If you have been paying attention to the news or have relatives or friends in the South or even stepped outside, you know our earth and our people are dealing with a reckoning. The Medio fire has deeply affected folks living in Northern New Mexico especially Pueblo communities and small villages north of Santa Fe in the midst of a pandemic deeply affecting respiratory systems. In California, fires are ripping through the landscape. Meanwhile, California is finally recognizing that Indigenous people knew how to manage and live in reciprocity in their homelands, yet there's no mention of land back.
Hurricane Laura, one of the most powerful storms to hit out southern coast, hit the coast of Louisiana and has left 100,000s with no power in Louisiana & Texas.
The effects of climate change in our state and in the US (& world) have been revealing themselves for decades. Longer, hotter summers and more frequent and severe droughts and stronger storms are all symptoms of climate change. We're paying attention & acting with you!
"Produced Water" Hearing - TOMORROW (Thurs 9/3) at 9AM
The State of New Mexico, through its Oil Conservation Commission, is holding a special public meeting to vote on the new "Produced Water" proposed rule they created based on their previous draft and supposedly including feedback from the public during their previous August hearing.
Watch the Webex Meeting live HERE. Event number: 146 060 5154 | Event password: xmSmV7qEC73 Audio conference: +1-408-418-9388
Access Code: 146 060 5154
Checkout this article by climate journalist Dahr Jamail documenting some of the damage produced water is already doing in the state of New Mexico
NM Legislature's Water & Natural Resources Committee also TOMORROW (Thursday 9/3) starting at 9 AM
9:05 - Oil and Gas Market Update 10:00 - Methane Regulation 11:30 - Bonding Requirements & Abandoned Wells 12:30 - Lunch Break 1:30 - Produced Water Rules In and Out of the Oil Field 2:45 - Oil and Gas Act Reform 3:45 - New Mexico Clean Energy Workforce Development Study 4:30 - Public Comment Watch online HERE. The Agenda available online contains information with additional materials about each of the agenda items (listed left). This committee's day is very full of important issues, all of which are in YUCCA's platform. If you can, tune in for all or part of the day. How to participate in Public Comment are listed HERE.
NM Legislature's Radioactive & Hazardous Materials Committee on Wednesday, September 9 starting at 10 AM
10:00 - Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Operations and Updates 11:15 - Progress on the Department of Environment's (NMED's) Compliance Order on Consent with LANL and the Cleanup of Legacy Waste 12:15 - Lunch Break 1:15 - LANL Operations and Expansion Community Concerns 2:30 - Updates on Kirtland Air Force Base Bulk Fuel Spill, Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Contamination and Remediation of Contaminated Sites 3:30 - Public Comment The Agenda is currently available online. These meetings are very important because they help give us a sense of the kinds of legislation we may see during the next legislative session. How to participate in Public Comment are listed HERE. Watch online HERE.
Draft Methane Rule Public Comment Period Extended!!
NM Environment Dept and Energy, Minerals & Natural Resources are extending the public comment period to September 16 until 5 pm.
New Mexico Departments of Environment (NMED) and Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources (EMNRD) are holding a public meeting to present on the recently released draft rules regulating waste, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx).
We need strong regulations on Methane, a potent greenhouse gas - as the oil market tanks - oil & gas operators and venting and flaring at alarming rates - and regulators aren't doing any enforcement. In addition to climate disruption, methane poses a public health threat. According to the EPA, presence of methane & VOCs cause health problems such as asthma, cardiovascular disease, skin problems, and damage to liver, kidney and central nervous system especially for children. Comments or input on the draft rules may be submitted electronically to: EMNRD.WasteRule@state.nm.us Comments should also be sent to: nm.methanestrategy@state.nm.us Mailed to: Liz Bisbey-Kuehn, NMED Air Quality Bureau, 525 Camino de los Marquez, Santa Fe, NM 87505
An Evening Conversation with Representative Patricia Roybal-Caballero & Special Guest Congresswoman Deb Haaland
Dare to Lead: Facing the Climate Challenge Head On
Wednesday, September 9 | 6:00-7:30 PM
A strategy discussion & fundraiser with YUCCA Action with special guest Congresswoman Deb Haaland & Community Solar champion Representative Patricia Roybal Caballero (HD13). These two amazing women and YUCCA Action are teaming up for this event.
We know you won't want to miss it. <3
Updates from Nuclear Issues Study Group The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is implementing a webinar series in lieu of In-Person meetings. While on the face of it, seems like a logical decision during the pandemic, however, the pandemic does relieve them of the responsibility to hold public hearings. NISG & partners will make a comment on the first webinar (August 20) that their groups are boycotting the webinar process. They won't participate in the remaining 3 NRC meetings. Say no to regional consolidated storage Read NM Senators response to NRC's decision here
NISG will hold their own PEOPLE’S HEARING via zoom webinar in mid-September, tentatively on September 16, and submit a recording as comments from those who attend.
They are also writing letters to elected officials explaining all this about the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s substitutions of in-person meetings with their webinars and why they oppose.
In the meantime, they will still push for emails on the DEIS. Their final webinar episode is September 10, at 6pm.
FILL OUT THE CENSUS 2020 - deadline moved to Sept 30!!!
The deadline is around the corner & the Trump administration moved the deadline for the Census up a month. This means that our communities in the state have much less time to get it filled out or filled out with the aid of Census Takers.
Billions of federal dollars are distributed to states based on the Census? Our communities receive about $3,700 for every New Mexican that is accounted for in the Census. An undercount of just 1% could cost us $780 million dollars which provides money for schools, food programs, programs for the elderly & more! Fill it out today!
WE GOTTA VOTE!
2020 General Elections are coming up! Get a head start in getting an absentee ballot - GO HERE! Remember, you can drop it off at the County Clerk's office & open polling sites.
Registered voters should be getting an application in the mail, but if your address has changed since registering you may not get a ballot.
P.S. YUCCA Action will be actively promoting the NM seats open in our local races! Stay tuned....