Democracy for New Mexico

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.

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.

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.

Lady Bird Johnson: December 22, 1912 - July 11, 2007

Left, in 1926, with friend. Right, with Lyndon Baines Johnson in 1959.

Left, with Secretary of the Interior, Stewart Udall (father of Rep. Tom Udall of NM), at Grand Teton National Park, 1964. Right, with some of her beloved wildflowers, 1990. (Photos courtesy LBJ Library. Click on images for larger versions.)

Lady Bird Johnson passed away this afternoon at 94 years of age. She died at her Austin home of natural causes and she was surrounded by family and friends.

“The environment is where we all meet; where all have a mutual interest; it is the one thing all of us share. It is not only a mirror of ourselves, but a focusing lens on what we can become.” -- Lady Bird

The Austin Statesman has a special section on Lady Bird and her life. Tribute at LBJ Library site. New York Times obituary. PBS documentary with many resources.

Join Noted NM Activist and Rancher Tweeti Blancett for a Discussion on Oil and Gas Drilling in Santa Fe County

Editor's Note -- Background on this issue and the Blancetts: Here's some excellent material from Orion Magazine about the battle against irresponsible oil and gas drilling in New Mexico and other parts of the West. And here's a video in the fine Sierra Club Chronicles series about the Blancett's fight against the drillers on their ranch in Northwestern New Mexico and beyond.

Tweeti Blancett and her husband, Linn

From Drilling Santa Fe:
On Tuesday, July 17, 2007, from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM, Tweeti Blancett, longtime activist and New Mexico rancher, will present her graphic story of the ravages of oil and gas exploration and production in the San Juan Basin. Join Tweeti at the El Dorado Community Center, 1 Hacienda Loop, Santa Fe. Admission is free. Click for flyer.

Oil and gas exploration and production have not been an issue in Santa Fe County since the '80s. As energy prices skyrocket and as federal environmental regulations ease, the situation is quickly changing. Tweeti will discuss these changes.

In 2006, an oil company leased the mineral rights to 64,000 acres of private lands between the villages of Galisteo and Cerillos. In March 2007, over 6,000 acres of state-owned mineral rights between the village of Galisteo and County Roads 44/45 were leased by oil and gas interests. Already, one 1980's well in the Galisteo watershed has been revisited with high-pressure injections of possibly toxic chemicals to get the high grade oil flowing. Applications for more wells are pending.

Most of the land in Santa Fe County is a "split-estate." This means that even though one owns the surface of the land, the mineral rights belong to someone else. In Santa Fe County that "someone else" is likely to be oil and gas interests that can invade property, bulldoze a large site, set up a pit and drill through the water table for oil and gas.

It is critical that the County protect Santa Fe's many natural resources and quality of life, enforce its existing regulations, and strengthen certain provisions to address oil and gas production. Oil companies are now arguing that less stringent State regulations preempt local regulations, but citizens in other areas of New Mexico have fought back against the influence of the oil and gas industry. Counties can protect residents, wildlife and water.

Tweeti Blancett has traveled tirelessly for years speaking to groups from Montana to Otero Mesa. She brings together ranchers and environmentalists with a common message -- protect our land and water. Encourage local governments to stand up to the threats of immensely powerful industries. It is time for the citizens of Santa Fe County to hear her message.

For more information on this event and the issue, visit https://drillingsantafe.blogspot.com/ and or email us at drillingsantafe@earthlink.net.

RFK Jr. at Live Earth: See You On The Barricades

Audio (with photo) of RFK Jr. at Live Earth, Giants Stadium

The full text of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s kickass speech at this past weekend's Live Earth can be found at BradBlog, along with non-MSN video to accompany the sound. If you can only find the time to pay attention to one aspect of Live Earth, RFK Jr.'s no holds barred rant is the one to check out. Talk about speaking truth to power. Changing light bulbs is good. Changing the very power structure that controls how policy is made is paramount -- in other words, a paradigm change. Please read or see or listen to the whole thing, but here are a few excerpts:

The most important thing you can do is to get involved in the political process and get rid of all of these rotten politicians that we have in Washington D.C. -- Who are nothing more than corporate toadies for companies like Exxon and Southern Company, these villainous companies that consistently put their private financial interest ahead of American interest and ahead of the interest of all of humanity. This is treason and we need to start treating them now as traitors.

... And I want you to remember this, that we are not protecting the environment for the sake of the fishes and the birds, we are protecting it because nature is the infrastructure of our communities. And if we want to meet our obligation as a generation, as a civilization, as a nation, which is to create communities for our children that provide them with the same opportunities for dignity, and enrichment, and good health, and prosperity, and stability as the communities that our parents gave us, we've got to start by protecting our environmental infrastructure.

The air we breathe, the water we drink, the wildlife, the public lands, the things that connect us to our past to our history that provide context to our communities and that are the source, ultimately, of our values and our virtues and our character as a people and the future of our children.

And I will see all of you on the barricades.

There's been a lot of negative punditry about Live Earth in the mainstream media and on the web. Yeah, I know, the concerts used significant amounts of energy, much of the music wasn't someone's cup of tea, nothing will come of it, there's nothing we can do. In my opinion there's way too much of that  "I'm too cool to watch something like this and I'm gonna prove it by mocking it in print" attitude, even from certain segments of the progressive community.

I beg to differ. It was what it was, but I think it had incredibly strong elements of activism and leadership and inspired musicianship behind it and within it and reaching outside it. Remember, as Al Gore said many times, this was the KICKOFF to a 3-year MOVEMENT, not just a single event. Thousands of people worked hard all over the globe to make it happen, to try and incite ordinary people to action. There were many musical and rhetorical gems, some of which I'll be posting later. And make no mistake about it -- the messages about the seriousness of our environmental emergency penetrated everyone who tuned in via TV, webstream or radio at some level. It's a start. We have to start somewhere. There is no time to waste.

As the Pranksters used to ask, "Are you on the bus (powered by biofueld) or off the bus? Sign the pledge now. Stop being cynical. It's no a longer a luxury we can afford.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. website

Global Warming: A Real Solution, an incredibly hopeful must-read article by RFK Jr. that originally appeared in the 06.18.07 edition of Rolling Stone.

AlGore.com

P.S. You can now watch video segments of all the performances and speeches on demand at the Live Earth website.

Al Gore: Sign the Live Earth Pledge

First, if you haven't yet done so, read Al Gore's compelling NY Times op-ed. Then read his letter urging humans to sign the Live Earth Pledge and click the link to do it:

On 7.7.07 more than two billion people will come together during Live Earth. That number is unfathomable - more than one-fourth of the world’s population will participate in a single event and demand a solution to the climate crisis. This unique moment presents us with a unique choice.

Do we use this unprecedented opportunity to organize a global movement that will last beyond 7.7.07? Or do we let the moment pass?

I know my answer - and I think I know yours. That’s why I am issuing this challenge: Let’s use this moment to pledge our support to solving the climate crisis. Just as important – let’s ask everyone we know to join us as part of this movement.

Sign the 07.07.07 Live Earth Pledge.

I PLEDGE:

1. To demand that my country join an international treaty within the next 2 years that cuts global warming pollution by 90% in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy earth;

2. To take personal action to help solve the climate crisis by reducing my own CO2 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become "carbon neutral;"

3. To fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store the CO2;

4. To work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my home, workplace, school, place of worship, and means of transportation;

5. To fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal;

6. To plant new trees and to join with others in preserving and protecting forests; and,

7. To buy from businesses and support leaders who share my commitment to solving the climate crisis and building a sustainable, just, and prosperous world for the 21st century.

Together we were able to make March’s Congressional hearings a huge moment by collecting more than 500,000 messages and demonstrating the significant public support for solving the climate crisis to our elected leaders and the media. Our next opportunity to demonstrate this growing movement will come on 7.7.07

Live Earth will not just be a 24-hour concert – but the launch of a massive campaign to demonstrate that the political will exists to solve the climate crisis.

As our movement grows larger we will shake loose the paralysis currently gripping our political system. Working together we can get it done.

Thank you,

Al Gore
https://www.algore.com/

Our previous posts on Live Earth are here and here. They include links for watching the concerts online, on TV, at local events and more. Live video and footage from concerts earlier today available here.

Where and When Can I See Live Earth? (Starts Tonight)

From Live Earth:
MSN will stream the Live Earth concerts LIVE from all seven continents starting from Sydney, Australia and continuing geographically and chronologically across the globe. Log on tonight -- Friday, July 6th -- at  7:15 PM (MT) (since it's tomorrow already in Australia) for the start of what is destined to be an incomparable 24 hours. Watch the Al Gore webcast video.

OFFICIAL CONCERTS AND SCHEDULE

USA START TIME (MDT): Summary Sheet
Live Earth Sydney - 7:10 PM, 7/6
Live Earth Tokyo  - 9:00 PM, 7/6 
Live Earth Shanghai - 5:00 AM, 7/7 
Live Earth Hamburg - 6:00 AM, 7/7
Live Earth London - 6:30 AM, 7/7
Live Earth Johannesburg - 10:00 AM, 7/7
Live Earth New York - 12:30 PM, 7/7 
Live Earth Rio de Janeiro - 1:00 PM, 7/7

Due to the global nature of this event, all times are subject to change. Stay tuned to www.liveearth.msn.com for the most current information on all the Live Earth concerts.

LIVE EARTH ON THE AIR
Live Earth will be transmitted worldwide in standard and high definition across multiple media channels - TV, radio, Internet and wireless channels. In the US, highlights from all Live Earth concerts and events will air on NBC at 8:00 PM on Saturday, 07.07.07. Visit www.liveearth.org for a more expansive list of International Broadcast Partners or click this direct link to on the air providers. Don't wanna watch it alone? There are over 8000 Friends of Live Earth events happening worldwide. Find one near you right here. Washington DC concert added.

Note: I'd double check online with the MSN and Live Earth sites as the events near their stated start times as last minute changes are to be expected. One event that doesn't yet show on the schedule is today's addition of a Live Earth event in Washington DC in the form of a Mother Earth concert and program hosted by Native Americans at the National Museum of the American Indian. Besides Native American speakers and musicians, including Albuquerque reggae band Native Roots, the event will feature a performance by Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. It looks like it's scheduled for Saturday at 8:30 AM MDT. It's unclear when the band of scientists in Anarctica will perform!

Also see our earlier post on LIve Earth, which includes links to local viewing gatherings.

07.07.07 Party for the Planet

You've got your choice of events related to Al Gore's 07.07.07 Live Earth concert. You can find or host your own Live Earth gathering via this page at the Live Earth website. You can also watch a live stream online at their website or tune in to a variety of TV and radio channels.

MoveOn folks are also organizing various parties around the nation focusing on their Online Climate Town Hall with all the Dem candidates for president, as well as concert viewing. To find a party near you or create your own, type in your zip code here.

Defenders of Wildlife in NM is also hosting a Live Earth Watch Party at Coaches Sports Grill, 1414 Central SE in Albuquerque, just west of University on Saturday 7/7, from 6-10 PM. Doors open at 5 PM. No RSVP needed -- first come, first served.

You can also enter their raffle to win some great green prizes, including Al Gore’s book, green products, outdoor gear and more! Anyone who walks, rides their bike, or takes the bus to the event gets a free raffle ticket! Contact Lisa Hummons for more info: (505) 248-0118 x5, or lhummon@defenders.org

Concerts start in Sydney, Australia on Friday night Mountain Time, and end in New York City on Saturday. There will be as many as five concerts taking place simultaneously at any given time, each from a different continent. Coverage will vary depending on where and how you're getting your feed.

Also see our later post with updated information.

Rep. Steve Pearce Has His Head in the Sand: The Video

Adding to their Heads in the Sand on Global Warming campaign, the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund has released a new video (above) that pixilates our predicament with Republican Rep. Steve Pearce (NM-02) and his obtuse nonresponses to the threats of global climate change. Pearce wants to keep things just as they are because so many of his big donors make lots of money producing fuels that create greenhouse gases. He'd rather sacrifice the future of our children and grandchildren -- and maybe even the planet itself -- by defending the status quo instead of facing reality and supporting the actions necessary to address one of our most urgent problems.

You can check out the particulars of Pearce's disturbing record here. For instance, did you know that Pearce voted against the environment on 20 out of 20 related bills in the 109th Congress? He earned a zero percent score for 2005 and a zero percent score for 2006 in the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund scorecard.

Pearce to let him know what you think of his Head in the Sand approach to our environmental future. After all, he's supposed to be representing all the people, not just his favorite promoters of pollution. While you're at it, you might want to lend a hand to one of the Democrats who want to challenge Pearce in 2008 election:

• Al Kissling for Congress

Also see our previous post on Head-In-The-Sand Pearce. Click to support the work of the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, including their radio ad targeting Rep. Steve Pearce's dismal environmental record.

Of course, Pearce is just one ally of the Republican campaign to stop the advancing movement towards renewable energy. Be sure to check out the excellent Rolling Stone article, The Secret Campaign of President Bush's Administration to Deny Global Warming, for the dirty details.

Remember, the Republican members of Congress in our state -- Rep. Steve Pearce, Rep. Heather Wilson and Sen. Pete Domenici -- all stick with the Bush agenda no matter what. Can the planet stand another term from any of them?