Sr. Joan Brown’s Op-Ed in Gallup Independent: Love or fear – our choice

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The following piece appeared in the Gallup Independent on the weekend of April 23-24, 2022

Love or fear – our choice

By Sr. Joan Brown, OSF, Executive Director, Interfaith Power and Light New Mexico & El Paso

Special to the Independent

These are rare days. We just finished celebrating Passover on Earth Day, April 22 and we continue the Easter season and also Ramadan. The confluence of these holy days happens only about every 30 years. To add to these holy days we have a convergence with Earth Day and this is Earth Sunday.

What an important time to renew loving commitments to one another for peace and to care for our Common Home. Somedays, however, I feel there is hardly enough energy just to get through the day.

Several weeks ago presented one of those days. Amidst a sick friend, too much work and many demands, we were surprised to get irrigation water. During our dire drought the water was so very precious for our fruit trees and gardens. I was excited and then very disheartened when a problem arose with an underground pipe leading to one area limiting water to a trickle. It became dark and I could not work any longer in the night to address the problem.

Almost in tears with weariness and yet another problem, I walked to the ditch to turn off the water. There, reflected in the water was a growing white moon and stars. I was stunned by the beauty. A sense of well-being flowed through me. It was a holy moment. I just let go of so many burdens.

The beauty of God awaits us in surprising ways in these dark night times. Hope surprises us with the unexpected if our hearts are open a crack. We did get our water problem fixed with some help. But there are always more challenges. The question we are posed in the Christian scripture this week after Easter is whether I am locked in a closed room or am I a channel of love and peace of God in our troubled world.   Read Full Article

NMEPR-IPL, CCFF Among Organizations Supporting State’s New Emissions Rule

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After two and half years of public discussion and consultation, the state of New Mexico adopted  new air quality rules that would eliminate hundreds of millions of pounds of harmful emissions annually from oil and gas operations in the state. The new rule, announced on April 14, will improve air quality for New Mexicans by establishing innovative and actionable regulations to curb the formation of ground-level ozone. Methane is one of the key drivers of climate change. It is a powerful greenhouse gas 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide in the short term.

The New Mexico Environment Department will implement the oil and gas air pollution rules the EIB adopted today. The rules require oil and gas operators to inspect all wells for leaks on a frequent basis without exemptions and protect those living closest to development by requiring more frequent inspections to find and fix leaks in proximity to homes and schools. Read Press Release from NMED

Conservation, public health, and community leaders from across New Mexico today applauded the Environmental Improvement Board’s (EIB) preliminary approval of final ozone precursor regulations for oil and gas production and processing. This includes nation-leading rules that address equipment leaks and malfunctions that account for 70% of the industry’s methane emissions problem.

We all have an ethical and moral responsibility to care for our land, water, air and communities, which are sacred gifts. Leadership in New Mexico holds a particular public responsibility to address pollution from oil and gas industries. The Environmental Improvement Board has taken vital action to care for Our Common Home and those who are most vulnerable and whose voices and concerns are often not heard. People of faith are grateful for reforms that cherish life.”  said Joan Brown, osf,  NMEPR-IPL executive director.

“Those of us with well sites in our back yards will benefit from more frequent inspections to find and fix leaks in proximity to homes and schools. Methane leaks, venting and flaring are a daily threat to our health, and New Mexico has created a standard to guide federal agencies in strengthening protections from oil and gas pollution.” said CCFF organizer Kayley Shoup.

The American Lung Association gave New Mexico’s top oil and gas producing counties – Lea, Eddy, and San Juan Counties – an F grade for ozone in its 2021 State of the Air Report. Overburdened communities bear the brunt of oil and gas waste and pollution. That’s why today’s action and the Lujan Grisham administration’s groundbreaking approach to hold the oil and gas industry accountable is so important.” said  Oriana Sandoval of the Center for Civic Policy

“Safeguarding public health is central to the mission of the Environmental Improvement Board, and today it delivered by adopting strong rules that hold the oil and gas industry accountable and protect the long-term health of all New Mexicans Oil and gas operations are a significant source of ozone-forming volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as well as methane emissions from venting, flaring and leaks. Well-site toxins can worsen respiratory diseases and trigger asthma attacks, and smog can also worsen emphysema and impact the cardiovascular system. This well site pollution especially affects the health of children, elders, and communities of color,” said Barbara Webber of Health Action New Mexico

“Too many New Mexico communities are experiencing the serious health impacts of oil and gas pollution. Spills, leaks, venting and flaring are taking a toll on all New Mexicans’ air, water and health, but rural communities, tribal communities, children and the elderly are especially at risk. Navajo communities are located across a patchwork of federal, state and tribal lands where drilling affects public health and climate. The Lujan Grisham administration’s adoption of strict air pollution rules will help protect overburdened communities at the fence lines of oil and gas operations,” said  Joseph Hernandez, NAVA Education Project.

Twenty Three Congregations in New Mexico Have Installed Solar Panels

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According to a new survey by the national Interfaith Power & Light, congregations from all faith traditions in the United States have dramatically increased their investments in solar PV systems for both their environmental and financial benefits.  Interfaith Power & Light (IPL) completed its third survey of congregations in the United States with solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems in December 2021. See the full list on IPL’s website.

IPL’s survey found:

  • A total of 1,250 congregations with PV systems in 48 states and the District of Columbia.
  • The 480 congregations added in the past two years exceeds the 400 additions identified in the 2019 biennial survey.
  • The combined PV capacity of congregational PV systems is 105 Megawatts (MW), approaching the installed solar capacity of Facebook, the 10th largest commercial user based on most recent SEIA data.

In a press release announcing its findings, IPL quoted Franciscan Father Tom Smith, director of the Holy Cross Retreat Center in Mesilla, NM.

“We are strong believers in the importance of caring for our common home, as spoken by Pope Francis in Laudato Sí.  As part of that commitment to care for the Earth and who we are and as part of our Franciscan tradition, we have decided to have 200 solar panels…  We do this because the sun is always there, especially in southern New Mexico. There’s lot of sun to provide energy for us and to reduce the use of carbon and oil and gas. We believe that it’s important for us to do our part to help people see the need to change the climate. It’s been a reality that our world is being affected. We want to keep it as natural as we can.”

Solar Congregations in New Mexico

St. Thomas of Canterbury Episcopal Church

Santa Maria de la Vid Norbertine Abbey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are the 23 congregations, houses of worship and retreat centers in New Mexico listed among the 1,250 sites on the IPL national data base.

  1. Albuquerque Mennonite Church Albuquerque NM
  2. Bethany Christian Reformed Church Gallup NM
  3. Chelwood Christian Reformed Church Albuquerque NM
  4. Congregation Albert Albuquerque NM
  5. Congregation Nahalat Shalom Albuquerque NM
  6. First Presbyterian Church Albuquerque NM
  7. First Presbyterian Church of Taos Taos NM
  8. First Unitarian Church, Albuquerque, NM Albuquerque NM
  9. Friends Meeting Albuquerque NM
  10. Holy Cross Retreat Center Mesilla NM
  11. Las Placitas Presbyterian Church Placitas NM
  12. Monastery of Christ in the Desert Abiquiu NM
  13. Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Albuquerque NM
  14. Norbetine Community (2015) Albuquerque NM
  15. Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Catholic Community Albuquerque NM
  16. Prince of Peace Catholic Community Albuquerque NM
  17. Santa Maria de la Vid Norbertine Abbey Albuquerque NM
  18. St. Anne Catholic Parish Santa Fe NM
  19. St. John XXIII Catholic Community Albuquerque NM
  20. St. Mark’s on the Mesa Episcopal Albuquerque NM
  21. St. Therese Catholic School Albuquerque N
  22. St. Thomas of Canterbury Episcopal Church Albuquerque NM
  23. United Church of Santa Fe Santa Fe NM