through webinars, radio stories and car shows, the Chapter helps New Mexicans take advantage of federal EV tax credits before the Trump administration’s elimination of the tax credit on Sept. 31.
Sierra Club cohosts the SUNday of Action along with 350NM, Third Act and other groups.
Six Global Warming Express year-long programs for New Mexico students ages 8-11 kick off the 14th year of the program and the 8th year of the program’s partnership with the Rio Grande Chapter.
October
Sierra Club helps plan and lead the massive No Kings 2.0 March in Albuquerque, and members take part in protests around the state.
The Chapter is among those urging tighter bonding requirements for oil and gas producers in rulemaking at the Oil Conservation Commission. Dozens speak out in public comment.
AES solar and storage effort clears Santa Fe County Commission. Opponents appeal to court.
Years-long effort by Chapter comes to an end when Holtec decides not to put more waste in NM.
November
Chapter opens its new office by the Sunport Airport.
Chapter sees 12 of 15 endorsed candidates win. Three others, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller and City Council Candidates Teresa Garcia and Stephanie Telles, faced runoff elections on Dec. 9.
Under pressure from the public and environmental groups including the Chapter, the Water Quality Control Commission reverses its decision to consider Big Oil’s proposed produced-water rule. This reversal restored our prior win, a rule prohibiting the discharge of treated fracking wastewater into New Mexico’s waters.
The Bureau of Land Management moves to eliminate the 10-mile buffer zone around Chaco Historic Park.
Trump nominates former US Rep. Steve Pearce, D-NM, to lead the Bureau of Land Management. The Chapter opposes, given his record of threatening public lands protections.
NM’s US Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján both vote to stop EPA’s methane-rules delay, but the challenge to the delay fails.
2025 NM State Wildlife Action Plan approved by US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Seven new avian, fish and non-game species biologists, and one coordinator for Species of Greatest Conservation Need have been hired at the soon-to-be renamed NM Department of Wildlife.
Rio Grande Chapter file photos, Miya King-Flaherty and Richard Barish, photographers.