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NM legislators gear up to fight for federal wildfire reimbursement
As the state continues fronting costs to fight and recover from the largest wildfire in New Mexico history, legislators are questioning whether the federal government will really pay it all back in full, and when exactly that will happen. Deputy Secretary Kelly Hamilton with the N.M. Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management updated lawmakers […]
Film industry could play a central role in northern NM’s economic recovery
New Mexico’s film industry is booming and could be a key factor as rural areas in the northern part of the state try to recover long-term from both the pandemic and largest wildfire ever recorded in the state. The city of Las Vegas, N.M., is focused on restoring its economy after the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon […]
Reforestation Center aims to replant trees in northern NM burn scar
Over 80,000 acres of land are badly charred by the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire, and natural regeneration could take hundreds of years. To drop that timespan to just a decade or two, the New Mexico Reforestation Center wants to replant trees. Owen Burney, director of New Mexico State University’s Forestry Research Center, proposed that the […]
NM suffers service industry worker shortage, but positions lack pay, protection and benefits
New Mexico is in dire need of more service workers, but the state hasn’t changed the industry’s low pay or minimal benefits that makes the job unsustainable for many. Instead, the Department of Workforce Solutions is focused on finding young adults to fill the roles that are being abandoned in favor of better paying positions. […]
State gives ‘outstanding’ designation to northern NM waters, enhancing pollution rules
The state will soon enact heightened protection against any unauthorized water pollution or other damages across hundreds of miles of rivers and streams in northern New Mexico. On Tuesday morning, the Water Quality Control Commission, a state water pollution control agency, unanimously passed the designation of Outstanding National Resource Waters for the Upper Pecos watershed […]
The Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire damaged watersheds the state won’t likely assess for years
Watersheds in Northern New Mexico are taking a hit as monsoons push wildfire ash and debris into sources, threatening water systems, people and aquatic life. “Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon and some of other fires in 2022 fire season have dramatically changed the landscape and condition of our watersheds,” said hydrologist Phoebe Suina. Damage to watersheds, or […]
State inspections lag for New Mexico’s primary drinking water source
Nearly 80% of New Mexicans depend on groundwater sources for their drinking water, according to the state. But the N.M. Environment Department isn’t keeping up with inspections and enforcement of health standards with those who hold permits to discharge into groundwater systems. People in New Mexico can discharge liquid waste or pollutants into water sources […]
More rights at risk after Roe v. Wade is overturned
More nationally protected rights could be in danger using the same reasoning that upended Roe v. Wade. Same-sex marriages and sex, and birth control decisions were mentioned by Justice Clarence Thomas in his concurring opinion in the decision to end 49 years of upholding abortion rights across the United States. The original decision in Roe […]
New Mexico reacts to Supreme Court decision flanked by states poised to outlaw abortion
The Supreme Court on Friday morning released its decision reversing a landmark abortion rights ruling and ending nearly 50 years of legality throughout the United States. With the ruling, advocates are shoved further into the fight for reproductive rights, which often seemed tenuous through the decades as state officials rolled out abortion restrictions and presented […]
White House announces increased wages, support for firefighters
Firefighters have been working around the clock to battle one of the worst wildfire years ever in New Mexico with minimal pay that doesn’t always cover the bills. On Tuesday, the White House announced steps that the Biden-Harris administration is taking to increase wages and support systems for federal wildlife firefighters. These steps include temporary pay increases […]
No floods reported over weekend, but they’re expected soon in the burn zones
Residents in northern New Mexico are preparing for floods and solidifying evacuation plans, but so far, no floods have been reported. There is a flood watch for Mora County and San Miguel County around the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon fire for Tuesday. This doesn’t mean it will flood, but it is possible, according to the National […]
Electric appliances and technology could help mitigate climate change but are costly
As climate change accelerates, one possible solution – relying more on electric vehicles and appliances – remains out of reach of many Americans because of the higher cost. Electric appliances and technology can cost hundreds or even tens of thousands of dollars more than those that use fossil fuels such as gas, oil or coal, […]