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APR, Augustin Plains, Socorro Electric, SECanchn SEC APR

APR WATER GRAB - SEC - LOCAL ENVIRO. & NEWS

NOAA Smoke Map  -   Fire Map  -   Wind Map

9/22/24 - Corporations Plunder US West’s Water Amid Worst Drought in 1,200 Years ... Profiteering companies are lining up to buy water rights in the western US as the water supply dwindles.   TruthOut   

8/28/24 - Co-ops can now self-generate.
Letter Chieftain

8/23/24 - Augustin Plains Ranch Case Decision Ends on High Note. NMELC press release.PDF Also Chieftain

4/11/24 - Water Win for Southern New Mexico! Court Ruling Protects San Augustin Plains Groundwater from Out-of-State Water Grab. NM Environmental Law Center.  .PDF

8/14/24 - Wade's son appointed to SEC board. Chiftain  

8/1/24 - SEC General Manager steps down. Chieftain  

7/25/24 - Co-op claims city violated NM Civil Rights Act
Chieftain

7/30/24 - Mexican Gray Wolves Near Flagstaff: A Missed Opportunity for Natural Recovery. NM Wild

7/25/24 - Co-op claims city violated NM Civil Rights Act
Chieftain

7/25/24 - Wolf Asha denied freedom for failure to breed. NM WIld

8/1/24 - SEC General Manager steps down. Chieftain

7/25/24 - Co-op claims city violated NM Civil Rights Act
Chieftain

6/20/24 - Power Struggle: Wolberg predicted backlash against SEC in 2018. Chieftain

6/15/24 - The LLC has drafted a "Notice of Submission of Service" with the Court requesting a hearing about Judge Woods's order. News release.pdf

6/10/24 - Supreme Court rules state regulator can change rates proposed by rural electric cooperatives. Chieftain  

4/11/24 - Water Win for Southern New Mexico! Court Ruling Protects San Augustin Plains Groundwater from Out-of-State Water Grab. NM Environmental Law Center.

4/11/24 - Woods: Potential buyers are not admissible evidence. Cheiftain or .PDF

4/5/24 - Judge denies pumping of water from the San Agustin Basin. Chieftain or .PDF

4/4/24 - Meiklejohn: Italian millionaire seeks financial gain. Chieftain .PDF version

1/25/24 - Meet the communities trying to take over their local electric utility. ... Activists say public power would lower bills and expand clean energy. But they face tough opposition from investor-owned utilities. Grist

1/25/24 - City willing to extend Co-op franchise, but not indefinitely. Chieftain

12/15/23 - New filings. (See opinion summary Here)

- New Mexico State Engineer's Consolidated Reply to the Augustin Plains Ranch, LLC's Consolidated Response to Appellee's Motions for Summary Judgement and Community Protestants' Response to The State Engineer's Motion for Summary Judgement.  Here

- Helen Hand and The Hand Trust's Reply to Augustin Plains Ranch's Consolidated Response to Appellees' Motions for Summary Judgement on The issue of Speculation.  Here

- Community Protestants' Reply to Augustin Plains Ranch, LLC’s Consolidated Response to Appellees' Motions for Summary Judgement.  Here

- Applicant-Appellant Augustin Plains Ranch, LLC’s, Consolidated Reply in Support of Its Second Motion for Summary Judgment.  Here

12/14/23 - Three new response filings:
- The Carol Pittman Protestants' Reply to The Augustin Plains Ranch's Response to The Pittman Protestants' Motion for Summary Judgment.  Here

- The Carol Pittman Protestants' Reply to The State Engineer's Response to the Carol Pittman Protestants' Motion for Summary Judgment.  Here

- Catron County Board of County Commissioners' Reply to the Applicant-Appellant Augustin Plains Ranch, LLC's Consolidated Response to Appellee's Motion for Summary Judgment.  Here

11/1/23 - 10 New documents on APR water court case
filings here

9/25/23 - Mayor lays plans to provide a new electric service to schools.  Chieftain

9/1/23 - Feds update evidence standards for Mexican gray wolf attacks. ...  wolf is now receiving more management protections in Arizona and New Mexico.   SourceNM  

8/18/23 - Report finds agriculture uses 80% of NM’s fresh water. ...  The report analyzed water use in the state and criticized dairies, alfalfa farming and pecan farming as, “egregious examples of water misuse.” SourceNM  

7/23/23 - The Privatization of Water Is a Scam.   British water companies have loaded up with debt while pumping sewage into waterways, raising bills and delivering huge profits to shareholders. This can only end by the government taking water back from these corporations.  Jacobin

6/2/23 - NM environmental agency bracing for water law changes. ... After landmark SCOTUS ruling limits what waters federal agencies protect under Clean Water Act, advocates concerned that NM is vulnerable.  ScourceNM   

5/18/23 - Protecting New Mexico’s Centuries-Old Water Democracy. ... In dry New Mexico, the traditional shared water system known as acequias are central to the struggle over the future of the commons. Popular Resistance  

5/15/23 - Rural electric co-ops to get $10.7B in USDA funds for clean energy grants, loans. SourceNM   

4/27/23 - San Agustin water group holds fundraiser. .... San Augustin Water Coalition, is sponsoring a 5K Run/1 Mile Fun Run/Walk on Saturday, May 6, to raise money to help with legal fees to help prevent Augustin Plains Ranch LLC (APR) from mining water from the aquifer beneath the San Agustin Plains, west of Magdalena. Chieftain or .pdf version


3/24/23 - The Legislative session is over, and thanks to your efforts SB337 passed! We need to be aware that local representation for regional planning is the responsibility of the Interstate Stream Commission, so we will need to be vigilant. For now, those who have a minute to do so might want to thank our representative, Gail Armstrong, for her support of good water bills.

Thanks for all you did to get this legislation passed into law,
Carol Pittman

Gail Armstrong’s contact information:
email address gail@gailfornewmexico.com
Phone No. 505-986-4215

3/13/23 - SB337 Update: This bill would give some local control to water planning activities and, if passed into law, could prevent large water grabs as is being attempted by the Augustin Plains Ranch LLC in northern Catron County.

3/12/23 - On Tuesday, March 14 the House Agriculture, Acequias And Water Resources Committee will consider
SB337 the WATER SECURITY PLANNING ACT. The Senate passed this bill 39-0. ... Our Representative, Gail Armstrong, serves on the Committee and if you have time, please contact her and urge her to support SB337. It looks possible to get this bill passed into law this session.
Email address gail@gailfornewmexico.com
Phone No. 505-986-4215

3/9/23 - Mexican gray wolves thrive in 2022.
Chieftain
or .pdf

3/5/23 - Augustin Water Coalition meeting. SAWC will have a regular board meeting on Tuesday, March 7th at 6:30 p.m. at the Datil Christian Cowboy Church in Datil. ... Agenda items include planning a fundraiser (Spring Fun Run/Walk) in partnership with the Datil Volunteer Fire Dept. The public is welcome to attend. - Eileen Dodson
San Augustin Water Coalition

3/5/23 - Water Legislation Update: March 6, at 1:30 p.m., Room 322, Senate Finance will hear SB 337 Water Security Planning Act. This is the highest priority water bill this session. It would establish a long-term framework for state-funded regional water security planning – community driven, science-based, and focused on resilience, sustainability, and equity. You’ll find talking points in the bill title above (from Middle Rio Grande Water Advocates and NM Water Ambassadors). Please email committee members today and call in the morning to urge them to vote “YES” on SB 337.

More information: SB 337 Water Security Planning Act.pdf 

2/19/23 - There is a hearing coming up on Tuesday regarding SB337, a bill to protect water resources. The bill is named WATER SECURITY PLANNING ACT and is deserving of our support. The hearing is before the Senate Conservation Committee Tuesday, February 21, 2023 - 9:00 am.

This email is to request that you support the bill.
Download entire announcement.pdf
and  SB337-NormsBIll. pdf

8/12/22 - Controversial Augustin Plains Ranch water project legal battles continue. ... The legal battles in a controversial water project are continuing as the state’s Court of Appeals remanded it back to district court.  
NM Political Report   

1/26/23 - Legislation update: As you know, the hope is that legislation will pass (in this session) that will prevent the movement of massive quantities of water out of our community to benefit an international corporation financially. Below is a template that you can use to reach the appropriate Senator, and/or the appropriate Representative. Please contact them with your request to consider this issue (by post or by email). - Carol Pittman. Template.pdf or .DOC

1/2/2023 - Attached is a flyer about water legislation that will come before the 2023 legislative session. We have been very hopeful that such legislation would finally appear, and now that it has, we must support it (think Augustin Plains while you read the flyer). Read the flyer carefully, and if you have questions let me know (pittray@gilanet.com) and I’ll do my best to find answers. I’ll let you know how to support the legislation as the legislative session progresses.
2023 Legislation Document.pdf   

12/1/22 - Montana Judge Won’t Halt Gov. Greg Gianforte’s Aggressive Wolf Hunt. ... The decision came as part of a lawsuit from environmental groups filed after the deadliest year for Yellowstone wolves since their reintroduction.
The Intercept   

October 15, 2022 - Update on Grey Wolf recovery program. On October 4, 2022, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released the final revised recovery plan for the Mexican wolf, which includes new site-specific management actions to address the threat of human-caused mortality, including illegal killing.   NM Wild   

September 28, 2022 - Without settlement, Rio Grande Supreme Court case returns to trial.  Source NM

September 22, 2022 - Colorado water officials oppose New Mexico lawmakers’ push for federal action on the Rio Grande. ... Legislation proposed by New Mexico politicians eyes federal workgroup for Rio Grande.   The Colorado Sun

September 19, 2022 - Indigenous groups say changes to utility regulation in NM would favor energy companies. ... 2020 ballot measure altered how people get onto the PRC and shrank the board. Source NM        

August 30, 2022 - Montana doubles down of wold slaughter. ... permits for 456 wolf slaughter. CounterPunch

August 29, 2022 - Settlement deadline looms in Rio Grande Supreme Court case. Source New Mexico

August 19, 2022 - Bernalillo County approves new Santolina plans despite public objections, water access issues. ... Opponents urged electeds to reject ‘massive, unneeded new development’ Source New Mexico  Download .pdf   See also Albuquerque Journal

August 18, 2022 - Community Responds to Bernalillo County Commission Approval of Santolina Tire Dump. Contra Santolina press releast. Download.pdf

August 18, 2022 - Water rights case gets bounced back to District Court. Chieftain or Download .pdf   

August 11, 2022 - SAWC heard on Thursday that the Court of Appeals has remanded the District Court's decision back to the DC because of an error with the way the DC turned the LLC's appeal down. Download Decision.pdf  

July 28, 2022 - Appellate judges assigned to water case. Chieftain or .pdf version

July 22, 2022 - Rio Grande runs dry in Albuquerque for the first time in 40 years. Washongton Post Journal    

July 20, 2022 - Wolf tracks in Yellowstone National Park ... Was Yellowstone’s Deadliest Wolf Hunt in 100 Years an Inside Job?   Intercept

July 20, 2022 - Climate Change Collides With Western Water Law. CounterPunch

July 4, 2022 - The Key Impacts of Livestock Production Upon the Land. CounterPunch

June 17, 2022 - Wolves in the West are Collateral Damage of Human Selfishness. CounterPunch

June 16, 2022 - Sabotaging the Mexican wolf recovery project. ... A whistleblower reveals how fraudulent wolf kills hurt recovery of the endangered species High Country News

June 10, 2022 - Water Shortages Threaten Development in More Western Cities Pew Research

June 3, 2022 - Electric Co-ops Are Well Situated To Lead The Green Energy Transition. Popular Resistance

June 2, 2022 - County backs proposed livestock authority; feds release more wolf pups. ... A Joint Powers Agreement between the counties of Socorro, Catron and Sierra was approved last week by the Socorro County Board of County Commissioners. The purpose of the JPA is to create the County Livestock Loss Authority, designed to help protect the rights and livelihood of the cattle ranching industry, which feels at risk by the federal government’s management of the reintroduction of the endangered Mexican gray wolf. Chieftain  .pdf

June 3, 2022 - Wishing the Gila Wilderness a Happy 98th Birthday. CounterPunch   Related reading: First & Wild West. Torrey House Publishers

May 24, 2022 - Cry Wolf. Endangered Gray Wolf recovery is being "sabotaged" by ranchers who claim the canines are killing cattle - and the federal employes who sign off the reports. The Intercept

May 19, 2022 - Mexican wolf numbers allowed to rise; legislators call for lethal removal. Chieftain or .pdf

May 19, 2022 - Socorro Electric Coop agrees to restructure rates ... After three years of refusing to do so, last week the Socorro Electric Coop agreed to restructure its rates as directed by the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission in September 2019. This comes as a compromise between SEC and the NMPRC Utility Division Staff after several years of back and forth. Chieftain or PDF

May 4, 2022 - America is exterminating its wolves. When will this stop? ... Last year Idaho approved the killing of 90% of its wolves and Wisconsin killed 200 in less than 60 hours. Recently 500 were killed in the northern Rockies. This is a disaster for our ecosystem. Guardian

April 28, 2022 - 'Stunning and Supremely Disappointing': Biden Admin Moves to Appeal Gray Wolf Protections. ... The Interior Department said the "procedural step" will allow time for additional assessment and "does not signal that the federal government has determined that an appeal will be pursued." CommonDreams

April 28, 2022 - McCartney elected to Coop Board. Chieftain  or  .pdf

April 21, 2022 - Bustamante seeks re-election.
Chieftain or .pdf

April 21, 2022 - Letter: City’s feud with electric cooperative is harmful. Jim Nelson - Chieftain or .pdf

April 21 - City accuses Coop of attempting to delay informing members. Chieftain or .pdf

April 21, 2022 - Jaguars Could Return to the US Southwest, But Only If They Have Pathways to Move North. CounterPunch

April 20, 2022 - SEC Annual meeting newsletter announcement and Socorro City buyout. Download.pdf

April 20, 3022 - Restoring the Grizzly to the Southwest: Aldo Leopold’s Escudilla, Revisited. CounterPunch

April 20,2022 - “It’s Not a Drought, It’s Looting”: Water Rights Activists Organize in Mexico. ... Mexico is heading into the worst months of its dry season. Fifteen of 32 states are experiencing extremely high stress on water resources, as use surpasses the amount available. TruthOut

April 14,2022 - Expanding Drought Leaves Western U.S. Scrambling For Water. ... One of North America’s longest rivers, the Rio Grande is another example of a waterway in the western U.S. that’s tapped out. HuffPost

April 7, 2022 - SEC again ordered to restructure rates. Chieftain or .pdf

April 6, 2022 - New Mexico Teeters On The Edge Of A New Era Of Coexistence. Roxy’s Law represents a critical marker on New Mexico’s path to reimagining how we perceive and live with the wildlife that makes this place special. Popular Resistance

April 1, 2022 - Socorro Electric Co-op fights PRC and city Albuquerque Jorunal or download.pdf

March 31, 2022 - Bustamante, McCartney face off. No SEC candidate for Catron.  Chieftain or Download.pdf

March 24, 2022 - SEC trustees accumulating fines ... accumulating a $1,000 fine per day since April 2020 after refusing to restructure their rates as directed by the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission. Chieftain or download PDF

March 22, 2022 - Khanna-Warren Bill Would Ban Wall Street Profiteering on Water Scarcity ... The Future of Water Act, said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, would "protect water from Wall Street speculation and ensure one of our most. CommonDreams    12/20/21 - Related More Than 130 Groups Call on CFTC to Shut Down 'Dystopian' Water Futures Market ... In this time of global-warming-induced drought in California, the last thing we need is to gamble on our precious water resources."  CommonDreams

March 21, 2022 - The Horrific Scam that Water Billionaires are Running on Poor Countries. ... Mega corporations like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Danone are making around 494 times what they spend by bottling water in Mexico and selling it back to locals who have no choice but to buy it. CounterPunch

March 10, 2022 - The city of Socorro sent an open letter to the Socorro Electric Cooperative's CEO and Board Members, offering to acquire the cooperative's system within the city of Socorro and to take over providing electric services to city residents. Download PDF

March 4, 2022 - Historic Victory on Santolina Case
Download PDF

February 14, 2022 - The Case for Equal Protections for Wolves Throughout Their Range. CounterPunch

February 10, 2022 - 'Huge Win for Gray Wolves' as US Court Restores Endangered Species Act Protections. ... Campaigners also emphasize that, as one expert put it, "there is still a huge amount of work ahead to protect wolves in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming, where they face some of their biggest threats." CommonDreams

January 27, 2022 - Over 81,000 demand support for long-term Mexican gray wolf conservation.
Wild Earth Guardians

January 25, 2022 - ‘Corporate vultures’: how Americans fearing higher water bills are fighting takeovers. ... Corporations are trying to privatize dozens of public water utilities around the US, capitalizing on the financial troubles of cities The guardian

January 21, 2022 - From Gail Armstong "I’m pushing to fund the water data act. There is lots of additional funding being put in the office" - Thank Gail for her efforts at : gail@gailfornewmexico.com

January 17, 2022 - Press Release.PDF.  
RELATED:
How Much Water Does New Mexico Have.  ABQ News     
RELATED:
When the well runs dry: How much water does New Mexico have? El Paso Times

January 15, 2022 - Help Protect Mexican Gray Wolves! ... The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is updating its management plan for Mexican gray wolves, and we need your comments by January 27 Wolf Conservation Center

January 13, 2022 - Julian Assange: A Thousand Days in Belmarsh CounterPunch

January 1, 2022 - Indigenous feminism flows through the fight for water rights on the Rio Grande. ... An intergenerational group of Pueblo women lead the way on water policy along the Middle Rio Grande Valley. HCN

January 1, 2022 - New Mexico Wild newsletter.pdf

December 24, 2021 - There’s Only One Essential Role Humans Have on Earth: a Humbler Perspective Could Save the World. CounterPunch

December 24, 2021 - What is a Wilderness Without Its Wolves? CounterPunch

December 24, 2021 - Grizzlies Need Your Help: Tell the Forest Service to Keep Cows Out of Wilderness. CounterPunch

December 22, 2021 - EPA’s Next Move Decides The Fate Of Factory Farm Polluters In New Mexico. ... EPA is set to renew an important water pollution permit for factory farms, which could determine whether New Mexico’s scarce water resources are protected... or not. Food & Water Watch

December 20, 2021- Mexican Gray Wolves Belong in the Wild, Wherever They Roam. CounterPunch

December 5, 2021 - A gray wolf’s epic journey ends in death on a California highway. ... OR-93 traveled further south than any wolf had in a hundred years. Even after death, he continues to inspire. Guardian

December 3, 2021 - Democrats and the Wolf Slaughter. CounterPunch

Novemer 3, 2021 - Can the Wolf Unite Us? Environmental Leadership in Polarized Times. CounterPunch

October 1, 2021 - For the Wolf. ... As the world deteriorates ecologically and societally, we are seeing in Montana’s new wolf “hunts” a march of barbarism and contempt for life unfolding before us. CounterPunch

September 20, 2021 - A New Water Source That Could Make Drought a Thing of the Past. ... Oceans of water are beneath our feet, and new technologies are extracting it economically without ecological damage. ScheerPost

September 3, 2021 - Biden Should Put Science, Not Policy Positions, in the Driver’s Seat on Wolves and the Endangered Species Act. CounterPunch

September 1, 2021 - Wolves’ perilous path to Colorado ... As gray wolf restoration in the Southern Rockies looms, one multi-state river corridor highlights the political and physical barriers they face. High Country News

September 1, 2021 - Why are Mexican Wolves Being Removed From Northern Arizona? Agency Excuses Don’t Fly. CounterPunch

July 28, 2021 - ‘An abomination’: the story of the massacre that killed 216 wolves. ... ‘Before regulators could shut down the hunt, 216 wolves had been killed – overshooting the quota by 83%.’ Guardian

July 5, 2021 -
Study Details How Trump Unleashed 'Outright Slaughter' of Wolves in Wisconsin. ... Experts warn Wisconsin could be a harbinger of the fate of wolves in other states unless the Biden administration quickly restores federal protections. CommonDreams  Related:  Up To Third Of Wisconsin’s Wolves Killed After Removal From Endangered Species List
The state ended its wolf hunt after just three days earlier this year when hunters killed at least 216 wolves in about 60 hours. HuffPost

July 2, 2021 -
The return of the endangered Mexican wolf
A program that places captive-born pups into wild dens is helping North America’s rarest wolf subspecies reclaim its native territory in the Southwest. HCN

June 1, 2021 -
Who’s Afraid the Big (Actually, Tiny) Bad (Hardly) Wolf (Pups)?. CounterPunch

May 21, 2021 -
Can New Mexico transition from fossil fuels? ... Oil and gas revenue funds everything from campaigns to government functions, complicating promises of a greener future. HCN

May 21, 2021 -
How Rural Electric Cooperatives Can Support A Green New Deal. Popular Resistance

May 15, 2021 -
Court ruling jeopardizes New Mexico's water rights . The Center Square or download PDF version

May 13, 2021 -
New paper makes case for releasing jaguars across Arizona, New Mexico. ... In a paper published Tuesday in the journal Conservation Science and Practice, 16 conservation biologists argue that restoring the endangered cat to more of its historic range would “remedy the injustice” of the animals being wiped out by humans almost 60 years ago. Tucson Related: Jaguars could be reintroduced in US south-west, study says. ... Study’s authors believe animal can benefit people as well as ‘cultural and natural heritage’ of Arizona and New Mexico. Guardian

May 13, 2021 -
The Gila River Indian Community innovates for a drought-ridden future. ... Through partnerships and exchanges, the community is ensuring that its members have long-term access to their own resources while helping solve broader water supply problems.  HCN

May 12, 2021 -
Idaho is going to kill 90% of the state’s wolves. That’s a tragedy – and bad policy. .. Fed by myths, fairytales and Disney, America’s demonization of wolves has been going on for centuries, and continues full throttle. Guardian

May 11, 2021 -
The Cash Cows of Catron County. CounterPunch
Related: Forest Service upholds Decision to Cancel Grazing Permit of Convicted Wolf Killer. Western Water Sheds

May 1, 2021 -
New Mexico Wild statement on Biden administration cancelling 2nd quarter oil and gas lease sales. NM Wild

April 28, 2021 -
SunZia Project update -
January 22-23, 2020. With maps. Download.pdf Files contains route maps. The line does not to come near Magdalena.

April 28, 2021 -
NM Supreme Court Refuses to Review State Court of Appeals Ruling that Invalidated Zoning Change for Proposed Santolina Development. Download.pdf



April 27, 2021 -
Idaho’s Wolf Slaughter Bill Stampedes Toward a Vote. ... would allow an unlimited number of wolf tags per hunter, no restrictions on methods of take, establishment of year-round trapping seasons on private lands, and allowing the state Wolf Depredation Control Board to hire independent contractors to kill wolves (and) use any method available to kill. Guardian

April 24, 2012 -
New Mexico fights to escape powerful grip of big oil and gas. Guardian

April 24, 2021 -
Idaho Senate OKs Bill To Kill Up To 90% Of The State’s Wolves. ... Conservationists slammed the bill as incentivizing the “cruel deaths” of more than 1,000 wolves. HuffPost

April 20, 2021 -
The New Mexico Spring .. How progressives took power in the state’s Democratic Party. Intercept

April 15, 2021 -
Update on SEC vs. City of Socorro lawsuit.  Chieftain

April 8, 2021 -
Letter: Update on City vs SEC lawsuit by Mayor Bhasker. Chieftian

April 17, 2020 -
US West Prepares For Possible First Water Shortage Declaration. AZ, NV could see their first mandatory water use caps as climate change leaves the Colorado River at a historic low. HuffPost.

April 16, 2021 -
The New Mexico Spring. ... How progressives took power in the state’s Democratic Party. Intercept

April 13, 2021 -
US to enter mega drought which will be the worst for 1200 years – here’s what to expect. ... Experts warn of permanent drought after third-driest winter in California’s history. Independent

April 13, 2021 -
'Major Step Forward' as NM Legalizes Recreational Marijuana. ..
"By ensuring equity and social justice in our cannabis legalization, we are saying 'enough' to the devastating 'war on drugs' that over-incarcerated and over-penalized thousands of New Mexicans."CommonDreams
  Related: Biden Looks to Extend Trump’s Bolstered Mandatory Minimum Drug Sentencing. ... Over 100 advocacy groups sent a letter to Congress opposing the “hardline anti-science policy,” which applies to a broad range of fentanyl-related substances. Intercept

April 12, 2010 -
Trapping: New Mexico Moves Forward, Montana Leaps Backwar. CounterPunch

April 12, 2021 -
Critics Warn $15 Billion Merger of Global Water Giants Would Create 'Dangerous Corporate Monopoly'... "Veolia's plan to dominate public water services all across the globe is becoming a terrifying reality." CommonDreams

April 10, 2021 -
Wolves Remain at Risk as Hunters and Their State-Level Allies Call the Shots TruthDig

April 8, 2021 -
Update on City vs SEC lawsuit - Mayor Bhasker. Chieftain - Download . PDF

April 8, 2021 -
Mexican Wolf Depredation Investigations…Again. CounterPunch

April 1, 2021 -
Endangered Mexican gray wolf. Letter to
Chieftain

WATER NEWS

Meet Arizona's water one-percenters
A flood-irrigated home in Phoenix. In Phoenix, two cities are emerging: one is water-rich, the other water-poor. Guardian

The Great Water Grab: Wall Street is buying up the world’s water. Our Santa Fe River

Paraguay in a spin about Bush's alleged 100,000 acre hideaway. Guardian

Why Did George Bush Buy Nearly 300,000 acres in Paraguay? 5min Forecast

The New “Water Barons”: Wall Street Mega-Banks are Buying up the World’s Water. GlobalResearch

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Mexican gray wolve popoulation in the wild by the end of 2020 increased to 186, up 14% from the
previous year.

April 1, 2021 -
Co-op suspends election of trustees. Chieftain

March 26, 2021 - NEW SEC Annual Members Meeting. Saturday April 10, 2021. Business meeting starts at 3PM. Meeting takes place through Zoom Only. Go to
https://socorroelectric.com/2021-annual-meeting.html
several minutes before the start of the meeting for a link to the LiveStream. To sign up for member comment contact the SEC at service@socorroelectric.com or 800-351-7575, extension 1001 before 5pm April 9th.

March 26, 2021 -
Demand Montana Governor Gianforte Veto Draconian Wolf Killing Bills. CounterPunch

March 24, 2021 -
The Future of Wolves in the American West. CounterPunch

March 24, 2021 -
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte Violates Rule In Killing Of Yellowstone Wolf. ... The newly elected Republican was let off with a warning and was allowed to keep its skull and hide. HuffPost

March 23, 2021 -
Another Dead Wolf in Arizona CounterPunch

March 22, 2021--
Meditations from the Greater Gila: On the Possibility of Wolves, the Actuality of Dark Skies, and Actualizing the Possible. CounterPunch

March 21, 2021-
Legislation to End the Gila Diversion for Good Passes the Senate!
House Bill 200 passed the senate by a tally of 25-16 on March 17 after passing the house of representatives by a tally of 43-24 on February 25. It now heads to the governor's desk and awaits her signature! RELATED: What is the Gila River Project? Wiki    ALSO: ISC mulls water projects after diversion project scrapped NM Political Report

March 18, 2021 -
Latest count for wolves up from year before. Chieftain

March 16, 2021 -
Greenfire report including status of Santoina project. Download PDF Related: March 12, 2021- Community Protestants-Appellees' Answer Brief. Download PDF

March 13, 2021 -
Livestock and Deforestation in the American West. CounterPunch

March 12, 2021-
Rarest subspecies of wolf in North America sees population almost double in five years. ... Environmentalists are hopeful about increase in numbers but say wolves are still in a precarious position. Guardian

March 12, 2021 -
The Fraught Politics of Wolf Hunts. CounterPunch

March 11, 2021 -
Weakened protections led to more disappearances of endangered Mexican wolves. UWM

March 10, 2021 -
Wolves Will be Wolves, So Let’s Manage the Humans. CounterPunch

March 3, 2010 -
Wisconsin hunters kill 216 wolves in less than 60 hours, sparking uproar. ... Kills quickly exceeded statewide limit, forcing the state to end the hunting season early. Guardian

February 24, 2021 -
(Nov 2019) The Great Water Grab: Wall Street is buying up the world’s water. Our Santa Fe River

February 19, 2021 -
“The State Engineer's attorneys have asked for another extension of the deadlines for the filing of briefs in the Court of Appeals. The basis of the request was that the attorneys are busy with the State Legislative session. ... ”The Court granted the extension. Our Answer Brief is now due on March 12th, and the Augustin Plains Ranch's Reply Brief is now due on April 23rd. The Court of Appeals also indicated that no further extensions will be granted unless there are extraordinary circumstances.”  Download the memo .PDF
Comment
: If we win in the Appellate Court then legislation our side is trying to get passed to control movement of water will apply because APR will have to start over. If we lose, APR can go forward and legislation won’t apply to their project. All these delays mean that we won’t know what’s up until later and later ... Can’t do anything about it either!

February 18, 2021 - [NEW]
Upcoming SEC elections - ... there will be an election for two positions on the Socorro Electric Cooperative’s Board of Trustees this spring. Letter to the Chieftain

February 11, 2021-
State tells farmers, don’t plant if not necessary. Chieftain.(Comment - this is a threat to those opposed to moving water from APR. It supports the idea APR can help directly or indirectly, keep the river flow up as it heads south to TX)

February 11, 2021 -
Protests in Los Lunas over proposed water usage increase at Niagara Bottling plant. KQRE Update: Niagara apparently withdrew its request today.

February 11, 2021 -
Tell Legislators to End the Gila Diversion for Good. Download.pdf from NM Wild.

February 11, 2021 -
Of Mexican Wolves and Their Habitat. CounterPunch

February 4, 2021 -
Southwest US communities and Hispanics most likely to have arsenic-laden water. ... Tighter federal regulations on the toxic worked to decrease levels in public water, but certain regions and groups remain more at risk. EHN

February 2, 2021 -
New Mexico Wild Update. Download.pdf

January 28, 2021 -
NM Environmental Law Center Action Alert: Two of our bills made it through their first committees Tuesday!
Download .pdf

January 28, 2021 -
Colorado’s ornery, independent water guardians finally agree on one thing: Wall Street can look elsewhere. ... It’s rare to see Front Range water managers like Denver Water and Northern Water joining counterparts on the Western Slope. The Colorado Sun or .PDF  
Related: NYT Article or PDF

November 2020 -
White Paper: A Summary of the Hydrogeology of the San Agustin Plains, New Mexico. SOpen-File Report 615 Download.pdf

January 21, 2021 -
Co-op elections coming up. After skipping last year due to COVID-19 public health restrictions, Socorro Electric Cooperative is planning to go ahead with this year's annual meeting, scheduled for Saturday, April 10 at Macey Center. Chieftain

January 15, 2021 -
Outcry as Trump officials to transfer sacred Native American land to miners. ... Critics condemn ‘callous betrayal’ after Trump officials set in motion transfer of Oak Flat to Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton. Guardian

January 12, 2010 -
A river used to run through it: how New Mexico handles a dwindling Rio Grande. ...
The Rio Grande used to flow freely, but now in Las Cruces, humans, fish and plants are vying for water in the arid landscape. Guardian

December 31, 2020 - SEC needs to be held responsible (re: powerlines) Letter to the Chieftain.  

January 5, 2021-  Gray Wolves Lose Federal Endangered Species Act protections CounterPunch

January 2, 2021 - In October, the Trump administration removed protection status from the nation's threatened and endangered gray wolves. While the order did not apply to Mexican gray wolves found in New Mexico, the decision was a troubling development nonetheless. Urge the Biden Administration to Protect Mexican Gray Wolves! Please sign this petition to encourage the incoming Biden administration to protect Mexican gray wolves!

December 26, 2020 - NY Times road trip story mentions Magdalena. NYT

December 26, 2020 - Mass die-off of birds in south-western US 'caused by starvation' ... Necropsy reveals 80% of the thousands of songbirds that died suddenly showed typical signs of emaciation. Guardian

December 25, 2020 - Oil and Gas is Costing New Mexico Dearly. ... Trump administration proposals to sell thousands of acres of New Mexico public lands for more oil and gas extraction. These proposals have ignored the climate and other costs of oil and gas and instead sought to enrich companies at our expense.  CounterPunch   Comment: Helicopter flyovers by the NM Environment Department and US EPA found the methane emissions leak rate from oil wells has more than doubled this year across the entire Permian Basin, which stretches from West TX to eastern NM and contains some of the largest oil deposits in the world.

December 24, 2020 - Mexican Wolf Killings Expose the Dark Underbelly of Western Culture.... Namely, many of the confirmed Mexican wolf depredations are unsubstantiated based on the evidence in the reports, and some are so full-scale bogus as to call into question how, exactly, Wildlife Services is making these decisions. CounterPunch   Related: Advocates question investigations used to target 'problem' wolves. Tucson.com  Related: US Wildlife crying wolf on livestock deaths? Albuquerque Journal   

12/20/20 - (2019) The Forest Service proposes to restore riparian, aquatic, and wetland habitat on the Carson, Cibola, and Santa Fe National Forests, and the Kiowa Grasslands in New Mexico by implementing a variety of restoration activities. Forest Service

12/20/20 - Federal Water Tap, December 21: Supreme Court Rules In Favor of New Mexico in Pecos River Case ... The Supreme Court hands New Mexico a victory over Texas in a case centered on reservoir evaporation. The Federal Reserve is now a member of a central bank group focused on the financial implications of climate change. Circle of Blue

12/16/20 - Does Cattle Grazing Prevent Large Blazes? When I worked for the BLM doing botanical surveys, us “ologists” (hydrologist, ecologists, biologists, archaeologists, geologists, and botanists) used to refer to Range Conservationists as Range “Cons” because they conned the public into believing many myths about livestock grazing. CounterPunch

12/16/20 - The New Derivatives Market in California Water: Disaster Natural Resources Capitalism at Work. CounterPunch

12/11/20 - Trump’s BLM Withdraws Cattle Grazing Plan in Face of Environmental Lawsuits. ... Trump’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) raised the white flag of surrender and pulled their grazing decision for the Elkhorn Wildlife Management area on December 10, 2020 after the Alliance for the Wild Rockies and Native Ecosystem Council threatened to sue.

December 10, 2020 - New Mexico is on track to have the weakest methane emissions regulations in the nation. ... Laguna Pueblo Gov. Wilfred Herrera, Jr., urges the state to strengthen its proposed air quality rules. ... In New Mexico, oil and gas operations release more than 1 million metric tons of methane every year. HCN

December 3, 2020 - Magdalena approves SEC franchise agreement. Chieftain

December 2, 2020 -
Federal Grazing Fees: the Hidden Subsidy. CounterPunch

November 24, 2020 -
Unleash a Desert River and Its Wisdom. ... The Rio Grande, like many Western rivers, is experiencing a collision of crises threatening its future, the future of the aquatic and riparian ecosystems it supports, and the communities and cultures that are at its heart. CounterPunch

November 18, 2020 -
Environmental Justice Series -
Uranium Contamination in New Mexico
Thursday, Nov. 19, 5:30pm - 6:45pm

Join us for an important community-focused conversation on Uranium Contamination in New Mexico, featuring the following community members:
• Manny Pino, Laguna-Acoma Coalition for a Safe Environment (LACSE)
• June L. Lorenzo, LACSE
• Laura Watchempino, Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment (MASE)
• Terry Keyanna, Red Water Pond Road Community Association
• Larry King, Eastern Navajo Diné Against Uranium Mining (ENDAUM)

This virtual event will be hosted by Law Center staff: Dr. Virginia Necochea, Executive Director; Valerie Rangel, Community Engagement & Outreach Manager; and Staff Attorneys Eric Jantz and Gail Evans.

To register, please click on this link:
https://nmelc-ej-series-uranium.eventbrite.com
If for any reason you are unable to access the zoom, you can also watch live on our Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/NMELC

November 16, 2020 -
Scientists studying wolves as first responders against deadly brain disease. ... Experts fear that chronic wasting disease could one day jump from deer to humans. Independent

November 5, 2020 -
It’s official: Voters decide to reintroduce wolves in Colorado. ... Proposition 114 passed as a flurry of Front Range-votes widened the initiative’s margin of victory, paving the way for the animals’ return to the Western Slope. Colorado Sun

November 2, 2020 -
'In the sun they'd cook': is the US south-west getting too hot for farm animals? ... As temperatures rise, farmers are being forced to adapt, experimenting with new breeds and cooling methods. Guardian

October 30, 2020 -
What Stripping Endangered Species Protections Means For Colorado’s Wolf Reintroduction Initiative. CPR News

October 29, 2020 -
SEC needs to look into clean energy. Chieftain Letter or download  .PDF

October 29, 2020 -
'We Will See Them in Court': Howls of Protest and Lawsuit Promised as Trump Takes Wolves Off Endangered Species List. ... "The largest canine native to North America, gray wolves were once common throughout more than two-thirds of the lower 48 states," before being "nearly wiped out in the mid-20th century due to habitat loss and deliberate eradication efforts," Environment America explained in a statement released on Thursday. "Let's learn from history: Removing legal protections is a disaster for gray wolves."
CommonDreams

October 19, 2020 -
Taxpayers Shell Out Huge Subsidies to Wolf Pup-Killer’s Ranching Enterprise. CounterPunch

October 16, 2020 -
Compassion, Wolves and America’s First Wilderness. CounterPunch

September 15, 2020 -
Birds are dropping dead in New Mexico, potentially in the 'hundreds of thousands' ... Scientists are investigating why so many birds are dying and are asking the public for help. NBC News     You can help: Southwest Avian Mortality Project. ... Hundreds of dead migrant birds have been reported in the state of New Mexico during August and September 2020. iNaturalist   9/16/20 - UPDATE: Probably linked to wild fires. Guardian

September 11, 2020 -
'Reckless, Violent, Massacre' of 570 Wolves and Wolf Pups in Idaho Bolsters Alarm Over Trump Attack on Species Protections. ... Wildlife advocates warn that if a Trump administration effort to lift nationwide protections proceeds, "this cruelty could extend to all wolves within our country's borders."
CommonDreams

September 7, 2020 -
Slaughtered Pups and Maimed Wolves in Idaho Demonstrate the Effects of Federal Delisting.
CounterPunch

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August 28, 2020 -
One Ranch, Nine Dead Cows, and Six Very Strange Wolf Investigations. CounterPunch

August 27, 2020 -
Up to half of world's water supply stolen annually, study finds. ...
As water scarcity increases from factors including climate change, so do drivers of water theft, an ongoing problem in Australia. Guardian

August 17, 2020 -
Our Race Against the Clock to Affirm Water as a Human Right. ... On the ten year anniversary of the United Nations historic vote to recognize water as a basic human right, Barlow reflects on where we go from here. CommonDreams

August 12, 2020 -
Is ‘dismal’ the best education New Mexicans can expect? Families fight for multicultural, bilingual and educational equity in the face of governmental evasion. HCN

August 12, 2020 -
While Socorro petitions for new rates, Co-op waits for Supreme Court. Chieftain

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August 13, 2020 -
To’Hajiilee, county call for action on water pipeline.
Navajo Times

August 13, 2020 -
Living in the dark: Native reservations struggle with power shortages in pandemic. ...
The pandemic has exacerbated severe energy and economic inequalities on Native lands in America – so people are turning to renewable energy. Guardian

August 12, 2020 -
August Greenfire report .pdf

August 11, 2020 - August 7, 2020 -
Navajo Nation’s Shortage of Clean Water Is Impeding Efforts to Control COVID TruthOut

August 6, 2020 -
When the Rio Grande goes dry. Ink Stain

August 4, 2020 -
Framing Wolves in New Mexico? CounterPunch or PDF

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July 24, 2020 -
New Mexico secretary of state worries Trump's federal troops will disrupt the elections. DailyKos

July 22, 2020 -
Save the Staffel Wolf Pack. CounterPunch

July 17, 2020 -
Of Toddlers, Wolves, and Public Lands Ranchers. CounterPunch

July 10, 2020 -
'Heat dome' weather system to bake America with temperatures beyond 90F for weeks. ... Summer 2020 marked by heatwaves, Tropical Storms, fire threats, and a La Nina watch. Independent

July 9, 2020 -
Mexican wolves found dead - Wildlife managers are investigating the deaths of two Mexican gray wolves found in May. Chieftain

July 8, 2020 -
New Mexico Monsoon Awareness website

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June 25, 2020 -
Thank New Mexico's Leaders for Ending the Gila Diversion!
Download Press Release
See also June 16 below

June 24, 2020 -
New Mexico Groups Appeal EPA’s Dirty Water Rule Download Press Release

June 22, 2020 -
Two Electric Projects in New Mexico Being Funded by USDA  NOTE: "The Socorro Electric Cooperative Inc. is receiving a $28 million loan to connect 485 consumers, build and improve 45 miles of distribution line, and build and improve 25 miles of line for the Magdalena Transmission Line Rebuild project."   This is not "funding", customers still have to repay the loan.  Download press release

June 20, 2020 -
Who Owns A River? The Question Is Tearing This Community Apart ... Thanks to a controversial New Mexico rule, rich landowners are staking claim to the state’s public waterways. HuffPost

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June 12, 2020 -
Advocating for the Mexican Gray Wolf: An Interview with Amy Harwood. CounterPunch  Related: How to speak up for the wolves in th e 10(j) management rule scoping comment period. ... The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) issued a request for comments on April 15, 2020 - 60 day period. . Lobos of the SW

June 11, 2020 -
‘Their greed is gonna kill us’: Indian Country fights against more fracking. ... expansion of drilling in New Mexico would threaten sacred artefacts and bring public health risks to area still reeling from Covid-19. Guardian

June 10, 2020 -
APR Update: The calendaring on the document below does not mean that we have a hearing date; we only know where the case will be, not when. Notice Assignment To The General Calendar- from the NM State Engineers Office. Download   Related: Additional explanation of what this means.Calendaring Document Explained.

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June 7, 2020 -
‘Forever deadly’: State officials, communities scramble to fight a proposal to house high-level nuclear waste in New Mexico. NM Political Report  Related: Nov. 2019 - Nuclear Colonialism: Indigenous opposition grows against proposal for nation’s largest nuclear storage facility in NM. NM Political Report

June 7 2020 -
Pandemic and Digital Divide Threaten Accurate Census Count of Native Populations. TruthOut

June 4, 2020 -
Transforming your electric cooperative’s power supply. ...
By Duane Highley Chief Executive Officer Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association. Chieftain

June 4, 2020 -
US south-west in grip of historic ‘megadrought’,
research finds. ... Intensified by climate change, the current 20-year arid period is one of the worst on record, with wide-ranging effects Extinction Chronicles

May 28, 2020 -
Letter to Chieftain re:SEC rate increase.

May 22, 2020 -
Environmental assessment and draft decision notice Finding of No Significant Impact for the Military Training Exercises Project on the Mount Taylor, Magdalena, Mountainair, and Sandia Ranger Districts of the Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands.
Download Letter

May 21, 2020 -
APR Update.An update is difficult when nothing seems to be happening, but in spite of how quiet it is and has been, our fight continues. Download the update

May 21, 2020 -
New Mexico Wild - Protecting New Mexico's Wilderness, Wildlife, and Water. New website

May 15, 2020 -
Starting tomorrow, all New Mexicans will be required to wear a face covering in public. Download Information  

May 12, 2020 -
“M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act” - Introduced in NM Legislature by Martin Heinrich and Tom Udal

May 12, 2020 -
The War Against the Wolves of Alaska. CounterPunch

May 5, 2020 -
Navajo Nation Suffers Third-Highest COVID-19 Infection Rate in U.S. with Limited Healthcare & Water DemocracyNow

May 5, 2020 -
Coalition Sues to Stop Clean Water Rollbacks. NM Wild

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April 30, 2020 -
Friends of Bosque del Apache NWR encourages our members, donors, and sponsors to write letters with substantive comments to USFWS at Bosque del Apache concerning their plans to expand hunting at the refuge. Download announcement

April 29, 2020 -
A Big Win for the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness and a Call to Protect Wolves and Wilderness in Idaho. CounterPunch

April 23, 2020 -
Socorro Electric Co-op to comply with PRC ruling Chieftain

April 21, 2020 -
The Carnage of Wolf Trapping in Idaho. ... A new public records request to Idaho Department of Fish and Game reveals that Idaho wolf trappers are capturing nearly as many non-target species as they are capturing wolves. CounterPunch

April 17, 2020 -
Trump’s response to the startling decline in lynx populations across the West? Remove the lynx from the Endangered Species Act, then annihilate its habitat once and for all. Meanwhile - A new survey has found that Oregon’s wolf population has risen to 158, missing from the count, however, was OR-7, the wolf made famous by his 4,000-mile journey to find a mate in 2011. And, 'A dangerous road’: Coastal GasLink pays to kill wolves in endangered caribou habitat in B.C. interior. The imperiled Hart Ranges caribou herd will lose a chunk of critical habitat to the Coastal GasLink pipeline, and the company’s contribution to a recent predator cull is raising ethical questions. The Narwhal

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April 17, 2020 -
NM Governor issues statement regarding ‘Opening Up America Again’ guidelines. KQRE

April 17, 2020 -
Emerging Climate-Fueled Megadrought in Western US Rivals Any Over Past 1,200 Years: Study ... "We now have enough observations of current drought and tree-ring records of past drought to say that we're on the same trajectory as the worst prehistoric droughts." CommonDreams

April 17, 2020 -
Stay Informed & Take Action – Join the Fire Adapted New Mexico Network and work towards community wildfire resilience! Click Here --- Fire Adapted Learning Network. Click here

April 17, 2020 -
Socorro City’s response to SEC. Press Release

(scroll down to April 15, for more info)

April 17, 2020 - New Mexico Unveils App for Behavioral Health Support. ... provides free 24-hour crisis and non-crisis support and access to behavioral health professionals. Click here

April 16, 2020 -
Tribal Response Plan Covid-19 - State of New Mexico. Download plan    Navajo Nation Covid-19 website

April 16, 2020 -
Magdalena Village board approves emergency declaration Chieftain

April 16, 2020 -
Tribes Aren’t Getting COVID-19 Aid Because Federal Agencies Are Flailing. ... “They don’t know how to interact in the appropriate way with tribes and they’re just not getting the job done,” says Sen. Tom Udall. HuffPost

April 16, 2020 -
It’s Time for the Forest Service to Curtail Idaho’s Wolf Slaughter in Wilderness Areas. CounterPunch

April 15, 2020 -
SEC Board fined $185,000.00 by the PRC
. Download Court document   List of court filings as of 4/16/20. Related: (Oct 2019) Clock ticking on SEC appeal. Chieftain

April 15, 2020 -
COVID-19 & Indian Country: Pandemic Exposes Navajo Nation’s Water Access Crisis & Health Disparities. DemocracyNow

April 11, 2020 -
Comment by April 16 to protect river segments in the Gila! Click here   Related: Wild and Scenic bill opponents out in force at meeting. Silver City Daily

April 11, 2020 - A Compendium of Questions & Answers Relating to Wild & Scenic Rivers (May 1997)
Click here

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March 7, 2020 -
Wild and Scenic bill opponents out in force at meeting. Silver City Daily

April 9, 2020 -
Good news! Copper Flat Mine faces new obstacle: no water, no go. NMELC Announcement

April 2, 2020 -
Socorro County Community Wildfire Protection Plan
Download   Magdalena specific info. Download

April 1, 2020 -
What’s the Hang Up on Releasing Adult Lobos? CounterPunch

March 31, 2020 -
From New Mexico Wild March 31, 2010
Comment by April 16 to protect Wilderness in the Gila! The Gila National Forest is currently revising its forest management plan for the first time since 1986. The final version of this plan will determine how Wilderness, wildlife, water, and other natural resources are managed within the Forest for the next 20-30 years.
Download announcement
 

March 30, 2019 - Could COVID-19 Spell the End of the Fracking Industry as We Know It? ... NM is just one state whose fracking boom appears poised to fall off an economic cliff amid the pandemic. TruthOut  

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March 18, 2020 -
The Socorro Electric Coop has postponed the annual meeting that was set for April 18th.  Not rescheduled as yet.  

March 13, 2020 -
Greenfire report from NM Environmental Law Center
Download

March 5, 2020 -
SEC trustees run unopposed - Chieftain

March 3, 2020 -
Uranium cleanup report falls on few ears. Navajo Times

February 26, 2017 -
San Augustin Water Coalition annual meeting for Saturday, April 25th, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. at the Datil school gym. We will hold a candidates' forum. ... all parties who will appear on ballots in Catron and Socorro Counties.SASWC  

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February 25, 2020 -
APR Update. As you know, Judge Reynolds granted summary judgment last year in favor of the Community Protestants (us) “with prejudice” (meaning that the APR cannot come back with the same or a similar application to mine water in the Plains). ...
Subsequently, the APR appealed this decision to the New Mexico Appellate Court. We are now waiting for that court to take up our case, which, according to Doug Meiklejohn at the New Mexico Environmental Law Center (NMELC), could take up to three years. While we wait we prepare for what could happen.
For more information:   Download  

February 20, 2020 -
Reforming Expectations to Save Western Rivers. ... Recently, former Interior Secretary Babbitt proposed an alternative to the highly controversial yet difficult-to-kill Gila River diversion project, which would dam and divert water from the last free-flowing river in New Mexico
 CounterPunch    Related:   Damming the Gila a vampire proposal  Santa Fe New Mexican  

February 20, 2020 -
How the Military is Raiding Public Lands and Civilian Spaces Across the Western Front. CounterPunch  

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February 18, 2020 -
(In the view the APR might try to bottle the water) Washington state takes bold step to restrict companies from bottling local water. .... State senate passes bill to ban new permits for water bottling operations, calling process ‘detrimental to public welfare’.  Guardian  

February 13, 2020 -
NM Environmental Law Center February newsletter
Lawsuit filed over fuel spill at Kirkland Download  

February 12, 2020 -
SEC amends its declaratory judgment filing Chieftain

February 11, 2020 -
The War on Wolves is Part of the Culture War. CounterPunch  

February 5, 2020 -
New Mexico deserves wild, scenic Gila River - Howie Morales, NM Lieutenant Governor.  Chieftain Letter  

February 5, 2020 -
Co-op to vet trustee candidates; intervenes in Tri-State case .  Chieftain   

February 1, 2020 -
New Mexico Wild February newsletter. Download

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January 29, 2020 -
City: No (SEC) permanent agreement is in place.
Chieftain

January 29, 2020 -
Transparency, independence are fundamentals electrical co-ops need to reinstate. Letter to Chieftain

January 29, 2020 -
Wolves Play a Beneficial Role in Wildlife Management.   CounterPunch  

January 26, 2020 -
Global Groundwater Is Threatened by Unsustainable Practices Amid Climate Crisis . ... As the planet’s thermometer continues to inch upwards, one sought-after resource is only going to increase in value: groundwater.  TruthOut  

January 25, 2020 -
A rewilding triumph: wolves help to reverse Yellowstone degradation  Guardian  

January 24, 2020 -
Trump Rule Threatens New Mexico Waters. NM Environmental Law Center Green Fire Report     Related: EPA water rule change called disastrous for New Mexico  New Mexican   Related:  EPA, Army finalizes U.S. waters definition; promises water protection, economic growth  WV News  

January 23, 2020 -
Tri-State embraces renewables  Chieftain  

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January 22, 2020 -
Bosque Winter 2020 news letter  

January 16, 2019 -
APR's docketing Statement dated 12/13/19.
Download  

January 15, 2020 -
New Mexico Environmental Law Center Changes in leadership.  Download announcement  

January 9, 2020 -
Where’s the juice? 500 MW line open for business ... With the first annual payment of a $1.9 million “transmission charge,” the Navajo Nation is securing the rights to use or sell access to 500 megawatts of electrical transmission capacity for 35 years starting Dec. 23.  Navajo Times

January 10, 2020 - APR Update -
Below is a brief summary of where we, the community, stand with regard to the Augustin Plains Ranch LLC’s application to mine water in the Plains aquifer.

It’s been quiet, but we know that the APR LLC has appealed Judge Reynolds’ decision denying their application, and we are preparing to meet them in the Appeals court whenever a hearing is scheduled

To that end, we have started spending the money raised to hire a hydrologist. As you may remember, Tom Myers has been here and looked at the situation on the ground. We have now asked him to put together a model of the hydrology of the Plains aquifer so that we can be prepared if the Appellate Court decides there should be a hearing on the substance of the application. I don’t know anyone attempting to say what the Court will do, so we must be prepared for every possibility.

Of course, the best possibility is that this court will agree with Judge Reynolds decision, but we dare not become complacent. This note is to recognize the contributions everyone has made: it is only our determination as a community to keep our water that has carried us this far.
Thanks! Carol Pittman - Datil.
Download the message

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December 19, 2019 -
Socorro only has month-to-month franchise (SEC) agreement  Chieftain  

December 12, 2019 -
SEC files lawsuit against Socorro  Chieftain  

November 14, 2019 -
Trustees assert membership elected them to make rate decisions Chieftain

November 8, 2019 -
San Carlos Apache Leader: Proposed Oak Flat Mine Is an Environmental Injustice. Phoenix New Times

November 7, 2019 -
PRC says "no" to SEC's request. Chieftain

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October 4, 2019 -
More Water or More Wild: The Decades-Long Struggle over the Gila River’s Fate.  NM In Depth

October 31, 2019 -
Village moves forward on water improvements.
Chieftain

October 29, 2019 -
The fight to stop Nestlé from taking America's water to sell in plastic bottles. ... Creek beds are bone dry and once-gushing springs are reduced to trickles as fights play out around the nation over control of nation’s freshwater supply. Guardian  

October 24, 2019 -
Spotted Owls and the National Christmas Tree ... the Forest Service has unilaterally restricted (firewood collection, etc) in an attempt to engender hostility between people who otherwise support environmental protection. It’s a cynical effort to divide people instead of being accountable to the law. CounterPunch  

October 18, 2019 -  
Leadership Lacking for Wolf Protection  
CounterPunch

October 17, 2019 -
Clock ticking on SEC appeal.  Chieftain  

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October 10, 2019 -
County commission’s opposition to Western Spirit power lines.  Chieftain    Related:  Our low-income population will bear the burdens of this project. ... Martha Salas, Chair Socorro County Commission. Chieftain

October 4, 2019 -
SEC Co-op defies PRC ruling. Chieftain  

October 4, 2019 -
... the final Environmental Assessment for Military training in the Cibola National Forest has been published. Objections are accepted until October 14.
Download the Plan here  

In the Draft Decision Notice the Forest Service has determined that there will be no significant impact from the training, despite the fact that:
· 3 additional helicopter landing zones will be established (just as in the previous proposal)
· The number of helicopter sorties in the Magdalena Ranger District will quadruple (keep in mind that currently there are 2,964 allowed sorties per day at one Helicopter Landing Zone, which include 8,892 day landings and 8,892 night landings).
· Helicopter flight paths go directly over residences
· Training areas have not been moved – and in fact still encompass private property
· Environmental impacts have not been adequately addressed.

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October 10, 2019 -
Socorro City Reply to Socorro Electric Co-op August 2019 newsletter related to "The City of Socorro is proposing to create a municipal electric utility and to begin "siphoning off " Members of SEC."  
Download SEC newsletter  
Download Socorro City reply to SEC newsletter  

September 5, 2019 -
City: SEC wants a 'second bite at the apple' Chieftain

September 5, 2019 -
Socorro County needs economic development, lower electric rates. Letter to the editor Chieftain  

August 28, 2019 -
SEC says rate increase is just, reasonable.Chieftain
Download      Related: August 22, 2019 - SEC response to PRC Download  

August 28, 2019 -
Plains of San Agustin aquifer safe .. for now. 
Chieftain

Water Grab Archive:  2018-2019 -  2017 - 2016

 
 

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