Environment

Lawmakers To Consider Proposed Green Amendment

State Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez

By Scott Wyland
The Santa Fe New Mexican

The proposed Green Amendment that would make a clean and healthy environment a constitutional right for New Mexicans will be taken up in the legislative session with strong Democratic backing and virtually zero Republican support.

The partisan divide is no surprise to anyone familiar with the effort to make the state constitution a backstop for environmental protection.

Advocates say it would compel the state to enforce current laws and enable it to draw on constitutional authority when regulations don’t adequately Read More

Governor, EMNRD Announce Pre-Filing Of Clean Future Act

NMED Secretary James Kenney

EMNRD News:

SANTA FE — The Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) Friday announced that House Bill 6, the Clean Future Act has been pre-filed by Rep. Nathan Small.

The bill will be sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Siah Correa Hemphill. This bill requires New Mexico to have net-zero emissions by 2050, among other things, and is a governor’s priority bill.

Led by the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, the Clean Future Act (CFA) would establish New Mexico’s emissions reductions targets in statute.

Specifically, the CFA establishes Read More

National Nuclear Security Administration Reaches Pivotal Milestone On Los Alamos Plutonium Pit Production Project

NNSA News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration has reached a pivotal milestone on the Los Alamos Pit Production Project, approving the start of construction of the Decontamination and Decommissioning Subproject.

The D&D Subproject is the first of five subprojects to begin construction under the effort to restart plutonium pit production at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), a project known as LAP4.

The D&D Subproject involves clearing out existing equipment and gloveboxes to make way for new pit-manufacturing equipment Read More

Daily Postcard: Beautiful Day At Bandelier

Daily Postcard: View from a tour of Ponderosa to Upper Crossing and down Frijoles Canyon at Bandelier National Monument. Due to increased COVID-19 transmission rates, the visitor center at Bandelier has reduced indoor services. The visitor center and museum are open to limited numbers wearing masks, the theater remains closed. All trails are open. The park café in Frijoles Canyon is closed until March 1, 2022. Photo by Sally King Read More

Animal Of The Day: Handsome California Quail

Wildlife Foundation News:

Today’s Animal of the Day is the California Quail – a handsome, round soccer ball of a bird with a rich gray breast, intricately scaled under parts, and a curious, forward-drooping head plume.

Its stiffly accented Chi-ca-go call is a common sound of the chaparral and other brushy areas of California and the Northwest.

Often seen scratching at the ground in large groups or dashing forward on blurred legs, California Quail are common but unobtrusive. They rush to cover if scared, so approach them gently.

Cool Facts

The California Quail digests vegetation with the help Read More

State, Los Alamos And Sandia National Laboratories Execute Agreement On Development Of Zero-Carbon Hydrogen

EMNRD News:

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Economic Development Department (EDD), Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, and Environment Department (EMNRD) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and Sandia National Laboratories to build a zero-carbon hydrogen economy not only in New Mexico but across the United States.

The MOU leverages their respective areas of expertise to deliver timely, material and efficient transformation of energy systems to achieve economic prosperity, reach net zero emissions by 2050 economy wide, Read More

AGU: North Pole Solar Eclipse Excites Auroras On The Other Side Of The World

Energy and particles from the sun interact with gases in the atmosphere to create stunning light shows called auroras, like this instance of the Southern Lights seen from the International Space Station in 2012. Courtesy/AGU

AGU News:

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A solar eclipse over the Arctic created changes in auroras in both of Earth’s hemispheres due to connections through the planet’s magnetic field, according to a new study.

The new work could help scientists predict changes in the near-Earth environment that can interfere with satellite communication.

June 10, 2021, the moon’s shadow darkened Read More

Cornell Land Trust Grants To Protect Birds Now Available

Wetland habitat at Pines and Prairies Land Trust Yegua Knobbs Preserve in Texas. Photo/Petra Harrison-Garza Keulen

CORNELL News:

ITHACA, NY— The Cornell Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative (LTBCI) is once again offering multiple year-long grants for land trust projects that enhance private lands for birds and help land trusts reach conservation goals.

The deadline for proposals is March 1, 2022. Awarded grants will be distributed at the end of May or early June. Learn how to apply. 

“Thanks to our generous funders we can award 14 grants to land trusts across the country in 2022,” said Cornell Read More

Los Alamos Kiwanis Hold Aluminum Collection Saturday

Scene of a previous Kiwanis aluminum can collection. The next collection is 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 15 in the parking lot of First United Methodist Church on Diamond Drive (near Sullivan Field). Courtesy/Kiwanis

KIWANIS CLUB New:

The Kiwanis Club of Los Alamos will be collecting and buying aluminum cans to be sent for recycling.

The collection event is 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 15 in the parking lot of First United Methodist Church on Diamond Drive (near Sullivan Field).

The community is encouraged to bring those aluminum cans accumulating over the holidays and help support Kiwanis Read More

New Mexico House Democrats And Community Leaders Give Voice To Land Grants And Acequias

The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Post file photo

From the Office of House Speaker Brian Egolf:

SANTA FE – After meeting with land grant and acequia community leaders today, House Speaker Brian Egolf (D-Santa Fe) announced important changes to House standing committees to elevate the voices and concerns of these communities.

The new Rural Development, Land Grants, and Cultural Affairs Committee will be established in the coming session, and will be chaired by Rep. Susan Herrera (D-Embudo).

Two other standing committees also will be newly titled: the Agriculture, Acequias, and Water Resources Read More

US Department Of The Interior Extends Abandoned Mine Land Program Through 2034

Deputy Assistant Secretary Laura Daniel-Davis

DOI News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of the Interior (DOI) has announced that the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) is extending the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund program through 2034 and making other changes to the program, as directed by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

This extension, through an interim final rule, will provide for continued funding to states and Tribes for reclaiming hazardous abandoned mines, replacing polluted water supplies, and reducing legacy pollution in coalfield communities. Read More

EMNRD Presents Budget To Senate Finance Committee

EMNRD Secretary Sarah Cottrell Propst

EMNRD News:

SANTA FE —  Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) Cabinet Secretary Sarah Cottrell Propst presented the department’s FY23 budget Wednesday to the Senate Finance Committee.

This year’s Executive Budget recommendation increases EMNRD’s budget by 16.4 percent for FY23, better positioning the agency to fulfill our mission and retain and recruit expert staff.

Since the beginning of the Lujan Grisham administration in 2019, EMNRD has implemented a natural gas waste rule requiring 98 percent gas capture in the oil and gas Read More

Verus® Research: First Missile Defense Agency R&D Contract Of Missile Defense Applications

VERUS News:

ALBUQUERQUE — Verus® Research, a New Mexico-based team of scientists and engineers specializing in advanced research and development, announces it has been awarded a Phase I Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) contract from the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) for “Optimized Waveforms for X-Band Missile-Defense Radars”.

Through the effort, Verus Research will research and develop X-band waveforms that are both producible and optimal for missile-defense applications by leveraging current state-of-the-art technologies in commercially available radar electronics. Read More

Prescribed Burn Spotted From Anniversary Trail

Smoke is spotted on the horizan created from the in Pacheco Canyon prescribed burn as seen Tuesday from N.M. 502 at Anniversary Trail in Los Alamos. Photo by Jenn Bartram/ladailypost.com Read More

Animal Of The Day: Goats!

Two small goats spending time together. Courtesy/animalresourcefoundation.com

Animal Resource Foundation News:

For the most part, we have all seen a goat, whether it’s in real life, a book or on the television. Here are some fun and cute facts about goats.

Goats Have Been Around A Long Time

Over 9,000 years ago, goats were one of the first animals to be domesticated by humans. They were first domesticated in Asia, where they were used for milk and cheese. 

Goats Like To Eat: 

  • Goats have a very unique appetite. They like to walk around and explore, which leads them to adventure out in the pasture and
Read More
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