Senate Conservation Committee Approves Protections for NM Waters

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Photo: Duncan Sill

On Thursday, Jan. 30,  the Senate Conservation Committee voted 6-3 to pass SB 21 and SB 22, a pair of bills that will provide critical protections for New Mexico waters. The bills are also assigned to the Senate Judiciary and Finance Committees before they move over to the House and then proceed to a floor vote.

Following rollbacks to federal clean water protections in recent years, up to 95% of New Mexico’s waters have lost protection once provided under the Clean Water Act. Because of these rollbacks and the lack of a state water quality permitting system, American Rivers named all New Mexico rivers atop its list of the most endangered rivers in the country in its 2024 Most Endangered Rivers report.

 

“Valuing water and valuing life are one and the same,” said Rev. Clara Sims, assistant executive director of New Mexico & El Paso Interfaith Power and Light. “In the absence of federal protections, our state leaders have an urgent and sacred responsibility to protect our precious waterways of New Mexico for the thriving of all our communities of life, human and beyond, for all generations to come.”

The bills that passed committee today would ensure federal clean water protections that had existed in New Mexico for decades are continued at the state level. In addition, they will provide authority to the state to take over permitting from the federal government for the waters that are still federally protected, streamlining the process and bringing oversight into the hands of New Mexicans.

Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth and Rep. Kristina Ortez sponsored SB 22—a bill to establish a state-level permitting system for waters no longer federally protected under the Clean Water Act—and SB 21—a bill to assume state permitting authority for waters currently managed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency— to set in place the necessary authority to build a comprehensive state permitting program.

“New Mexico waters have lost critical protections in recent years, threatening our drinking water, the health of our communities, and the future of key industries like agriculture and outdoor recreation,” said Rachel Conn, deputy director of Amigos Bravos. “We’re pleased to see the progression of SB 21 and SB 22 that would reinstate decades of prior protections and establish a system to ensure the wetlands and waterways we need for our way of life don’t become contaminated.”

“Our land-based communities depend on clean water in our streams, headwaters, and wetlands to irrigate our fields and care for our livestock,” said Paula Garcia, executive director of the New Mexico Acequia Association. “A state-based permitting system will help protect our acequias and farms for the future.”

“These bills will form a complete surface water permitting program for the state of New Mexico. These protections are critical to ensure our most precious resource is protected for future generations,” said Tricia Snyder, Rivers and Waters Program director for New Mexico Wild. “We’re grateful this important effort is making forward movement in the legislature.”

“Nuevo Mexico must now step up. Urgent action is required. The legislature must adopt protections and programs to safeguard our waterways from pollution,” said Jared Berenice Estrada with The Semilla Project. “These waterways demand our immediate protection for the sake of future generations.”

“With much of the Mimbres and Gila Watersheds at risk due to loss of recent clean water protections, a state permitting program to protect our waters from pollution is needed,” said Allyson Siwik, executive director of the Gila Resources Information Project.\

“New Mexico’s most precious resources are our streams, lakes, and wetlands. But this scarce resource is under singular attack,” said Tannis Fox, senior attorney with Western Environmental Law Center. “These two bills will establish the necessary framework to protect our waters from pollution, and protect New Mexico’s communities,Tribal waters, acequias, wildlife habitat, and outdoor recreation economy now and for the future.”

“Valuing water and valuing life are one and the same,” said Rev. Clara Sims, assistant executive director of New Mexico & El Paso Interfaith Power and Light. “In the absence of federal protections, our state leaders have an urgent and sacred responsibility to protect our precious waterways of New Mexico for the thriving of all our communities of life, human and beyond, for all generations to come.”

IPL Joins Advocates in Call to Legislature for Climate Action

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On Tuesday, January  28, advocates with Food & Water Watch gathered at the Roundhouse to urge the legislature to stop the entrenchment of factory farms in New Mexico, as these facilities contribute greatly to climate change, use up scarce water supplies, cause water and air pollution, harm the welfare of animals, exploit workers, and push family farms out of business.

In particular, advocates encouraged elected officials to support SB 99, also known as the Methane Emissions Reduction Act (MERA), which aims to fix a loophole in the recently passed Clean Transportation Fuel Standard. Closing this loophole would help prevent factory farms from being lavishly incentivized to profit from their pollution.

New Mexico & El Paso Interfaith Power and Light, came out in support of this action.

 “In New Mexico, we cherish the abundance of beauty and provision that the land offers to us and we celebrate the unique lifeways of tending the land reflected in every corner of our state. Climate change threatens these lifeways through unpredictable and extreme weather, and, of course, the far-reaching drought conditions that are already here. As people of faith and conscience we want the Clean Transportation Fuel Standards to be implemented with integrity to climate goals and that is why we support the Methane Emissions Reduction Act. If factory farms are incentivized to profit from pollution that adds more heat-trapping gases to the atmosphere, the Clean Fuel Transportation Standard will fall far short of the climate goals for which it was originally passed. It is impossible to name the depth of beauty, dignity, and diversity we are called to celebrate in our state. Let’s pass the Methane Emissions Reduction Act for the flourishing future we have in equal measures the right and the responsibility to protect.”  – Rev. Clara Sims, Assistant Executive Director of NM & EP IPL

In addition to gathering in Santa Fe to urge elected officials to support the bill, throughout the past week New Mexicans from across the state came together to urge elected officials to act through a series of events like a film screening and art build.  Read More

 

Three Important Climate Bills in the New Mexico Legislature

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By Rev. Clara Sims, Assistant Executive Director, IPL New Mexico & El Paso

From the blazing heat of our own New Mexico summer to the winter wildfires burning in California, the earth is speaking with resounding clarity of our need to stop burning fossil fuels.

In that spirit, here are the three major climate bills of this session….

Senator Pro Tem, Mimi Stewart, has introduced three ambitious climate bills that work in tandem to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, equip communities for fossil-fuel free economic innovation and development, and fund state agencies so they can better manage their roles of support and enforcement.

Clear Horizons (SB 4)

Seeks to codify into law the Governor’s 2019 executive order of climate emission reductions targets (an order alligned with the Paris Climate Accords).

This would mean bringing business, transportation and the energy sector into alignment with those targets. The Environmental Improvement Board (EIB) would have responsibility for rule-making and oversight.

Community Benefits Fund (SB 48)

This is a pot of money ($340 million) designated to help communities transition economically to cleaner sources of energy and industry, including helping fund projects that do things like create bike and pedestrian lanes, implement grid modernization, fund electric school buses, and help foster workforce development.  Below is a break down of funding:

  • $40M to EDD (Economic Development Department)
  • $20M to Community Energy Efficiency Development (CEED) Block Grant Fund
  • $100M to Grid Modernization grant fund
  • $50M to Transportation Project fund
  • $ 5M to State Supplemental Land and Water Conservation fund (outdoor recreation act)
  • $40M to EMNRD (Energy, Minerals, Natural Resources Department)
  • $25M to Workforce Solutions
  • $60M to the Public Schools Facilities Authority

Innovation in State Government Fund (SB 83)

The goal is to better equip our state government and agencies to handle big projects and work with new, upgraded technology. Part of the goal is to help agencies think “outside the box” of their current budgets about ways to help support emissions reductions.

For more information about all three of these bills, you can visit a wesbite created by various climate and frontline community partners. The website can be found HERE.

What can you do to support this legislation?

  1. Get in contact with your local congressional represenatives
  2. Write an LTE about the moral imperative for climate legislation
  3. Show up for public comment at key hearings

To contact your local congressional represenative, you can find their information at “find my legislator.”

If you want to write a Letter to the Editor (LTE) or ammend one that is drafted for you, please be in touch with Clara Sims (clara@nm-ipl.org).

To be kept in the loop about key hearings for public comment, sign up to be on our advocacy list. To be added, please contact our advocacy chair Ruth Striegel (ruthstriegel@gmail.com) and/or our assistant director Clara Sims (clara@nm-ipl.org).

Clear Horizons (SB 4) is being heard in the Senate Conservation Committee tomorrow morning, Tuesday the 28th at 9:00 am. There were only a very limited number of slots for public speakers this time around, but we will need all the community support possible going forward to push this over the finish line in other committies, so please stay tuned. If you want to listen in to the hearing, here is the zoom link. Prayers for a good outcome at tomorrow’s hearing matter and are most welcome!