Democracy for New Mexico

Monday's 'Espejos de Aztlan' to Feature Eric Griego

Tune in to KUNM 89.9FM on Monday night, July 16th, at 8:00 PM for a half-hour live interview on "Espejos de Aztlan" with Eric Griego, recently appointed Executive Director of New Mexico Voices for Children. Host Javier Benavidez will be interviewing Griego about New Mexico Voices for Children and its work as a progressive, non-partisan organization that advocates to improve the health and well-being of children, families and communities in New Mexico.

This year, the organization is celebrating its 20th year of working to eliminate child poverty in our state with a focus on four core values: economic justice, healthy communities, citizen participation and human rights. For more information, visit: https://www.nmvoices.org/.

Espejos de Aztlan has been on-air since 1979 and is part of the Raices Collective which conducts programming on news, culture and music from a Latino perspective on KUNM 89.9. For more information or to submit input about our shows, please visit the "Raices" link at .

Valle Vidal Celebration Events: July 20-22, 2007

From Defenders of Wildlife NM:
We had an incredible victory last fall with the passage of the Valle Vidal Protection Act, which permanently protected this beautiful area in northern New Mexico's Carson National Forest from oil and gas development. Valle Vidal means "Valley of Life," and it truly lives up to the name. The area teams with elk, mule deer, bald eagles, and mountain lions, and provides important habitat for the Rio Grande cutthroat trout.

Celebration!
To celebrate this amazing victory, the Coalition for the Valle Vidal is hosting a celebration next Saturday 7/21. The celebration is open to all ages and will include workshops and other events including archery, fishing, nature hikes, birdwatching, and aquatic insect identification. This event is free and open to the public.

Stream Restoration
Although the Valle Vidal has been protected, there is still much work to be done to restore the health of streams in the area that serve as important habitat for imperiled fish species including the cutthroat trout.  Defenders of Wildlife is supporting the Albuquerque Wildlife Federation on their 25th year of restoring streams in the Valle Vidal.

We'll be building rock dams and possibly some elk and cattle exclosures. The majority of this work will take place on Saturday 7/21 with a fun and tasty BBQ that night. See the attached flyer (PDF) for more information. Please RSVP to me for this project by Thursday 7/19.

**(Editor's Note: The New Mexico Wilderness Alliance is also holding an event in connection with the celebration. Click for a flyer (PDF) about their Youth and Appreciation Day at Valle Vidal on 7.21.07.)**

Feel free to contact me with any questions. I hope to see you in the Valle Vidal next weekend!

Lisa Hummon
LHummon@aol.com
New Mexico Outreach Representative
Defenders of Wildlife
824 Gold SW, Albuquerque, NM  87108
(505) 248-0118 x5, (505) 248-0187 (fax)
www.defenders.org

Gov. Richardson Announces $3.5 M for Land, Wildlife, Clean Energy Projects

From the Office of the Governor:
SANTA FE – Governor Bill Richardson announced yesterday he will distribute a total of $3,514,000 to 17 projects throughout the state designed to promote land, wildlife and clean energy.

“We must protect our state’s extraordinary landscape – including working farms and ranches – and our abundant wildlife, and promote clean energy development,” said Governor Richardson. “A concentrated effort to fund these types of programs creates an important legacy for future generations to enjoy, while positioning our state to build a more vibrant economy for a cleaner, more secure energy future.”

Funding includes $2,314,000 for land and wildlife projects, and $1,200,000 for clean energy projects:

Farm/Ranch Land Protection and Natural Lands and Wildlife Projects include:

Circle A Ranch Conservation Easement $500,000
Conservation easement on 300 acres in the Los Pinos Valley of the Naciemento Mountains above Cuba in Sandoval County. The property is surrounded by the Santa Fe National Forest and is near the San Pedro Wilderness Area and the National Continental Divide Trail.  This is a priority watershed that provides agricultural and domestic surface water and this project will help ensure the quality and quantity of surface water for the future.  The conservation easement will tie the high priority water rights to the land and protect the acequia from divided ownerships. 

Socorro Bosque Project Conservation Easement $294,000
Socorro Bosque project provides for flood plain and wildlife habitat enhancement and restoration, watershed health and control of exotic species, plus a limit on future development.

Ranchland Conservation Easement in Southeastern New Mexico $180,000
This project will protect approximately 10,000 acres of prime rangeland for ongoing livestock production from subdivision and development. The easement will also preserve high-quality habitat for a variety of wildlife, including mule deer, elk, and pronghorn antelope, as well as scenic, open space.

Conservation Easement in Tome, Valencia County $125,000
A conservation easement that is located on traditional farmland on one of the middle Rio Grande’s most historic farming areas.

Bioresearch Ranch Conservation Easement in Hidalgo County $75,000
This project will protect 1,700 acres of pristine, natural habitat in the Peloncillo Mountains for a variety of flora and fauna, including several state and federally listed threatened and endangered species.  The property is adjacent to the Central Peloncillos Wilderness Study Area, administered by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, and is part of a larger landscape that has been federally designated as both an Area of Critical Environmental Concern and a Research Natural Area.

Forests, Watersheds, Natural Areas and Wildlife Habitat Protection Projects include:

Rio Grande/Tonuco $300,000
These funds will be used for protection and enhancement for the first phase of 784 acre project straddling Rio Grande in Selden Canyon for wildlife habitat, recreation, agricultural preservation, and research.

La Cienega/Rael $200,000
This is a fee purchase of 180 acres on the Santa Fe River in BLM’s La Cienega Area of Critical Environmental Concern. El Camino Real National Historic Trail runs through the area.

La Joya, Bernardo Ladd Gordon Waterfowl Management Area $75,000
La Joya, Bernardo Ladd Gordon Waterfowl Management Area, owned and managed by the State Game Commission, provides wildlife habitat for hunting and viewing.  This project will upgrade outdated water infrastructure for 1,000 acres of wetland ponds.

Black River Watershed $6,000
Black River Watershed contains over 25 species of great conservation value occurring in the Black River drainage, including 13 listed species.  This project will inhibit trespassing that poses a threat to the critical habitat by providing protective fencing. 

Black River Learning Center $2,500
This project will provide watershed education and outreach in an outdoor educational display focusing on ecological diversity of the ecology of the Black River Watershed (the main tributary of the Pecos River).

Pecos River Aquatic Species $4,500
This is an outreach and education project about the introduction of nuisance species.

Outdoor Recreation and Trails:

Bottomless Lake State Park $252,000
This is a wetlands restoration project on 43 acres that will restore and enhance native aquatic habitat for 150 species (including several rare species), help restore ecosystem function within a tributary watershed to the Pecos River, and expand wildlife-related outdoor recreation and education opportunities.

Turquoise Trail; Gutierrez Canyon $300,000
This is a fee purchase of 420 acres that stretches from NM highway14 National Scenic Byways to the existing Gutierrez Canyon Open Space.  This project would double the size of this widely used recreational area and create a trailhead right off NM highway14.

Clean energy projects include:

Northern Recycling $200,000
Funding will enhance recycling opportunities in Northern Counties above Santa Fe.

The Renewable Energy Transmission Authority - $500,000
This is an authority designed to develop electric transmission infrastructure with an emphasis on renewable energy development.

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Act Audits $350,000
This program will conduct certified energy audits and provide certification to the New Mexico Finance Authority, which can issue up to $20 million in bonds to fund energy efficient and renewable energy renovations at state government, university and public school facilities.

Sustainable Building Professional Infrastructure Development $150,000
This program is designed to advance and expand the energy efficient green building professional infrastructure, provide for training workshops and develop promotional material.

In all, the $3.4 million will enable these projects to move forward with other matching funds that are valued at more than $30 million.  These projects cover the state and specifically focus on rural areas in Sandoval, Hidalgo, Santa Fe, Valencia, Lincoln, Chaves, Eddy, Dona Ana, Bernalillo, Socorro, Rio Arriba, San Miguel, Guadalupe and Quay Counties.

Last Chance to Tell the FCC to Save the Internet As We Know It

Go to SaveTheInternet.com and tell your story by July 16th -- that's Monday!

Blue America: Bush Approval Ratings in June '07

Click on thumbnail for full-sized image.

Approval ratings for Bush continue to plunge. There are no safe districts for Republicans in 2008. See why.

7/19: Speak Out Against Coal-Fired Desert Rock Power Plant

From the Natural Resources Defense Council:
I hope you’ll join NRDC and your fellow activists next Thursday in Albuquerque to speak out against a proposed power plant on the eastern edge of the Navajo Nation:

• When: Thursday, July 19th, 1:00 PM
• Where: Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, 2401 12th Street NW (1 block N of I-40), Albuquerque, NM

A global energy company and Diné Power Authority want to build a dirty, coal-fired power plant in northwest New Mexico, when the Four Corners area already has two of the most polluting power plants in the country!

The proposed Desert Rock power plant would release mercury and other toxic contaminants into the environment, polluting waterways and threatening human health. It would also significantly increase global warming pollution in New Mexico, at a time when states should be working to cut back these dangerous emissions.

The people of the Four Corners region would bear the burden of the plant’s environmental impacts – even though most of the power would be exported to Las Vegas and Phoenix. The Navajo Nation would receive less than 5 percent of the projected electricity output from Desert Rock. Many Navajo citizens still have no electricity in their homes.

If you are able, please join us at a public hearing in Albuquerque on July 19th and make your opposition felt. You will have the opportunity, if you wish, to speak publicly for two or three minutes against the proposed power plant. (See full details below.) Whether or not you wish to speak, I hope you will join us because there is great strength in numbers.

If you can attend, please email me at nrdcmembers@nrdc.org (and be sure to include your name and phone number). We’ll get back to you with more information and details, including pointers for preparing your comments, if any, and how to find an NRDC staffer when you arrive.

Thank you for helping to protect New Mexico’s environment.

Sincerely,
Laura E. Sanchez
Energy Solutions Advocate
Natural Resources Defense Council

Editor's Note: Also see our previous post about the public hearings and comment period on the Desert Rock Power Plant.

Wilson Votes Against Changing Course in Iraq

As usual, Repub Rep. Heather Wilson is trying to have it both ways. She's continuing to blindly support the Bush Iraq agenda while pretending to want what's right for the American people, our troops and her constituents in NM-01. Her task  -- like that of so many Republicans who keep putting politics before common sense -- is getting harder and harder given the escalating carnage and chaos in Iraq.

Today Wilson voted against the Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act (HR 2956), sponsored by Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton, D-Mo. The bill would require troops to begin withdrawing from Iraq within 120 days of enactment of the legislation. All troops would have to be redeployed from Iraq by April 1, 2008, with minor exceptions. The bill passed 223-201 -- by the largest margin yet for a so-called redeployment bill.

Although Wilson has been critical of Bush's "surge" strategy, she's apparently willing to allow the failed policy to remain in place and our escalating casualties to continue unabated in Iraq in order to stay loyal to Bush. Back in January, she had this to say about the president's strategy, as quoted by  CNN:

“I am not a supporter of a surge to do for the Iraqis what the Iraqis will not do for themselves…. I also have not seen a clarity of mission. And I think that’s the greatest weakness that we have right now."

Well, there's still no clarity of mission and things are not improving in Iraq either militarily or politically:

Iraqi progress on political and military goals sought by Congress has been mixed during the past several months, with slow advances toward some of the targets and paralysis or even reverses in other areas, the White House said today in a much-anticipated assessment.

... The administration's assessment comes the day after U.S. intelligence experts offered an overwhelmingly negative view of military and political conditions in Iraq, saying that Iraqi forces will remain incapable of taking charge of security for years to come and that deepening sectarian political divides remain the largest impediment to progress.

Moreover, the lastest assessment describes "a 'complex and extremely challenging' security environment, an 'uneven' economic situation and little sign of progress toward political benchmarks."

Why won't Wilson vote in alignment with her negative views on Bush's Iraq plan and the realities of what's happening on the ground in Iraq? Pure politics. Despite trying to paint herself as a "moderate" and offering periodic criticisms about the war, she has never voted for any Iraq measure offered by Democrats and remains a rubberstamp for the Bush administration. I wonder when her conscience will bother her enough to prompt her to break with the president and truly support our troops.

By the way, Repub Rep. Steve Pearce (NM-02) voted against redeployment. Dem Rep. Tom Udall (NM-03) voted for it.

First-Cut Finalists Revealed in DPNM Search for Executive Director

A field of 27 applicants for the job of Executive Director of the Democratic Party of New Mexico has been whittled down to 12 by a Search Committee appointed by State Chair Brian Colón. However, one candidate who made the cut, Chris Cervini, has decided to withdraw his application and focus on opportunities at his current employer. The 11 individuals listed below (with short bios) will be interviewed next week by the Committee, and then the candidate list will be pared down once again.

According to Chairman Colón, if folks have feedback on the candidates, they're welcome to send it to him at brian@nmdemocrats.org.

Yvette Ramirez Ammeran, NM: Regional Field Organizer, National Association of Community Health Centers; Former Executive Director, NM Primary Care Association; Masters, Education, University of Texas-Austin

Francisco Apodaca, NM: Valencia County Manager, Former Executive Director, Conservation Voters NM; Masters, Public Affairs, NM Highlands University.

Joe Casados, NM: DNC Regional Field Director, DPNM; BA Arts in Philosophy, UNM.

WITHDREW: Chris Cervini, NM: Manager of External Communications, Lovelace Health System; Former Chief of Staff, Commications and Policy Director, Lt. Gov. Diane Denish; Masters, Political Science, American University, Washington DC.

Eamonn Donovan, MD: Various GOTV and campaign staff positions in NH, OH, MA; BA Political Science, Salisbury University, MD.

Terri Holland, NM: Former Executive Director, Democratic Party of Bernalillo County; Former Director of Party Affairs, DPNM; MBA, University of Phoenix, Albuquerque.

Christopher Honey, CA: California Political Director, Progressive Majority; BA History, Auburn University at Montgomery.

Michael Minh Nguyen, DC: Special Events Coordinator, Center for American Progress; BA Political Science, University of California-Davis.

Laura Sanchez, NM: Energy Solutions Policy Fellow, National Resources Defense Council; Board Member, NM Hispanic Bar Association; Juris Doctor, UCLA School of Law; MPA, University of Arizona-Tucson.

Arturo Terrazas, NM: Vice Chair, Democratic Party of Dona Ana County; Deputy Director, Anthony-Berino Economic Development Corporation; Former Director, Communities United; BA Government, NM State University.

Rebecca Vigil-Giron, NM: Former NM Secretary of State; BA in French and Social Sciences, NM Highlands Univesity.

Nate Williams, WI: Greenbay Regional Director, Cong. Steve Kagan; Juris Doctor, Tulsa College of Law; BS in Political Science and History, Eastern New Mexico University.

ACTION ALERT: Community Forum on Health Care Reform Set for ABQ, 07.17.07

Editor's Note: Attention Albuquerque area grassroots; this is your chance to speak your mind and help shape the discussion of what the legislature needs to do to most effectively reform New Mexico's health care system so that it provides universal coverage and high quality care. If you're concerned about health care, now is the time to learn more about the results of the recent health care study by Mathematica and make your views known about the best path to pursue on this issue. 

From Health Action New Mexico:
Community Forum: “Achieving Health Care for All”
Presentation, Discussion on NM Health Care Reform Study

Join members of the community to discuss the results of a state-sponsored study comparing various models of universal health care, the work of the Governor and Legislative Health Coverage for New Mexicans Committee, and achieving health care for all people living in New Mexico.

• When: Tuesday, July 17th, 2007, 6:00-8:00 PM
• Where: First Unitarian Church, 3701 Carlisle NE, SW corner of Comanche and Carlisle in NE Albuquerque
• Light refreshments
• Spanish interpretation provided
• For More Information Call Leigh Mason, 975-9667
• Click for flyer (doc) you can distribute or post

Local Cosponsors:

• Bernalillo County Community Health Council
• Native American Health Care Council of New Mexico
• St. Joseph’s Community Health

Statewide Sponsors:

• Health Care for All Campaign
• New Mexico Voices for Children
• League of Women Voters NM
• AARP
• NM Conference of Churches
• NM Coalition for the Homeless
• Health Action NM

Additional community forums will be held in Las Cruces, Silver City, Santa Fe, Roswell, Taos, Rio Rancho, Las Vegas, and Gallup during the period of July throught September. More information will be released as it's available.

Mother Media & Break the Grip: Attend NM Legislative Energy Policy Meetings Today & Tomorrow

From Mother Media and Break the Grip:
Action Alert: The Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Interim Committee meets today and tomorrow to discuss New Mexico Energy Policy in Room 309 of the Roundhouse. Please come to prevent nuclear, coal and PNM corporate monopoly interests from dominating the discussion. Read the agenda on the NM Legislature website. Mother Media and Break the Grip will be there starting at 9 AM today, Thursday, July 12.

Although we may not be able to cover the entire session, we especially recommend citizens attend the Nuclear Energy Institute's presentation at 3 PM today where we suspect they may unveil proposed siting locations for new nuclear power plants either in New Mexico or the Four Corners area. Senator Domenici has apparently proposed as many as thirteen different sites in New Mexico for nuclear power plant development.

Art Hull, the PNM lobbyist under investigation by the Attorney General for working out of the Governor's office during the last Legislative Session, will be presenting PNM's strategy for New Mexico at 9 AM Friday, July 13th. Mr. Hull deserves to hear from New Mexicans in person concerned about his influence over State government and PNM's aggressive push for nuclear and coal central plant infrastructure.

Over the last weeks, Mother Media and BreaktheGrip.org have done intensive research on New Mexico's energy policy direction. Major nuclear players like Jeff Sterba and Jim Ferland of Westinghouse and PNM now literally run the state, using lobbyists like Art Hull to operate out of the governor's office.

Understandably, therefore, concern that New Mexico's existing nuclear and uranium resources will make it the one stop shop for nuclear power on the Western grid have increased to panic levels. Cynically leveraging popular concern about global warming and climate change, nuclear power corporations believe they have found their opportunity to move from supplemental power supplier to major player, elbowing out renewable energy, distributed generation and efficiency through manipulation of the Legislature and the Public Regulation Commission.

The Eunice enrichment facility, the proposed reprocessing facility in Roswell/Hobbs, new uranium mining activities and the recent proposal by Richardson allies Henry Kissinger and George Schultz to downblend old warheads like those at Kirtland Air Force base for use in nuclear power plants make New Mexico ground zero for America's nuclear energy program.

Throughout the world, major innovations in power distribution now integrate the intermittent and decentralized power from solar, wind, biomass and co-generation (heat and electricity). State of the art electricity grids have moved away from centralized power plants to distributed, multipoint generation systems. One by one, European countries have shut down central power plants while successfully integrating huge amounts of renewable energy. Overall system cost has been dramatically reduced by locating energy sources close to high demand and providing high "infeed rates" to renewable energy and other innovative clean energy suppliers.

By reducing or eliminating the need for long power lines and the associated system balancing infrastructure, European and Chinese utilities have reduced overall system cost - and ratepayer bills - by up to 60%. PNM's outdated central nuclear and coal plant system would be illegal in some European countries because it is so backward, inefficient and costly to operate.

It takes time and energy to cover these committe hearings. Please help Mother Media intervene on behalf of New Mexico's citizens and environment by buying an ad in our newsletter or in The Sun News. Send us your text and graphics, then use our PayPal link or send a check to:

Leland Lehrman
163 Old Lamy Trail
Lamy, NM 87540   

Leland Lehrman can be reached at (505) 982-3609 or (505) 473-4458 and by email at leland.lehrman@gmail.com.