In the news: Oil boom feeds NM budget, but environmental agencies left wanting
Rio Grande Chapter Director Camilla Feibelman comments on the problems with NM's oil boom budget ...
Environmental Priorities See Mixed Results in Legislative Session
New Mexico Wild and a coalition of conservation and environmental organizations released a recap of the New Mexico legislative session. Despite the legislative session being primarily devoted to budget issues, legislators missed an opportunity to provide full funding and staffing levels for state agencies that protect New Mexico’s air, land, water and wildlife. Even with a historic surplus in state revenues and a record-setting budget of $8.5 billion, the final budget fell almost $10 million short of the governor’s executive ...
Sierra Club wrap-up of NM legislative session 2022
If New Mexico’s 30-day legislative session ended at noon today with what felt like a series of big news and crashes and burns, that's in part because lawmakers introduced and New Mexicans fought for some of the strongest and most transformational climate and democracy legislation in years, compressed into a crushing timeline that has always been inadequate to suit New Mexico's needs. ...
Statement on PNM’s San Juan Generating Station summer plans
Climate change – and the more frequent and intense heat waves it brings – is putting greater strain on our electric grid. PNM faces an added challenge during 2022’s peak-demand summer season because the pandemic and subsequent supply-chain issues have slowed construction of resources to replace the coal-fired San Juan Generating Station, which is set to retire in June. Keeping San Juan running an extra three months may be necessary to keep PNM’s reserve margin high enough until replacement resources start ...
The Clean Future Act: Reduce greenhouse gases across New Mexico economy
Click here to tell Gov. Lujan Grisham and your legislators know how important it is to eliminate climate pollution Sponsors: Rep. Nathan Small, Speaker Brian Egolf, Rep. Kristina Ortez, Sen. Mimi Stewart, Sen. Siah Correa Hemphill The clean-energy transition is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to diversify our economy, raise new revenue, and create good jobs, in addition to tackling the climate and health impacts we already see across New Mexico. For our climate, our health, and our economy, it’s time to ...
No on SB194: Gas-fueled hydrogen plants are NOT renewable energy
SB194 will be heard in Senate Conservation Committee at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8. If your Senator is on the committee, write your senator a personal note in opposition. If not, please write Sens. Liz Stefanics, Antoinette Sedillo-Lopez, Bill Soules, Carrie Hamblen, Harold Pope and Joseph Cervantes. Please attend the hearing Tuesday, either in person or remotely (here’s the Zoom link). SB194 changes the definition of “renewable energy” in the Renewable Energy Act to include hydrogen-based electric power if carbon ...
New Mexico’s HB4 “Hydrogen Hub Act” presents climate threat
Hydrogen production, especially hydrogen derived from methane, presents many different types of pollution, safety and local health threats along the production and distribution chain, including:
- Significant, climate-damaging methane emissions from extraction and transportation;
- CO2 pollution from the process to produce hydrogen and from the gas burned to power that process;
- NOx pollution from combusting hydrogen (up to 6x burning methane);
- Pipelines that are not suited to carry hydrogen (potentially causing leaks and safety risks);
- End-use explosion and health risks ...
Get out and join us! Trips range from easy recycling facility tour to moderate bike-and-hike ...
Member focus: Gordon and Martia Glass
According to a post by his family on social media, Gordon Glass passed away Jan. 23: “Gordon left his earthly journey this morning and headed out on his next trail. He was grateful for the love and caring from all of you these past 10 months as he lived with Glioblastoma. He would want to say goodbye and best wishes to everybody who touched his life.” Below is the profile on Gordon and Martia Glass by outings leader Hart ...
