Democracy for New Mexico

'You Can't Drink Oil' Set for 5.20, Santa Fe

Click on image for larger version. Click for FLYER (pdf). More info at Common Ground United and New Mexico Environmental Law Center.

Technorati Tags:oil drilling, gas drilling, New Mexico Environmental Law Center, Common Ground United, Conservation Voters New Mexico, Tweeti Blancett, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Jim O'Donnell Guest Blog: Oil and Gas Industry to Pay for Archaeological Excavations in New Mexico?

This is a guest blog by Jim O'Donnell, author and former coordinator of the Coalition for the Valle Vidal in northern New Mexico:

For seven years, I worked as a contract archaeologist for the oil and gas industry in the Southwest. Essentially, my job was to go out and locate archaeological resources on public lands that were threatened with oil and gas development. We recorded the archaeological sites, marked them both on maps and in the field for the industry folks to avoid and, in some cases, excavated them prior to development.

That's why I found this interesting:

The Bureau of Land Management announced Tuesday that it has signed an agreement with the New Mexico Historic Preservation Division and the federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation that will give oil and gas developers an option of funding excavation work and other studies rather than paying for archaeological surveys when they propose new development.

Over the past few years, I have written a number of times on my experiences as an archaeologist working on public lands in the Southwest. It wasn’t pretty.

The oil and gas industry in New Mexico is completely out of control, taking private property, poisoning water supplies and leaving taxpayers to fund the clean up. Destruction of archaeological resources by the oil and gas industry was also wide-spread when I was in the field. Often times it was done right in front of the archaeologists who were working to protect those sites. It was worse in New Mexico than any of the other states I worked in. Most often, the contract archaeology higher ups and the bosses at the land management agencies (mostly the BLM) turned a blind eye to this destruction. They didn’t want to lose the contract. It got to be so bad that I eventually quit archaeology. Seeing those sites destroyed drilled a hole in my heart.

Under the new agreement, oil and gas developers who participate in the voluntary program will not have to pay for a survey but they will be required to pay a special fee that will go toward excavation and other research. The BLM expects to raise about $1 million a year.

I'm suspicious.

Typically, when industry wants to develop a chunk of public land, they have to pay a contract archaeology company to survey the area and record the sites. Then, the company decides if they want to excavate the site or go around it. In my experience, they often simply go through the site.

This new agreement covers only the portion of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land down in the southeast corner of New Mexico where oil and gas development has been going full-bore since the 1930s. It is an area I know well. I’ve walked literally hundreds of miles in the area on archaeological survey. Because development has been going on there for so long, by far the majority of the archaeological sites on public land in the area have been found and recorded - some many times over.

However, not much is known about the sites themselves, making it difficult for the agency to manage them accordingly.

"We haven't excavated hardly anything so we have a very poor handle on what kind of data they contain, what kind of information we can learn from them, what they're telling us about human adaptation to the desert in that part of the trans-Pecos area," he said.

True. If we are to expand our knowledge of the people that were in the area before Euro-Americans came on the scene, we need to do some excavations. We need to find out what is in those sites. What kind of artifacts? What kind of pollen sits at the bottom of the fire pits? Its a lot of information to get a hold of. Excavations are expensive and so, throughout the West, our knowledge gathering abilities when it comes to ancient cultures have been hampered over the past two decades by a lack of money.

Essentially, what this agreement says is that industry can go ahead and develop public lands without paying for archaeological surveys prior to the project. Instead, they simply have to pay into a BLM fund geared toward excavating some of the sites in the area that have been already recorded.

There are critics who make some good points:

... archaeology can damage the very resources it's designed to protect, said Jim Walker, director of the national nonprofit Archaeological Conservancy's Southwest region.

"An archaeological site is a set of clues and we'll never have those clues again in the same order. An archaeologist destroys an archaeological site as he or she excavates," Walker said. "And we also know that archaeology is a changing science and we're always coming up with new ideas and new techniques and the only way we can test a new idea or new technique is on an unexcavated archaeological site."

Another concern is that a few sites could be lost each year if companies decide to participate in the voluntary program rather than pay for an archaeological survey. But Fosberg said the benefits outweigh the potential loss.

"We can excavate sites ... and actually do some real science and learn from them," he said. "The fact of the matter is we're losing sites anyway because of this cumulative effect of development."

While these critiques are valid and need to be closely considered, overall, it seems to me like this agreement is a good idea. I almost can’t believe I'm saying this because this is the New Mexico BLM ... an agency geared towards the production of oil and gas above all other values. Yet, excavating even some of the sites in that area will advance our knowledge of long-dead cultures tremendously.

To be sure, this is a win for industry. Development projects will move forward much faster and much cheaper under this scenario. Without a doubt, many previously unknown sites will be destroyed in the process – but they destroy a lot of them even when they know about them. It is also a win for the BLM. That agency is under tremendous stress. Not only because they have fewer personnel and money by the day but because the state-director has almost all the remaining personnel busy processing drilling permits as fast as possible. They don’t want to deal with the 'problems' caused by the laws protecting archaeological resources.

But it’s clear that the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) sees a possible benefit to this approach. The state archaeologist’s office knows full well that many sites are destroyed by the oil and gas industry and they are essentially powerless to do anything about it. Also, they know that most of the sites in this area are already recorded. They’re trying to make the best of a bad situation. Until this nation gets itself off the drug of fossil fuels, we will continue to be forced into the false choice of bad options.

My worry is that BLM will use the money they collect for the excavation program for something other than excavation – like processing more drilling permits.

I'm going to remain suspicious. I don’t trust the New Mexico BLM. Let's see if they use that money for excavations.

Let's just see.

This is a guest blog by Jim O’Donnell, who is the former coordinator of the Coalition for the Valle Vidal. He is also the author of "Notes for the Aurora Society," due out later this summer. He writes, walks and marvels from northern New Mexico.

Guest blogs provide our readers with an opportunity to express their opinions on pertinent political issues. If you'd like to submit a piece for consideration as a guest blog, contact me by clicking on the Email Me link on the upper left-hand corner of the page.

Technorati Tags:Jim O'Donnell, New Mexico, New Mexico Bureau of Land Management, archaeology, public lands, oil, gas

NM-Sen: Defenders Launches Second TV Ad Blasting Pearce & Wilson

The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund launched its second TV ad today blasting Republican Reps. Steve Pearce and Heather Wilson as being two bad for New Mexico due to their unethical behavior and anti-conservation voting records.

Rep. Wilson is criticized in the ad for pressuring U.S. Attorney David Iglesias to put politics before the law, and voting to give oil companies billions of dollars in tax breaks.  As reported in the newspaper Roll Call last week, Rep. Pearce is criticized for ignoring clear conflicts of interest while selling his oil company for millions of dollars above its apparent value, and for voting against prosecuting price gouging at the gas pump.

"New Mexican families deserve better representation in the U.S. Senate than either Steve Pearce or Heather Wilson," said Defenders Action Fund President Rodger Schlickeisen. "Steve Pearce and Heather Wilson have behaved with shockingly questionable ethics and voted against the interests of a sound energy policy. New Mexican families deserve an honest, sensible voice in Washington that looks out for their interests, and that is Tom Udall."

The ad will be broadcast statewide, and follows Defenders Action Fund's previous TV ad criticizing Pearce and Wilson as being "two bad for New Mexico" for putting the interests of big oil companies before those of ordinary New Mexican families.

Technorati Tags:Steve Pearce, Heather Wilson, Tom Udall, New Mexico, Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, political ads, NM-Sen

Action Alert & Campaign Updates: Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund

From Ed Yoon, Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund:
Starting today, I greatly look forward to communicating with you about our campaign periodically to share with you exciting updates and new and ongoing action opportunities. As we grow in staff numbers, we will be expanding our campaign activities beyond the Albuquerque area, so please be patient and stay tuned if you would like to be part of our campaign efforts but do not see any activity nearby where you live. We will also look forward to getting ideas from you about campaign activities that you would like to see us organize. I thank you in advance for your support of our campaign’s work.  Together, we will win in November.

1. SATURDAY, MAY 3RD: VOLUNTEER CANVASS AND LUNCH: Our volunteer canvass starts on Saturday, May 3rd and recurs every Saturday thereafter.  We will provide free sandwiches and snacks and water bottles to make sure you’re fed and energized, and we will have all the materials ready for you, so you just have to RSVP and show up!  You will also get to meet some of our new staff members.

Please join us at our temporary campaign office located at: Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, 824 Gold Ave SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102

Please RSVP so that we know how many walk packets and food to prepare.  You can call or e-mail Brian McGann to RSVP at: (505) 248-0118 x 3; or BMcGann@DefendersActionFund.org. Starting June 1st when we move into our new spacious office, we will expand our volunteer canvass days and hours to any available Mondays through Saturdays.

2. CAMPAIGN UPDATES

Have you seen our “2 Bad for New Mexico” TV and radio ads? Some of you may have seen our recent TV ad or heard our radio ad on broadcast calling Heather Wilson and Steve Pearce for what they are: “Two Bad for New Mexico”.  If you haven’t, you can visit our campaign website www.2bad4nm.org to view and hear the ads.

Our campaign team is growing! Our campaign has recently hired a highly experienced Field Director, several Field Organizers, and an experienced Media Coordinator to start very soon in May and June as part of our first wave of staff expansion, with more on the way.

Canvassing starting May 1st through Election Day to help elect Tom Udall to the U.S. Senate. The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund is starting our full-time canvass to persuade swing voters to support Tom Udall every Monday-Saturday from May 1st through Election Day.  We will also eventually endorse and work to help elect the pro-conservation candidate for President starting in the summer.

3. MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS: Our campaign has recently been featured on several media outlets:

• Santa Fe New Mexican: April 9, 2008: Wildlife Group Targets NM Senate Race
• Associated Press, Las Cruces Sun News, KOAT-ABC7 TV and KVIA-ABC7 TV: April 10, 2008: Environmental group targets NM Republican Senate candidates
• Albuquerque Journal: April 10, 2008: Jeff Jones’ Reporter’s Notebook
• Environment & Energy News: April 15, 2008: Defenders of Wildlife Fires First Shot in NM Senate Race
• Blogs: Democracy for New Mexico, New Mexico FBIHOP, Steve Terrell's Web Log, and Daily Kos.

Thank you for your support, and together, let’s win this darn thing!

Ed Yoon
New Mexico Campaign Manager
Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund
www.2Bad4NM.org

See some of our previous posts on Defenders of Wildlife's activities in New Mexico here, here, and here.

Technorati Tags:Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Tom Udall, NM-Sen, U.S. Senate, political action

Sierra Club Endorses Tom Udall for Senate on Earth Day 2008

The early support from environmental groups for Rep. Tom Udall's U.S. Senate run is strong indeed. The Sierra Club has now joined the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, the League of Conservation Voters and the Conservation Voters New Mexico in officially endorsing Udall. Rep. Udall's campaign released the following statement today about the latest endorsement:

As Congressman Tom Udall accepted the Sierra Club's endorsement for his United States Senate campaign this Earth Day, he reflected on their legislative accomplishments and pledged to continue fighting for our nation's long-term energy security.

"The Sierra Club has been a leader in New Mexico and around the nation to sensibly promote, restore and maintain our ecosystem and natural resources," said Udall. "This Earth Day, I can reflect on the many things we have accomplished together and look forward to continuing the fight for conservation and energy independence in the Senate."

During Udall's near-decade of service in the House of Representatives, and with the crucial support of the Sierra Club, Udall has championed policies to federally protect cherished places in New Mexico like the Valle Vidal, Ojito Wilderness Area and the Valles Caldera. Together they built coalitions of environmentalists, ranchers, sportsmen and local governments all committed to conserving these treasured landscapes that buoy the surrounding rural economies and boast a wide range of activities for New Mexicans and visitors to enjoy.

"Thanks to our work together, thousands of New Mexicans can enjoy these unparalleled lands for hiking, hunting, and outdoor activities for future generations to come," Udall noted.

The congressman also earned the 1.3-million-member strong Sierra Club's endorsement for Senate because for his extensive efforts to move America towards a new, more stable, energy future.

Said Udall, "On Earth Day and everyday we have a solemn responsibility to protect our planet. As a United States Senator, I will continue the fight to end our fossil fuel addiction, develop alternative sources of energy, secure our energy independence and reduce green house gas emissions in the Senate. For me, and so many New Mexicans, these are more than buzzwords, they are the economic future of our state and the moral imperative of this country."

Three Common-Sense Energy Proposals
Among many, Udall described three common-sense proposals he says will not only help redefine the way we look at energy, but do so in a way that creates jobs.

The first is his plan to establish a federal Renewable Electricity Standard (RES), under which big electric utilities would be required to chip in by providing 15 percent of their electricity from wind, solar and other renewable energy sources by 2020.

"Not only will this help us meet our growing demand for electricity – it will create thousands of jobs, lower energy prices, a nation less dependent on foreign oil and significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions," Udall said. "This plan would also revitalize rural America by helping farmers and rural land owners by creating a new revenue stream for their future."

With the backing of the Sierra Club, Udall fought for the inclusion of an RES, which passed the House twice despite long odds last year, in the Energy bill last year. But as he said, "It died at the hands of a slim minority in the Senate."

The congressman also plans to keep extending renewable energy and efficiency tax credits to promote stable growth in the industry.

"Not only would these tax credits translate into a reduction in residential and commercial energy costs, but they generate new domestic green collar jobs, and boost the economy," said Udall. "Renewable energy sources are proven economic engines for our country."

Finally, Udall also promised to continue his work to ensure the government does its share to reduce its carbon footprint by encouraging "Green Building," on the federal and commercial level.

"The plan I have successfully championed requires improved Federal and commercial building energy efficiency, with green building standards for new federal buildings and a zero net energy initiative to develop technologies, practices and policies to reach the goal of having all commercial buildings use no net energy by 2050. We've accomplished much in this area, but we can and must do more.

He said that the government should extend and expand tax credits for individuals, builders and businesses that use energy-saving technologies and applauded the efforts already underway in New Mexico.

"As we celebrate this Earth Day, I encourage you to enjoy the unparalleled beauty of New Mexico's open spaces and to do your part in conserving energy and natural resources so that, together, we can work to stop the ravages that global warming will have on our entire planet," concluded Udall.

Udall's father Stewart was Interior Secretary under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, and his uncle Morris spent three decades in the Congress working on these issues.

Tom Udall served as a member of the House Natural Resources Committee for eight years. He currently sits on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and the Environment.

Photo Credit: Steve Terrell.

True Blue New Mexico supports Tom Udall for U.S. Senate. You can sign up to support Udall's campaign here. To see our previous coverage of the 2008 U.S. Senate race in New Mexico, visit our archive.

Technorati Tags:Tom Udall, U.S. Senate, Democrats, New Mexico, Sierra Club, Earth Day, renewable electricity standard, Valle Vidal, Ojito Wilderness Area, Valles Caldera

Guest Blog by Laura Paskus: Reasons for Hope on Earth Day in New Mexico, 2008

This is a guest blog by Laura Paskus. Laura is a writer living in Albuquerque.

I’ve never been one to skirt an issue. So here it is: New Mexicans have a lot to worry about when it comes to the environment and healthy communities. 

That said, there many reasons for hope.

Okay, first, the bad news: Climate scientists predict a drier future for the Southwest; uranium companies are looking to resume mining in the state; a coal-fired power plant is poised for construction on the Navajo reservation; the state may end up being home to a second uranium enrichment facility, as well as a brand-new Plutonium pit factory; and Sen. Domenici thinks bringing even more nuclear waste into the state is a good idea.

Right here in Albuquerque, families in the South Valley live in communities that—thanks to a continuing history of heavy industry—aren’t always safe and healthy; 57,000 acres of a former land grant are slated for residential and/or energy development; and some local lawmakers think it is acceptable—despite knowing what we do about climate change, as well as dwindling water and fossil fuel supplies—to encourage more unsustainable sprawl along the edges of the city.

But now for the good news:  There are plenty of national and grassroots environmental organizations here in New Mexico, and many of them are doing amazing work on issues ranging from the restoration of wolves and the protection of endangered butterflies to the conservation of groundwater resources and the environmental education of our children. 

There are also those who have made great personal sacrifices to protect New Mexico. Consider Greg and Trish Mello of the Los Alamos Study Group, who have worked tirelessly to educate New Mexicans about issues at the nuclear laboratory to our north. Or Elouise Brown, president of the Navajo resistance organization, Dooda Desert Rock. She’s been working 24-7, she says, organizing opposition to the proposed Desert Rock coal-fired power plant since she was a volunteer for the organization and the president “decided to jump off.” She took over and hasn’t taken a moment’s rest from organizing yet. 

Other people who work hard to make Albuquerque a more sustainable community include Monte Skarsgard, who started the community supported agriculture project at Los Poblanos Organics; volunteers with the Ditches With Trails project; and Vince Case, a teacher with the South Valley’s alternative School on Wheels.  (By the way, I’m just going to leave it at these few folks, although I keep thinking of more and more names to list.) 

There is also a small, but very committed, group of activists and bloggers educating the public about TIDDS, or Tax Increment Development Districts. This isn’t sexy stuff, nor is it easy to explain.  It’s a complicated and frustrating issue, and I’m particularly grateful to Gabriel Nims with , Anne Stauffer with New Mexico Voices for Children and Javier Benavidez with for having patiently explained the issue to me recently.  (Keep TIDDS on your radar, folks. Particularly once the next legislative session begins.)

I also recently interviewed Bianca Encinas, an organizer with the Southwest Network for Environmental and Economic Justice. One of the things she spoke about was the need for environmental organizations to build relationship with land grant and acequia movements.

“Yes, you can be fighting for your water rights,” she says, “but if you’re water is contaminated…That is impacting the cycle of life, right? So land rights and water rights, those struggles are not separate from environmental justice.” 

She also talked about the need for more studies about how toxins affect women, particularly women living in communities of color or low-income communities, where people are more regularly exposed to toxins. “In the past, women fought for the right to have access to abortions and the right to birth control,” she says. “Now, it’s almost like the reproductive movement is teaming up with the environmental justice movement for the right to have a child—a healthy child—and to have the opportunity to breastfeed.” 

And while I was interviewing the founder and executive director of the New Mexico Environmental Law Center, Douglas Meiklejohn, he offered some advice for communities facing environmental or health threats. 

“The first thing I would say is you can do something,” he said:

“I think a lot of people—although I think this is less true than it used to be— feel, ‘these are forces that are beyond my control and I can’t do anything about them.’ That’s not accurate. You can do something about them. Witness the fact that uranium mining hasn’t begun in Crownpoint and Church Rock. Look at what happened in Sunland Park and Chaparral (where the communities organized against a landfill and a medical incinerator). People can do things. People can organize. And people can have an impact.”

The second thing, he said, is that people must go at a situation “every single way you can”:

In the uranium mining situation, for example, there are about four different arenas in which we are fighting that proposal to mine uranium in Crownpoint and Church Rock….The worst thing that a community can do in terms of taking on one of these fights is to put all of its eggs in one basket, because normally that doesn’t pay off.

And while I don’t presume to have expertise or insight comparable to people such as Meiklejohn, if I could offer one piece of advice, it would be this: Hold servants of the public accountable, but do not put your faith in elected officials. 

I realize that is not what people want to hear right now, especially since this is such an important election year in New Mexico. But there is greater reward, I believe, in placing  your faith in neighbors and friends, brothers and sisters—and together, working toward a more sustainable future. 

Last spring, I listened to the writer Barry Lopez speak in Santa Fe. "If your deepest commitment is to be in power, you are a burden to society," he said.

Love is about commitment, he said, and love needs to be the foundation of government. But what he said next struck me most of all: “It's okay to be in love with the world and to articulate that.”

I think Mr. Lopez has it exactly right: Articulate your love of the world, of your community, of your neighbors. Only then can a sustainable future—for all New Mexicans—become a reality.

This is a guest blog by Laura Paskus. Guest blogs provide our readers with an opportunity to express themselves on issues relevant to the DFNM blog. If you'd like to submit a post for consideration as a guest blog, contact me by clicking on the Email Me link on the upper left-hand corner of the page.

Technorati Tags:Earth Day, Laura Paskus, Albuquerque, New Mexico, climate, uranium mining, coal, plutonium pits, Navajos, Los Alamos Study Group, Dooda Desert Rock, 1000 Friends of New Mexico, TIDD, New Mexico Voices for Children, Conservation Voters New Mexico, Southwest Network for Environmental and Economic Justice, water, New Mexico Environmental Law Center, Los Poblanos Organics, Ditches With Trails, School on Wheels, Barry Lopez

A Message to Our Grandchildren: Stewart and Lee Udall

Stewart Udall flanked by son Tom Udall and wife Jill at polling place in 2006

Recently a friend emailed me an essay (included below) by Stewart and Lee Udall. They are the parents of Rep. Tom Udall, who's running for U.S. Senate in New Mexico. Written as a letter to the Udall grandchildren, the essay was also published in the High Country News. It struck me that the piece is a must read for all of us, regardless of our age, ancestry or any other factor. If we live on the Earth, and intend that others who come after us will be able to do so, we need to keep the thoughts and goals described in the letter foremost in our minds, hearts and souls.

The message seems especially timely today, with former Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev having offered similar advice yesterday in Santa Fe about the urgency of the need for individuals and nations to work together on the emergencies we face:

Only through countries working together can the world solve its military conflicts, epidemics, fights for resources, poverty and the global environmental crisis — those problems are just too big, Gorbachev said. "We need planetary glasnost, global glasnost," he said, noting his call for openness in government in the 1980s. "We still can do a great deal" to save the planet, he added.

... "Right now priorities in the world are distorted, they're skewed," he said, adding that it's time for "real, radical change" in the way countries work together through organizations like NATO and the United Nations.

A Message to our Grandchildren, High Country News
ESSAY - by Stewart and Lee Udall, March 31, 2008

Among other accomplishments in a life of public service, Arizona native Stewart Udall was perhaps the most influential secretary of Interior ever. He served in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations from 1961 to 1969, and played a part in some of the nation's landmark environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, the Wilderness Act and the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act. He now lives in Santa Fe, N.M., where he and his wife, Lee, penned this letter to their grandchildren.

My dear ones, your generation will face a series of environmental challenges that will dwarf anything any previous generation has confronted. I'm hoping to add some insights of my own based on things I learned as a policymaker in the 1950s and '60s, when I observed and participated in some monumental achievements and profound misjudgments.

As a freshman congressman in 1955, I regrettably voted with my unanimous colleagues for the Interstate Highway Program. All of us acted on the shortsighted assumption that cheap oil was super-abundant and would always be available. This illusion began to unravel in the 1970s, and it haunts Americans today.

Oil lies at the epicenter of a critical energy crisis. Petroleum is a finite resource and is the most precious, versatile resource on the planet. Cheap oil played a crucial role in the development of American power and prosperity, and sustains the military machine that dominates the world today. Oil is now nearing a historic transition that will alter the civilization Americans have come to take for granted.

As world oil production reaches its apex and begins its inevitable decline, it will have a radical impact on everyday American life. It will take bold political leadership and awareness on the part of individual citizens to craft a full-scale, creative response. I watched with admiration in 1974 as my friend, President Gerald Ford, persuaded Congress to adopt a 55 mph speed limit to reduce our reliance on imported oil. He also got a law passed which mandated production of more fuel-efficient automobiles.

I am convinced that the American people will tighten their belts if a president forges a national strategy to stretch the life of our oil reserves and to adjust to a long-range plan of energy conservation.

Energy efficiency must be the rallying cry. Higher oil prices are already serving as a wake-up call. Despite an utter lack of leadership from the White House, a few progressive states and cities are building light-rail systems to serve urban residents and commuter trains to connect their communities.

I urge you to be stalwart supporters of any projects that promote fuel efficiency and conservation for all citizens.

You also must contend with the carbon dioxide problem. Once it is released into the atmosphere, this gas has a long life (approximately 100 years), spreads over the entire globe, and acts as a blanket that warms all parts of the earth.

The United States and China are responsible for producing over 40 percent of the CO2 that is altering the earth's atmosphere. Consequently, these two nations have a moral responsibility to be in the forefront of any global campaign to develop new technologies to cut the emissions of this damaging pollutant.

I have recently proposed that these two countries join together in a 50/50 research venture, and assemble teams of engineers and scientists to work together to develop technologies to capture carbon as it emerges from coal power plants. These teams would perfect technologies to isolate the carbon and transport it through pipelines to storage sites in the deep ocean or in depleted oil and natural gas fields. The success of such international cooperation would set an example that could spur development of new supplies of renewable energy.

All climates would benefit from advances produced by such an enterprise: Today, China has the most polluted air in the world and suffers the most premature deaths from gross air pollution. These same teams of scientists could also devise technologies to capture the deadly pollutants that shorten the lives of millions of people in all parts of the world.

Even though scientists can solve many technological problems, a word of caution is in order. I learned during my government service that even the most gifted researchers couldn't perform technical miracles. The skilled engineers at the Interior Department built the first direct current line to transmit huge blocks of electricity from hydroelectric dams on the Columbia River to Los Angeles by simply flipping a switch. But the same engineers couldn't develop a cheap technique to desalinate seawater.

One further example will dramatize my point. In the summer of 1969, after our astronauts completed their round trip to the moon (a brilliant but narrow feat), most Americans were overwhelmed by the promises that became the mantra of that exciting moment. The slogan, "This proves we can do whatever we want to do," influenced the mindset of Americans and generated a vision of a future with no restraints or limits. President Richard Nixon, quickly rebuked for his wild rhetoric by the Rev. Billy Graham, characterized the accomplishment as "the greatest week since the creation of the earth." A gusher of extravagant prophecies followed, predicting that a new planet of superabundant resources had magically come into existence followed. Though scientists regarded such predictions as Alice in Wonderland speculation, they were generally ignored; dissent was not welcome during this moment of triumph.

Meanwhile, Americans' vision of the future was warped; they believed, falsely, that technologists could perform miracles that would solve any future energy problems. Ignored was the nation's ever-increasing dependence on oil produced by other countries. Worse yet, this new vision offered assurances that our own oil wells would never run dry, and it has persuaded many of the current leaders of our nation that global warming is a myth.

Having said that, technology may yet help solve some of our current problems. Some of the world's best architects and designers are already working on changes in the design of buildings and cities, which, they believe, will reduce requirements for electricity by as much as 50 percent by 2050.

Such advances won't be enough, however. Americans must finally cast aside our notion that we can continue the wasteful consumption patterns of our past. We must promote a consciousness attuned to a frugal, highly efficient mode of living. In closing, I leave you with these thoughts, and hope you will hold to these ideals throughout your lives:

Foster a consciousness that puts a premium on the common good and the protection of the environment. Give your unstinting support to all lasting, fruitful technological innovations. Be steadfast enemies of waste. The lifetime crusade of your days must be to develop a new energy ethic to sustain life on earth.

In the 1960s, when the carbon problem and the exhaustion of the world's petroleum were still beyond our gaze, I advocated a new ethic to guide our nation's stewardship of its resources. I realize now this approach was too narrow, too nationalistic. To sustain life on our small planet, we will need a wider, all-encompassing planetary resource ethic based on values implemented by mutual cooperation. This ethic must be rooted in the most intrinsic values of all: Caring, sharing, and mutual efforts that reach beyond all obstacles and boundaries.

Go well, do well, my children. Cherish sunsets, wild creatures and wild places. Have a love affair with the wonder and beauty of the earth.

Carry our love in your hearts, Stewart and Lee Udall, 2008

Technorati Tags: Tom Udall Stewart Udall NM-Sen Albuquerque New Mexico Mikhail Gorbachev Tom Udall Stewart Udall NM-Sen Albuquerque New Mexico Mikhail Gorbachev

Two Bad for New Mexico: Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund Kicks Off Campaign Critical of Wilson and Pearce with TV Ad

The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund has designated New Mexico's U.S. Senate race as its number one priority in the 2008 election cycle. Starting early to garner attention before political ads start airing nonstop this year, the Action Fund's first ad began running today on broadcast TV in the Albuquerque media market and will continue for a week. Check it out above.

The ad highlights the dismal environmental and energy voting records in Congress of both Republican candidates in the Senate primary race -- Rep. Heather Wilson (below, with Bush) and Rep. Steve Pearce (right) -- and ties their votes to large campaign contributions from oil and gas interests. Documentation on the claims is provided at the new website Two Bad for New Mexico, where you can also make a donation and sign up for updates on ways you can get active in the effort.

In a conference call with local media this morning, the Action Fund's President, Rodger Schlickeisen, and others from the group provided background info on the group and its the decision to make the NM race the Action Fund's top priority. The Fund first became directly involved in electoral politics in 2006, when it targeted and was instrumental in the defeat of supposedly unbeatable 14-year incumbent Rep. Richard Pombo (CA-11), an enemy of the environment who chaired the House Resources Committee. The Action Fund spent $1.8 million in that effort. The group will conduct a similarly robust effort here.

“Pearce and Wilson have spent their time in Congress bowing to the wishes of special interests, instead of protecting the interests of New Mexico’s citizens and the American Southwest,” said Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund. “They sit on key committees charged with protecting our air, land and water, yet both have atrocious conservation records that have earned them a well-deserved spot on our target list.”

“The 2008 elections are a wonderful opportunity for New Mexico voters to elect a pro-environment senator who will protect the interests of New Mexico’s citizens, instead of those of the special interests,” continued Schlickeisen. “In the process, they can also rid the New Mexico delegation of two of the environment’s worst enemies, Pearce and Wilson, who time and again have used their privileged positions to thwart legislation that would make America greener, safer and more prosperous.

Rep. Tom Udall: Part of the Solution

“The environmental challenges we face are great indeed and we need serious leaders to embrace them. Pearce and Wilson are part of the problem in Washington; Tom Udall is part of the solution. He is a true conservation champion and we are proud to do our part to help elect him to the Senate.”

More Action on the Way
The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund will be periodically running additional ads from now until the election on both broadcast and cable TV in New Mexico, and will be tied into an integrated campaign supporting Rep. Tom Udall's candidacy and working to defeat Wilson and Pearce. The effort will also include radio ads, direct mail and door-to-door canvassing.

Voting Records Tell the Tale
You can find detailed information on the voting records of Wilson, Pearce and Udall in the group's Wildlife Conservation Report Card, which examines votes on key measures related to clean energy and other environmental issues. The poor voting records of Pearce and Wilson are the polar opposites of Rep. Udall's outstanding record of consistently putting the public interest before private interests.

The Action Fund formally endorsed Udall for Senate in February. Udall has a score of 100% on the Defenders Action Fund Conservation Scorecard this year and a long record of support for clean, renewable energy and other efforts to combat the harmful effects of global warming.

In contrast, Wilson has a lifetime score of only 14% on key environmental votes. Pearce's record is arguably the worst in Congress -- rated at a rock bottom 0% by Defenders on environmental legislation. One example: Pearce was among only 35 other House members to vote against a recent bill directing the FTC to investigate possible price gouging by oil companies.

President Rodger Schlickeisen indicated that the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund may also get involved supporting pro-environment candidates in New Mexico's three open races for U.S. House seats, depending on who wins in the primaries. We'll keep you posted.

To see our previous coverage of the 2008 U.S. Senate race in New Mexico, visit our archive.

To get involved in Tom Udall's campaign, visit his website.

Commemorating Dr. King: Green Jobs Can Create Pathways Out of Poverty

From NMYO: April 4 marks the 40th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. To commemorate the event, staff and volunteers from New Mexico Youth Organized (NMYO) will travel to Memphis, TN this weekend for the Dream Reborn conference. Dream Reborn is an effort to honor the legacy of Dr. King by simultaneously addressing the issues of climate change, job creation and civil rights. 

NMYO Executive Director Keegan King explained, "Green jobs-blue collar jobs in green sectors of the economy-can create pathways out of poverty for young people. This goes to the core of Dr. King's teachings about equality for all. By providing job training for such things as solar panel installation, manufacturing, water treatment, recycling and sustainable agriculture, we can develop promising career paths right here in Albuquerque."

Over the weekend, NMYO and thousands of others will delve deeper into the concepts behind green jobs and their connection to civil rights, as well as how to get training programs started in cities across the country.

For more information about New Mexico Youth Organized and their campaign to promote green jobs,  check out their video above or 1SkyNewMexico.org.

Obama Would Grant High Level Role to Gore

Another superb reason to support Barack Obama. According to an AP report:

Sen. Barack Obama said Wednesday he would give Al Gore, a Nobel prize winner, a major role in an Obama administration to address the problem of global warming. At a town-hall meeting, Obama was asked if he would tap the former vice president for his Cabinet to handle global warming.

"I would," Obama said. "Not only will I, but I will make a commitment that Al Gore will be at the table and play a central part in us figuring out how we solve this problem. He's somebody I talk to on a regular basis. I'm already consulting with him in terms of these issues, but climate change is real. It is something we have to deal with now, not 10 years from now, not 20 years from now."

Given Gore's less than friendly relationship with the Clintons, I highly doubt Hillary would have Gore anywhere near her administration, in any role. Sad, but true.