I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
The New Mexico Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of the environmental group New Energy Economy, allowing it to participate in future meetings with the Environmental Impact Board over greenhouse gas regulations for public utilities.
The Pew Environment Group came out Tuesday in opposition to a bill introduced last spring by House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., that would open up a “Wyoming-sized” chunk of national forest and Bureau of Land Management land to resource extraction, road building and motorized vehicle traffic.
Republicans have introduced several bills this session in the U.S. House and Senate aimed at speeding up the leasing and permitting process for oil and gas companies looking to drill on federal lands. But a new report by the Wilderness Society shows that using the permits may be the issue: Oil and gas drilling firms are currently sitting on more than 6,500 unused permits — and New Mexico ranks second in the nation in the number of inactive permits, with 1,307 issued but not drilled.
New Mexico’s oil and gas utilities have filed petitions with the state’s Environmental Impact Board, seeking to overturn rules establishing a cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gas emissions in the state.
At least 22 toxic chemicals, including four known human carcinogens, were found in nine separate air samples taken near natural gas drilling operations by community advocacy and environmental groups in Garfield and La Plata counties in Colorado and the San Juan Basin of New Mexico, according to a new report from Global Community Monitor.
The state is holding hearings today on green building codes that Susana Martinez’s administration has put in the crosshairs. The hearings are the start of a process to roll back the regulations that were passed under the Bill Richardson administration.
Opponents of ending tax breaks for big oil companies argue that closing tax loopholes will result in higher prices at the pump, but a report from the non-partisan Congressional Research Service finds that ending the tax breaks is unlikely to cause a rise in prices.
Gov. Susana Martinez’s administration is looking to roll back energy efficiency standards for construction. The Martinez administration says this is to “send a message that we are open for business.”
The New Mexico Gas Company could face penalties for gas outages that affected tens of thousands of residents on a day where temperatures reached record lows throughout the state. The outages occurred in early February.
Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., said that a bill to end tax subsidies for large oil companies will likely fail next week. Bingaman is the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
Shuffling four state officials to different departments is concerning industry and environmental groups, the Associated Press reported Friday. The job changes involve the heads of the water management division and air quality and hazardous waste bureaus.
Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson says that the death of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden can open the door for climate change legislation in Congress. Richardson made the statements at a Climate Leadership Gala hosted by the Earth Day Network in Washington, according to Politico.
Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., and Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., announced today they are leading efforts to expand compensation for those exposed to radiation.
Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., and his cousin Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo., announced today the introduction of legislation that would require utilities to use renewable sources to generate 25 percent of their energy by 2025.
State Land Commissioner Ray Powell reversed the controversial White Peak land swap that happened under the watch of former commissioner Pat Lyons. Powell’s decision Tuesday returned the northeastern New Mexico area to the State Land Office.
A bill that would bar all New Mexico environmental boards from passing greenhouse gas regulations that are more stringent than the national regulations cleared a Senate committee Tuesday. The bill, SB 489, is likely in response to the Environmental Improvement Board passing greenhouse gas regulations last year.
Former Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Committee Secretary-designate Harrison Schmitt alerted aides to the governor of his refusal to undergo a background check four days before Gov. Susana Martinez told reporters she had just heard of the refusal.
Harrison Schmitt withdrew his nomination to serve as head of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources department on Thursday following his decision to not undergo a background check by the Senate Rules Committee. Gov. Susana Martinez said that Schmitt agreed to be screened but “was not willing to waive that investigator’s liability for any improper actions or use of that information.”
Senate Rules Committee chair Linda Lopez, D-Albuquerque, will oppose Harrison Schmitt’s nomination to head the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department because Schmitt refused to go through a background check. Lopez says when she met with Schmitt three days ago he told her he would not allow the check that all cabinet nominees and high-level appointed officials go through.
Gov. Susana Martinez said she’s still angry at the New Mexico Gas Company over the fact that areas of the state did not have natural gas as of Tuesday. Meanwhile, state Sen.Carlos Cisneros, D-Questa, requested an investigation from the Attorney General’s office on the causes of the crisis.
