Environment

Gold King Mine Spill’s Groundwater Effects Still Being Investigated In New Mexico

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NMED Secretary Ryan Flynn

NMED News:

  • Plume Passes Through New Mexico; Leaves Sediments Behind

FARMINGTON – Today, seven well water testing teams were deployed by the New Mexico Environment Department in concert with the Environmental Protection Agency to test domestic water wells near the Animas River which flows through Farmington and Aztec. 

“Although the Gold King Mine Spill’s heavy metals plume has mostly passed through the area, the sediments left behind are capable of influencing groundwater quality,” NMED Secretary Ryan Flynn said. “We are operating with an abundance of Read More

AGU: Melting Glaciers Feed Antarctic Food Chain

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AGU News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― Nutrient-rich water from melting Antarctic glaciers nourishes the ocean food chain, creating feeding “hot spots” in large gaps in the sea ice, according to a new study.
 
New research finds that iron stored in the region’s glaciers is being shuttled by melting water to open areas of the ocean, called polynyas, where it stimulates growth of phytoplankton, ocean algae that form the base of the marine food chain.
 
Krill and fish thrive on phytoplankton, and these smaller animals support penguins, seals and whales that feed and breed in the polynyas
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Heinrich, Lujan Grisham Join Community To Celebrate LWCF At Petroglyph National Monument

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STATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich and U.S Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham will join a diverse coalition of community leaders this morning to celebrate the success of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) during its 50th anniversary with a visit to the Petroglyph National Monument in Albuquerque.
 
At a community event, local leaders will call for reauthorization and full funding of the landmark conservation law that is set to expire Sept. 30. The public and media are encouraged to attend.
 
Heinrich, a member of the Senate Committee
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WIPP Hosts Fire Protection & Response Workshop

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Representatives from DOE headquarters and other agencies meet in Carlsbad for a fire protection and emergency response workshop. Courtesy photo
 
WIPP News:
 
Fire protection experts from the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management (DOE-EM), the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB), the Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO), and Nuclear Waste Partnership (NWP) gathered for a workshop this week in Carlsbad.
 
The purpose of the workshop was to identify and discuss applicable
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Governor Declares State of Emergency From EPA Spill

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Contamination discolors Animas River in Aztec. Photo by Randy Foster

STATE News:

SANTA FE – Today, Gov. Susana Martinez declared a state of emergency in response to the massive 3 million gallon waste spill in the Animas River in Colorado that EPA officials have admitted to causing.

The Governor toured the spill by helicopter and met with local officials Saturday in San Juan County. The day before, Martinez established a multi-agency response team that has been assisting affected communities, and New Mexico Environment Department Secretary Ryan Flynn issued emergency orders allowing for Read More

NM Lawmakers Write EPA On Gold King Mine Spill

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STATE News:

  • Lawmakers Call for Point Person to Oversee Agency’s Response

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a letter today to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján expressed their concern with the EPA’s response to the Gold King Mine spill that has sent three million gallons of wastewater into the Animas River.

In the letter, the lawmakers called on EPA to improve communication with federal, state, and local officials and with members of the public, urging the agency to appoint one point person to oversee the Read More

Lujan On Mine Spill: ‘EPA Caused This Mess And They Must Take Full Responsibility To Clean It’

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The normally ‘crystal clear’ Animas River today in Aztec following Wednesday’s EPA mine spill. Photo by Randy Foster

 

The Animas River today in Aztec following Wednesday’s EPA mine spill. Photo by Randy Foster
 

 

STATE News:

FARMINGTON – U.S. Rep Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District released the following statement today after participating in a public meeting in Farmington with federal, state, and local officials and members of the community to provide information on the Gold King Mine spill that Read More

NMED Informs Residents On Gold King Mine Spill

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NMED News:

SANTA FE – San Juan County officials along with New Mexico Environment Department Cabinet Secretary Ryan Flynn and New Mexico State Engineer Tom Blaine held two informational meetings Friday on the Gold King Mine Spill coursing through the Animas River.

San Juan County communities and news media were updated with the most current information on state and local responses, with information on the movement of the sediment and on currently imposed public safety precautions.

“The New Mexico Environment Department is on the ground taking independent water quality samples every Read More

NMED Issues Precautions For EPA Gold King Mine Spill

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NMED News:

  • Contaminated Plume Now in New Mexico

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Environment Department continues working with local, regional, and federal stakeholders to advise San Juan County citizens of safety precautions, while updating those affected about the Gold King Mine Spill’s pulse location and effects. 

Adherence to the following important safety measures is critical during and after the period of time while the Gold King mining wastewater release courses through the Animas and San Juan Rivers and the surrounding communities. It is likely precautions will be needed for several Read More