Interim Committee Endorses Green Amendment Initiative

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The New Mexico State Legislature’s interim Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Committee (comprised of House and Senate members) has voted overwhelmingly (6-1) to bring an initiative on the Green Amendment to the legislative floor during the 2022 session.  The initiative was proposed in the 2021 session, but did not advance.  If passed, the resolution would implement a future public vote to adopt language to uphold environmental rights for all New Mexicans.  The initiative would  that would codify into the State’s Constitution the public’s right to a “healthy environment,” citing ongoing concerns for pollution and climate change.

“Giving the people of New Mexico an opportunity to vote to amend our constitution so as to protect our precious air, land, water, flora and fauna will be a powerful statement from ‘We, the People’ of New Mexico about our priority to preserve our beautiful and environmentally fragile state,  Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, a co-sponsor of the 2021 Green Amendment initiative, said in testimony to the committee. She is not a member of the committee.

Sens. Jeff Steinborn, Nancy Rodriguez and Brenda McKenna, and  Reps. Lee Alcon , Joanne Ferrary and Debra Sariñana voted to endorse the resolution. The lone dissenter was Sen. Christin Chandler, who argued that the initiative could potentially create  legal liability and subsequent financial burdens for state and municipal governments.

Read article in Carlsbad Current-Argus

 

 

Watch EPA Hearings on New Methane Rule

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Several folks from #NewMexico are participating in the @EPA #Methane Rule hearings over the next 3 days.

You can watch live here

(Note: At this link you can also rewind to watch from the beginning. You can watch at different speeds to catch up)

Sister Joan Brown: Will we allow the spiritual wisdom of the young to lead us?

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Following is an excerpt of an opinion piece that Sister Joan Brown, executive director of New Mexico and El Paso Region Interfaith Power & Light wrote in the Gallup Independent.

“..while sometimes we feel despair heavy in the air from many fronts we also see around us signs of hope and spiritual wisdom to guide us. I believe our young people are great partners in our great spiritual work we are given in this time – to address climate justice and care Our Common Home.”

The young, who in recent years have strongly urged us to act, will only inherit the planet we choose to leave to them, based on the concrete choices we make today. – Pope Francis’ written message to world leaders at COP26, Nov. 2, 2021 The UN Glasgow climate meetings that just ended hold only a few bright spots of action forward to limit carbon reductions to address harm already happening. One of those lights that cannot be missed is the engagement of young people from around the world.

But, the question remains, will the world listen to the spiritual wisdom of the younger generations to care for Our Common Home and all living beings whose lives are at stake? 

Young people of many faith traditions were present the last two weeks in Glasgow and their pleas to reduce carbon by phasing out fossil fuels were heard in the streets and halls of the conference. Their words and banners focused on “loss and damage,” care for the forests, and hearing the voices of the most vulnerable countries and peoples.

Listening to their presentations to world leaders and the many videos they created and prayer services they spoke at, I was reminded of Jesus and the children. He commanded the disciples, the leaders around him, to “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kindom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

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