September 2024

A Celebration of Water & the Rio Grande

IPL New Mexico-El Paso hosted Rio Unidos: Rio Grande Project celebration at Tingley Beach Overlook on Saturday, August 24.  This was a great morning of reflections, blessings and meditations. Thank you to board member Rev. Ryan Tate and spiritual leader D’Santi Nava for leading us in movement and prayer

May 2024

Foraging for Salad at Los Poblanos Open Space

On Saturday morning, May 18, in the sweetened spring morning air, members, friends and supporters of  Interfaith Power and Light New Mexico and El Paso gathered to forage the hidden cracks and crevices of the beautiful middle Rio Grande.

Led by IPL-NM/EP board member Reverend Ryan Tate, participants explored New Mexico native plants and invasives alike near the Los Poblanos open space.

Spring greens like Lambs quarter, curly dock, dandelion and plantain were harvested, while more medicinal plants were identified such as; Globemallow, wild licorice, Goldenrod, Wood roses, and several varieties of native mint.

After harvesting, we made a wild salad together , and enjoyed the fruits of Mother Earth in community.

A fundraiser

This was a fundraising event, where participants gave a donation to take part in the experience.  If you were not able to attend and would like to support our continuing efforts to advocate for and raise awarness about climate justice, you can donate in two ways:

* Paypal (make an online donation of $10 or more with a note “Foraging for Fun(ds),

* Mail a check. Make it out to IPL New Mexico El Paso and send it to   P.O. Box 2716,

(Photos courtesy of Haley Hathaway.  Text courtsey of Rev. Ryan Tate)

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 2024

Watch: Our Sacred Land–Farms, Food, and Fairness

This hybrid event, held March 6 at First Congregational Church in Albuquerque, lifted up the voices of those at the center of our food systems in New Mexico and beyond. Panelists discussed the multi-faceted challenges facing farmers and ranchers – from mental health to local challenges to national legislation. — such as the Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act (OFF Act).


Pam Roy, executive director of Farm to Table New Mexico, introduced
panelists and led the discussion


Alan Brauer from Indigenous Farm Hub was one of our panelists


Desiree Woodland spoke about the stress conditions facing farmers


Our special guest Sarah Carden from Farm Action Fund visited us from western New York.
She and Cash Carruth, a farmer from Bloomfield, NM, spoke about the Opportunities for
Fairness in Farming Act, also known as the OFF Act.

Here is the full video, courtesy of First Congregational Church.  
Included are an introduction by Rev. Clara Sims and a question-and-answer session

June 2023

Broad Coalition in New Mexico Calls on BLM to End to Sacrifice Zones

/

Photo: Wild Earth Guardians

We are shocked and dismayed that in spite of a clear scientific, political, and public consensus that action for the climate requires we begin to phase out fossil fuels, the BLM is continuing the legacy of sacrifice zones in New Mexico by moving forward with the auction of additional public and ancestral lands to more oil and gas leasing and drilling.

Las Cruces Rally

Last week, groups rallied at the Bureau of Land Management field offices in Farmington, Carlsbad, Las Cruces, Albuquerque, and Santa Fe calling on the BLM to cancel the May 25 oil and gas lease sale of nearly 10K acres of public lands in New Mexico and Kansas administered by the BLM New Mexico State Office.

On that Thursday, on the lease day, over fifty advocates rallied at the Bureau of Land Management New Mexico state office to deliver a letter signed by over 270 local and national groups, unions, businesses, and institutions urging the agency to cancel its plans to auction off over more acres of public lands for fracking. In spite of a clear scientific, political, and public consensus that action for the climate requires we begin to phase out fossil fuels, the BLM forged ahead with the sale.
It’s not over. We continue to call on the Biden administration to keep its promise to end new oil and gas leasing on public and ancestral lands.

President Biden promised to end new oil and gas leasing on public lands. We would like this promise to be honored. The federal government, including the President himself, has a moral and ethical imperative to confront the climate crisis. The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report reveals that our window to address catastrophic impacts is narrowing. Quick action is required to phase out fossil fuels and BLM must play a leadership role in addressing greenhouse gas emissions from extraction in New Mexico’s Permian Basin and
Greater Chaco regions which contribute to worldwide warming.

Santa Fe Rally, including Western Environmental Law Center, WildEarth Guardians, Center for Biological Diversity, Pueblo Action Alliance, New Mexico No False Solutions Coalition, Rio Grande Sierra Club and Diné CARE

Ongoing Campaign

Please join the coalition in amplifying the message to phase out fossil fuels and end the area of Sacrifice Zones using this social media toolkit.
We also have a call to action (included in the toolkit) to call the White House comment line (202) 456- 1111) and tell Biden he must phase out oil and gas production on public lands and waters.

SAMPLE FACEBOOK/INSTAGRAM POST:

It’s shocking that in spite of clear scientific, political, and public consensus that action for the climate requires phasing out of fossil fuels immediately, the Bureau of Land Management New Mexico state office auctioned-off more public and ancestral lands to oil and gas drilling —perpetuating the legacy of sacrifice zones. It’s time to end the era of fossil fuels and sacrifice zones. Over 270 groups from across the country added their voice to a letter calling on the agency to cancel the May 25 oil and gas lease sale. <link to a graphic/video/PR>

#EndSacrificeZones

#EndFossilFuels

#ClimateJusticeNow

Press clips:

Carlsbad Current-Argus: Protests rally ahead of federal oil and gas lease sale in southeast New Mexico

EE News Energywire: Biden’s contentious N.M. oil sale earns almost $80M

KWRG: Local environmental groups speak out against BLM oil and gas lease sale

E&E News Greenwire: Biden urged to cancel N.M. lease sale

Carlsbad Current-Argus: Oil and gas sale nets $79M. New Mexico Environmental groups fear climate impacts.

Thanks to Miya King-Flaherty of WildEarth Guardians for supplying the text for this post.

Organizing Committee

Chaco Coalition, Citizens Caring for the Future, Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Earth, Interfaith Power and Light, New Mexico Climate Justice, Permian Basin Climate Justice Coalition, Pueblo Action Alliance Sierra Club, WildEarth Guardians, Western Environmental Law Center.