Public News Service

A mega-dairy concentrated animal feeding operations can produce as much waste as a city without the benefit of an advanced sewage treatment system. (ArtemZakharov/Adobe Stock)

NM group seeks moratorium on new factory farms

By Lena Beck for Modern Farmer.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for New Mexico News Connection reporting for the Modern Farmer-Public News Service Colla…

New Mexico's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant is the nation's only deep geologic long-lived radioactive waste repository. (DOE) New Mexico's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant is the nation's only deep geologic long-lived radioactive waste repository. (DOE)

Feds hold NM meetings to decide expansion of radioactive waste site

Public meetings in New Mexico this week will gather input on proposed expansion of a nuclear waste repository. But watchdog groups are urging a …

Researchers have long noted a correlation between scorching outdoor temperatures and violent crime. (ytutye/Adobe Stock)

NM advocacy group: more climate change infrastructure needed

A New Mexico advocacy group is reminding lawmakers the state must revise its approach to extreme heat, air pollution and the oil and gas industry if …

Only 28% of Hispanic people and 37% of Black people have taken swimming lessons, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (cabq.gov)

'World's Largest Swimming Lesson' comes to Albuquerque pools

It is the first day of summer and time for a global event called the "World's Largest Swimming Lesson." Albuquerque's West Mesa Aquatic Center will o…

The white-nosed coatimundi, classified as an endangered species in New Mexico, roams and hunts during daytime hours in the Gila Wilderness. (National Park Service)

New Mexico celebrates 100 years of Gila Wilderness preservation

New Mexico's Gila Wilderness is special - not only for its natural beauty, but also because it received the world's first-ever "wilderness" …

Revenues from oil and gas extraction in New Mexico are higher than ever, having grown by about 10% over the past year. (Adwo/AdobeStock)

NM agency considers new rule on fracked wastewater

What the extraction industry calls "produced water" is the subject of hearings this week in New Mexico. The term applies to water coming out of the …

Tourism and outdoor recreational are top drivers of New Mexico's economy. (Pew Charitable Trusts)

NM ambassadors travel east to advocate for West's Gila River

New Mexico has one of the nation's last "wild" rivers, free of human-made structures and community representatives will be back in the nation's …

In New Mexico, three-quarters of new survey respondents said they do not want protections rolled back on national monuments. (National Park Service)

Poll: Voters in NM, other Western states consistently support conservation

A new poll showed New Mexico voters expressed a deep affection for lands, water and wildlife and want policies offering greater protections. The 14…

A bill before the New Mexico Legislature would halt approval of new drilling permits within a mile of school facilities starting in July. (Photo courtesy of Consumer Watchdog)

A trio of NM bills could rein in lucrative oil, gas industry

A trio of bills to curb oil and gas pollution is under consideration by New Mexico lawmakers. New Mexico is the country's second-largest oil …

Hydrogen use is expected to grow sixfold from today's levels to meet 10% of total energy consumption by 2050, according to the International Energy Agency. (malp/Adobe Stock)

Navajo Nation hydrogen project raises red flags in New Mexico

Hydrogen power is touted as a game-changer in curbing climate change. But in New Mexico, those who feel exploited by the fossil fuel industry have …

A 2020 study by the U.S. Water Alliance estimated that making all the needed investments in America's water infrastructure would add $4.5 trillion and 80,000 jobs to the U.S. economy by 2039. (HockleyMedia/peopleimages.com/AdobeStock)

'Day Without Water' observance illustrates reality of living without

Most of us take for granted clean, fresh water when we turn on the kitchen faucet, but it can be rare for many people, and it is why the ninth annual …

It's estimated that 200 million Americans are drinking water contaminated with PFAS, according to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. (Rachel Conn)

NM Activists Secure Hearing on 'Forever Chemicals' Used in Extraction

Environmental groups and concerned citizens scored a victory in New Mexico on Thursday that could lead to better regulation of PFAS, also known as …

It's estimated a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday could remove federal protection from 80% of streams in the southwestern states. (USGS)

SCOTUS Narrows 50-Year-Old Clean Water Act, Affecting NM Rivers

Thursday's U.S. Supreme Court ruling making it harder for the federal government to enforce clean-water rules has New Mexico environmental groups …

New Mexico's 482,000 acres of wetlands are aided by the beaver, a keystone species, in creating new habitat that can support a myriad of birds and amphibians. (dfikar/Adobestock)

New Mexico's Drinking Water in Crosshairs of Sackett v. EPA

A favorable ruling in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court challenging the federal Clean Water Act could remove protections nationwide, and affect 90%…

In the last week of July 2022, a five-mile stretch of the Rio Grande in Albuquerque, N.M., ran dry for the first time in 40 years. (GregMeland/AdobeStock)

Rio Grande River Water Usage Accountability Heats Up

A conservation group which has fought to know how water from the Rio Grande is being used by a regional irrigation district in New Mexico will continu…

New Mexico's newly created permanent conservation fund is modeled after a trust established by the Wyoming Legislature in 2005. (RustyDodson/Adobe Stock)

New Mexico Creates First-Ever $100M Conservation Fund

New Mexico is using some of its surplus budget funds, primarily from oil and gas revenues, to establish the state's first-ever source of recurring …

Despite climate change, water-rights transfers and development, approximately 750 centuries-old acequias still operate in New Mexico. (MayaPena/lasacequias.org)

NM's Historic Acequias Featured in New Documentary Film

The annual cleaning of acequias in northern New Mexico gets underway in earnest next week, just as a filmmaker debuts a documentary about their past…

The Gila National Forest and Wilderness boasts more than 100 bird species including seasonal, year-round and migratory birds. (JuanCarlosGonz�lez/AdobeStock)

NM Supporters of Gila River Protections Make 3rd Pitch in Nation's Capital

A decadelong effort to secure protections for New Mexico's last remaining free-flowing rivers and tributary systems has been introduced in Congress fo…

In 2022, a stretch of the Rio Grande flowing through Albuquerque ran dry for the first time in 40 years. (LeoYorkPhotos/AdobeStock)

NM Lawmakers Urged to Allocate More Money to Purchase Water

New Mexico lawmakers are considering a bill this session to fully fund the Strategic Water Reserve, a management tool deemed critical as the state …

Visitors to New Mexico's Gila Wilderness have reported that stray or feral cattle, grazing there since the 1970s, have become aggressive, with no fear of people and also protective of their young and food sources. (Robin Silver/Center for Biological Diversity)

Aerial Shooting of Feral Cattle Closes NM's Gila Wilderness Area

A helicopter will be used starting tomorrow to fly over a portion of the Gila Wilderness in southwestern New Mexico, searching for feral cattle to …

The Colorado River, which once flowed to the sea in Mexico, has been chronically overused, and combined with climate change, the river system now is in crisis as reservoirs dry up. (John/AdobeStock)

Poll: Westerners Remain Strongly Supportive of Conservation Issues

Climate change, pollution, effects from oil and gas drilling and a strong concern for protecting drinking water are just some of the issues New …

Water scarcity in the U.S. Southwest, augmented by drought, climate change, and increased competition for the resource creates uncertainty for those who grow chile peppers in the Rio Grande Valley. (Susan Vineyard/Adobe)

Hot Conference Topic: NM First State With Official Aroma, Chile Peppers?

Can a state have an official aroma? That topic will on attendees' minds when the annual New Mexico Chile Conference is held in Las Cruces today…

Currently, New Mexico is one of the few Western states without a dedicated land and water conservation funding. (Don/AdobeStock)

NM Legislature Considers Dedicated Funding for Land, Water Conservation

As New Mexico recovers from its worst wildfire in history, lawmakers are considering a proposal to create the "Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund" to …

The Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire burned through a number of rural, isolated Hispanic communities, settlements, and family homesteads dating back centuries. (nmfwri.org)

Northern NM Communities Get Boost in 2022 Wildfire Financial Relief

More money is on the way to help New Mexico's communities recover from the largest wildfire in state history. The 2022 Hermit's Peak-Calf Canyon …

More than 6 million people rely on the Upper Rio Grande River for water, food, and shelter. (rgbrt.org)

Report Card: Upper Rio Grande Basin's Health Rated 'Moderate'

To help people better understand the health of the Upper Rio Grande Basin, a first-ever "report card" gave the overall river basin a "C" for its …

A collaborative team in Taos is slated to solve a daunting challenge created this spring when a local beaver population built a dam across the river at the city's park. (TaosLandTrust)

The 'Beaver Deceiver' Protects the Taos Watershed, Wetland Habitat

A wildlife ecosystem can benefit from a beaver dam, but their location can cause headaches for humans when they produce flooding. In Taos, New …

Since 2019, volunteers have helped complete a watershed restoration project in Midnight Meadows, located in New Mexico's Carson National Forest. (amigosbravos.org)

Volunteers Continue Restoration Work in NM's Midnight Meadows

Midnight Meadows in northern New Mexico's Carson National Forest is one of 22 sites identified as "wetland jewels," and volunteers will continue their…

A January leak and subsequent shutdown of the federally operated Cliffside Helium Plant in Texas has contributed to a shortage of helium in the United States. (blm.gov)

Environmental Concerns Slow Helium Mining Proposal on Navajo Nation

People on the Navajo Nation have lived through decades of oil, gas, uranium and coal extraction, and helium could be next. The Navajo Nation Oil and …

Black, Hispanic and Native American people are up to two times more likely than white people to suffer from chronic disease, according to the health publication WebMD. (Myrriah G�mez/news.unm.edu)

Environmental Advocates: Empowerment Doesn't End With Juneteenth

Juneteenth celebrations this month commemorated freedom, but Black and Brown people are still disproportionately impacted by environmental injustices …

Less than one-half of 1% of New Mexico's river miles are protected under the National Wild & Scenic Rivers System. (The Pew Charitable Trusts)

NM's Gila Returns to Forefront for National Rivers Month

June is National Rivers Month, and New Mexicans who want the Gila and San Francisco Rivers protected monitored U.S. Senate talks this week on the M.H…

The Pecos River Basin will likely face major water shortages for irrigated agriculture as temperatures rise over the next century due to climate change, according to a new study by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission. (nfwf.org)

Protections Sought for NM's Pecos Watershed Amidst Mining Proposal

Conservationists, farmers and residents are seeking protection of a section of New Mexico's Pecos River even as a mining company has proposed an …

A bill to expand voting rights, championed by New Mexico's governor during the 2022 legislative session, failed after the GOP led a one-man filibuster. (Wikipedia)

Wins, Losses for NM Conservation in 2022 Legislative Session

The postmortem has begun on the New Mexico legislative session which ended last week. Conservation groups concede much is left to be done, but …

New Mexico could face tough water decisions if a decades-long drought due to climate change doesn't provide a decent spring runoff in 2022. (nm.water.usgs.gov)

Public Lands Agencies Work to Diversify Staff in 2022

People of color historically have been excluded from outdoor-recreation jobs, but a collaborative effort to diversify staff within agencies that …

The 1.5-million-acre Carson National Forest in northern New Mexico offers trout fishing, hiking, skiing and other recreational opportunities. (nationalforest.org)

NM Groups Want Free-flowing Rivers Protected in National Forest

TAOS, N.M. - In Northern New Mexico's Carson National Forest, many rivers are eligible for federal "Wild and Scenic" designation, and conservation …

Urgency for the U.S. Congress to designate the Gila River as a Wild and Scenic River follows one of the worst years ever recorded for water levels on the Colorado River. (state.nm.us)

Heinrich, Lujan Reintroduce NM Gila River Protection Bill

SILVER CITY, N.M. -- New Mexico's U.S. senators are making another attempt to protect the last remaining free-flowing rivers and tributary systems to …

Undoing of Trump-Era Clean-Water Rule Creates Optimism, Uncertainty

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Opponents of rollbacks to the Trump-era Clean Water Act say 90% of New Mexico's waters were left unprotected and hope a recent …

While the Gila is the longest river in the state, New Mexico also offers recreational opportunities on the San Juan, Pecos, Rio Grande and Canadian Rivers. (americanrivers.org)

Wild & Scenic Designations for NM Rivers Benefit Local Economy

SILVER CITY, N.M - Rivers, wetlands and riparian areas make up only 1% of the New Mexico landscape, and they're getting attention this month for …

President Joe Biden is seeking to extend existing tax incentives for solar and wind development through 2030. (reia-nm.org)

Biden's Climate and Jobs Goals Cheer NM's Renewable-Energy Advocates

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- New Mexico's renewable resources provided more than a quarter of the state's electricity in 2020, and renewable-energy advocates …

Local-choice energy policies adopted in nine states are not-for-profit models that allow communities to prioritize 100% renewable energy. (pixels/Pixabay)

NM "Local Choice Energy Act" Seen as 21st-Century Model

SANTA FE, N.M. - Supporters of a bill in the New Mexico Legislature say it would transform power and control of the state's electric supply, creating …

Drilling a single well in New Mexico's Permian Basin requires more than 11 million gallons of water per day in 2016, enough to fill 11 Olympic-size swimming pools, up from 1.3 million gallons in 2011.

NM Legislature Debates Tougher Rules, Penalities for Oil and Gas

SANTA FE, N.M. -- The New Mexico Senate has agreed to take up a bill that would increase penalties for produced water spills by the oil and gas …

Penistaja soils are the state soil of New Mexico and cover more than 1 million acres. In Navajo,

Getting Your Hands Dirty Virtually: New Mexico Soil Workshop

LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- Determining soil quality usually requires getting your hands dirty, but the pandemic will require that a New Mexico soil workshop …

Every $1 million spent on watershed restoration can result in total economic activity of $2.2 million to $2.5 million, according to a study by the University of Oregon. (nm.audubon.org)

It's June: Dive Into National Rivers Month

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- There are five major rivers in New Mexico, and with June designated National Rivers Month, now is the time to appreciate them …

New Mexico's Gila and San Francisco rivers and their tributaries make up one of the largest undammed watersheds in the lower 48 states. (circleofblue.org)

Legislation Introduced to Protect NM's Gila, San Francisco Rivers

SILVER CITY, N.M. -- Many Americans have been drawn to nature during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the significance of a bill introduced in …

New Mexico, New Hampshire and Massachusetts lack state regulations to control discharges into rivers and streams, making them completely dependent on federal clean-water protections. (riograndesierraclub.org)

Lawsuit Filed by Conservation Groups to Protect NM from Dirty Water

SANTA FE, N.M. - A proposal to abolish limits on how much pollution can be dumped into small streams and wetlands was challenged this week by …

About 40% of Navajo Nation households don't have running water, and many of the filling stations they use to get water have closed during the pandemic. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)

Navajo Nation COVID-19 Cases Soar from Lack of Resources

SANTA FE, N.M. -- After New York and New Jersey, the place with the highest coronavirus infection rate in the United States is the Navajo Nation…

Volunteers unload boxes of water on the Navajo Nation as part of a grassroots food-distribution effort to help the 180,000 tribal members during the coronavirus pandemic. (Deidra Peaches)

Navajo, Hopi Families' COVID-19 Relief Fund Nears $1M

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- A relief fund to help Navajo and Hopi families in the Navajo Nation cope with the coronavirus pandemic has raised more than $800,…

The Gila Wilderness was the first area in the United States to receive wilderness designation. (nmwild.org)

Conservationists Raise Concerns Over NM Gila Forest Plan

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- New Mexico residents have two more days to comment on a plan that will guide resource management in the Gila National Forest for …

The Bureau of Land Management is proceeding with plans to lease more New Mexico public lands to the oil and gas industry, despite the recent energy market collapse. (sej.org)

BLM Barrels Ahead with NM Oil and Gas Leases

SANTA FE, N.M. -- Despite a global pandemic, it's down to the wire for New Mexico residents who want to comment on the May sale of oil and gas leases …

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NM: Water