Progress on Endangered Species in Los Alamos

photo of meadow jumping mouse
Jody Benson, 
Pajarito Group Newsletter editor Los Alamos County Council almost joined Doña Ana and Santa Fe counties in approving a resolution requiring the state and Congress to fully fund the Endangered Species Act. White Rock resident Donald Jones introduced the citizens’ petition at the Council meeting on November 17. It reads, “The County fully supports the Endangered Species Act and strongly encourages Congress to continue full funding and enforcement without interfering with science-based decisions about the level of endangerment ...
/ Pajarito Group, Wildlife

Chapter statement on BLM methane rule

image of Oil and gas fields near Chaco
Friday, Jan. 22, is a promising day for New Mexico taxpayers and for our health and climate. On Friday morning, most of New Mexico’s congressional delegation sent a letter urging EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy to not only strengthen and finalize its rule to reduce methane waste from new oil and gas drilling operations, but to issue a new rule addressing existing sources. New Mexico’s senators and U.S. Reps. Ben R. Luján and Michelle Lujan Grisham noted the health benefits of ...
/ Climate Change, Latest News

Volunteers drive Bandelier restoration

photo of trail work in Bandelier
By Kevin Stillman, 
Bandelier National Monument As a result of the Conchas fire in the summer of 2011 and subsequent flooding in Bandelier National Monument, the trail system experienced severe damage. The Monument’s trail work leader, Kevin Stillman, has been working on rebuilding and maintaining the trail system with the help of National Park Service trail crews, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps crews and the Bandelier Trail Volunteers, which is a group consisting of Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter members and ...
/ Latest News, Pajarito Group

Don’t let SandRidge frack in Sandoval County!

no fracking logo
Julie Wilt, Sierra Club Central New Mexico chair What: Sandoval County Planning & Zoning Committee meeting to consider SandRidge Energy permit for fracking well near Rio Rancho
When: 6 p.m. January 28
Where: Commission Chambers, Sandoval County Administration Building, 1500 Idalia Road, Bernalillo
Act: Join our Sandoval County action team: riogrande.chapter@sierraclub.org Oklahoma-based SandRidge Energy Inc. has applied for a special-use permit to frack for oil in a residential zone just 2 miles from the Rio Rancho city limits. Please attend the January 28 county Planning and Zoning Committee meeting to ...
/ Central New Mexico Group, Events, Land

Santa Fe National Forest gets earful from Chaco Coalition

image of Oil and gas fields near Chaco
By Teresa Seamster, 
Northern New Mexico Group chair For the past year, legal efforts and public comments have failed to halt leases to develop Mancos Shale oil on 13 parcels covering 20,000 acres of the Santa Fe National Forest north and east of Cuba, N.M. The Bureau of Land Management has granted drilling permits for two wells near Lake Abiquiú, and fears of water contamination and other toxic releases are growing locally. A recent comment letter to the Santa Fe ...

Environment secretary lobbies for industry-written Copper Rule

By Allyson Siwik, 
Gila Resources Information Project and Chapter Water Committee There is no limit to how far global mining giant Freeport-McMoRan will go to get its way and legally pollute New Mexico’s groundwater. And the Martinez administration has proved that it is more than willing to help by targeting state officials, including Attorney General Hector Balderas, who are trying to protect New Mexico’s water supplies. New Mexico Environment Department Secretary Ryan Flynn (a former attorney with Modrall Sperling law ...
/ Land, Latest News

Trapping season is here – take care

photo of trap
By Mary Katherine Ray, 
Rio Grande Chapter Wildlife Chair Trapping season officially opened on November 1, but trappers usually are most active from December through February. That is when animal pelts are the thickest and most lucrative for sale. And it is when hikers are most likely to encounter traps while recreating on public land. Already we have had reports of traps near Santa Fe, Jemez and Las Cruces. At least three dogs have been caught. Traps need only be ...
/ Latest News, Wildlife

El Paso City Council votes down EPE rate hike

tell EPE no to rate hikes
By Jim Tolbert
El Paso Group On December 8, the El Paso City Council voted unanimously to oppose the proposed rate increases and the “attack” on solar homeowners. El Paso Electric Company must now look toward the Public Utility Commission of Texas to save their rate-hike proposal in El Paso, which includes putting rooftop solar customers into a special rate class while raising their rates by nearly 25 percent. The Sierra Club El Paso Group has supported Eco El Paso, ...
/ El Paso Group, Latest News

Game Commission agenda includes Ladder Ranch wolves

photo of wolf
by Mary Katherine Ray
Rio Grande Chapter Wildlife Chair
(575) 772-5655 The Game Commission made some terrible decisions about carnivores and wolves last year, but your presence and protests showed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that we support them. This federal agency has promised to uphold the Endangered Species Act and proceed with wolf reintroduction in New Mexico regardless of state Game Commission attempts at obstruction. This time, commissioners will be issuing a final vote on the Ladder Ranch’s permit ...
/ Latest News, Wildlife

Public Meeting on Bosque Trails

Photo of Albuquerque bosque with city-bulldozed trail
The City of Albuquerque will be holding a public meeting this Thursday, January 7 at Los Duranes Community Center, 2920 Leopoldo Rd NW, from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m., a trail in the Bosque to be built from I-40 to Campbell Rd. This trail is a continuation of the 6-foot-wide, crusher fine trail built last February from Central to 1-40. The trail was built with no notice to related agencies or the public. If you would like to to attend the ...