Ellen Loehman, Author at Rio Grande Chapter

EPA Releases Improved Safeguards to Ensure Oil and Gas Operators Monitor and Stop Climate-Warming Methane Leaks

On November 11, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a supplemental rule proposal that would establish strong, commonsense protections against methane and other harmful pollution from the oil and gas industry. This proposal improves upon a draft rule that EPA issued last November to curb methane from the oil and gas sector. A strong methane rule will help the United States meet its more ambitious emissions reduction commitments expected to be unveiled at COP27, and will go a long way in protecting the air families who are surrounded by oil and gas pollution on a daily basis have to breathe.

No More Sacrifice Zones

Adding to growing calls for President Biden to follow through on his promise to stop fossil fuel leasing on public lands, on November 3 groups delivered more protests in response to the Bureau of Land Management’s latest proposal to lease over 260,000 acres of public and ancestral tribal lands across Wyoming, New Mexico, and Kansas at its proposed May 2023 oil and gas lease sale.

Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter statement on New Mexico unofficial election results so far

As we await the results of legislative races and Congressional District 2, the Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter released the statements about the races that have been called.

Supreme Court stay blocks customers’ bill credits reflecting ETA savings from coal closure

In a disappointing ruling on 11/1, the New Mexico Supreme Court granted PNM a stay on the Public Regulation Commission’s order requiring the utility to credit customers an average of $8.19 a month.

Endorsements for 2022 General Election – Statewide Races

Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club – endorsements for 2022 general election for NM statewide offices that include governor an secretary of state.

Pajarito to rejoin Northern Group

An online poll asked members if they would like to remain a separate Pajarito Group or rejoin the Northern Group. The separation occurred in 1998 to focus on Los Alamos National Laboratory issues and the Valles Caldera. The votes were 68% to rejoin Northern Group; 32% to stay independent Pajarito.

New Mexico Can Act to Prevent Ill-Advised Profit Scheme

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is scheduled in early 2023 to grant Holtec International a license to ‘temporarily’ store high-level nuclear waste near Carlsbad. Federal law requires a permanent disposal site to be identified before any interim site is established, but no such site has been identified. We need state legislation to prevent this from happening.

NM State House Endorsements

Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club – endorsements for 2022 general election for NM State House races.

Continued leasing undercuts Greater Chaco progress

President Biden and Interior Secretary Haaland have taken steps to protect lands near Chaco Culture National Historical Park by initiating a 20-year pause on new oil and gas leasing and drilling within 10 miles of the park and Honoring Chaco Initiative. However, these protections should go further to include protecting the region’s air and water quality, the health and safety of surrounding communities, sacred sites throughout the landscape, and much more.

Northern megafires lead to lessons

After battling two disastrous Northern New Mexico “escaped prescribed burns” this year, the U.S. Forest Service has recently completed a National Prescribed Fire Program Review. Read the recommendations to prevent future events such as the Hermit’s Peak fire.