Join us in protecting the public health, land, air, and water of the Rio Chama Watershed.
Call for Board Members
Would you like to make a meaningful and creative contribution to the Community of the Rio Chama Watershed?
We are inviting interested citizens to meet with us to discuss becoming a
Rio Arriba Concerned Citizen Board Member.
Please contact us at info@rioarribaconcernedcitizens.com or just come meet us at our First Annual Meeting of 2019 at:
2pm on Friday, January 25 at the El Rito Public Library
Thank you!
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UPDATE: This morning on KUNM, “Let’s Talk New Mexico” the focus was on the government shutdown. Host Elaine Baumgartel interviewed Judy Calman, Staff Attorney for New Mexico Wilderness Alliance giving details of the BLM approving oil and gas leases as we mentioned in yesterdays post. The link below has the full interview.
This interesting news bit came to light – initially, Judy reported – oil and gas corporations were paying the salaries of the BLM federal employees who have been called in to process their applications during the shutdown!!! Read that last sentence again. That practice has now been stopped and the employees were ordered back to work without pay - but the line of conflict of interest clearly has been deeply crossed. We hope for some major fallout.
One strong point made during the interview is that this administration (federal, of course) is picking and choosing what services they consider “essential” during the shutdown. Oil and gas applications being pushed through while families are going without paychecks?
Other shutdown news. If you know anyone who needs assistance - many options were listed for families losing income, in need of food assistance and more. Organizations like SNAP, HELP NEW MEXICO (who can help folks pay rent, get medicine) and NM Workforce Solutions all are working hard to keep all NM families afloat during the shutdown. We highly encourage you listen this great show (available for replay) and share with anyone you know affected.
kunm.org
Let's Talk New Mexico, Thursdays at 8a. Call 277-5866 to participate live on the show. We've done a remodel of what you know as the KUNM Call InBREAKING! New Mexico Wild issued a letter to BLM State Director Tim Spisak signed by 5 other organizations (listed below). In the letter, New Mexico Wild is calling on BLM to postpone oil and gas lease sales and the issuance of drilling permits during the federal government shutdown until appropriate environmental reviews and public comment periods resume. We will continue to report on this issue as it unfolds.
…”New Mexico Wild says that BLM lacks the funding and staff necessary to comply with legal requirements under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to conduct mandatory environmental reviews and 30-day public comment and protest periods before approving oil and gas lease sales on public lands.”
The 5 additional organizations who signed the letter (see link) are as follows: New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, New Mexico Chapter of The Wilderness Society, New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light, Western Environmental Law Center (WELC) and New Mexico National Parks Conservation Association.
New Mexico Wild tells BLM to postpone oil and gas lease sales
nmwild.org
New Mexico Wild | Protecting New Mexico’s wilderness, wildlife and water.ANNOUNCING! Our Events Section has some great gatherings happening in our area, soon. First up - this Saturday, January, 19th, from 9 a.m - 3 p.m. at the City of Gold Casinos - "The Future of Our Energy Supply * Hosted by San Juan Citizens Alliance. Scroll down for details. These are increasingly good times for the future of sustainable energy in our area, we hope to see some of you there!
