Coalition Seeks Permanent Protections for Caja del Rio in Northern NM

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The Caja del Rio area features thousands of ancient petroglyphs from the 13th to 17th centuries, and is sacred to the Pueblo people.

Andrew Black – public lands field director with the National Wildlife Federation  (and associate pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Santa Fe)- said that’s why a broad coalition has come together seeking permanent protections, tribal co-management and stewardship investments.

“It’s an area of tremendous cultural, historical, archaeological, spiritual and, of course, wildlife values,” said Black. “And it’s just really a remarkable landscape that speaks to the rich and diverse identity of not only New Mexico’s people but the people of the American Southwest.”

Listen here to a report on Public News Service

How you can help

Faith Leaders’ Letter to NM leaders: We have a ‘moral responsibility to act now’ on climate

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Dozens of faith leaders from around New Mexico have signed a letter to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Cabinet and agency leaders and our State House Members and Senators urging them to take bold actions to address climate change.  The signators underscored the urgency of the moment and the opportunites to take action during the upcoming State Legislative session, which runs from January 17 to March 18, 2023.

“This past year we suffered from fires, floods, health concerns, early and extended heat, extreme wind, aridity, rivers going dry, farmers and ranchers suffering a loss of income, and growing immigrant numbers because of food insecurity. We also see many people, especially the young, struggling with mental health challenges associated with living in these worsening conditions,” said the letter.

“As the 2023 New Mexico Legislative Session begins we see the clock ticking, communities and Earth suffering, and our souls calling for a change. We are compelled to speak for strong actions in this session in several areas

  1.  Strong climate action for our state and government agencies which has at the forefront ethical concerns for equity; economic transition that puts workers and people first as we move from an outsized reliance on oil and gas; economic diversification; intergenerational justice; and care for our sacred land, water, air, and all in the community of life.
  2. Health systems that care for our communities and consider the health effects of climate change and the effects of extractive industries and their legacies on our communities.
  3. Our water concerns must have adequate funding for systemic change, which is required to address the dire issues of water quantity, quality, and aridity in the state. Modernizing water governance, engaging in robust water planning, and funds s to address a variety of concerns is wise stewardship.
  4. Adequate funding for public agencies to work in caring for the health, welfare, and common good.

Read full letter and see who has signed

If you would like to sign the letter as a New Mexico faith leader, contact Sister Joan Brown, joan@nm-ipl.org

PBS NewsHour: The challenge of tracking methane emissions

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PBS NewsHour: The COP27 climate negotiations in Egypt put a spotlight on the problem of methane emissions, which are responsible for more than a quarter of the warming on the planet today. More countries are pledging to reduce those emissions, but methane leaks remain a serious problem. Science correspondent Miles O’Brien reports.  ( The piece features Sharon Wilson with Earthworks, and uses footage from the field in the Permian Basin).

Watch a video, read a transcript and learn more

on PBS NewsHour site.