Northern New Mexico Group

The Martinez administration's Environment Department is proposing a copper-mining rule that would allow contamination of New Mexico's drinking water.

The Environment Department ignored its own advisory panel's and technical staff's recommendations and instead adopted an industry wish list for this proposed rule.

The state Water Quality Control Commission is holding public hearings on the Environment Department's proposal now. Please send a written comment asking commissioners to reject the rule. Just click this link -- a sample note is provided: http://bit.ly/ZTQif0

City Seeking Public Input for **Santa Fe City Plan*

Online Questionnaire Will Provide Foundation for Santa Fe's Future

City of Santa Fe long-range planners have drafted an online questionnaire in English and in Spanish that will help them determine what is great about Santa Fe, and what can be improved. The Santa Fe City Plan questionnaire is several short questions about a variety of topics-ranging from crime, to transportation, to thoughts about the redevelopment of St. Michael's Drive and the possibility of a city-owned electric utility-among other topics.

Susan Martin of the Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter executive committee appeared before the Water Quality Control Commission on Wednesday, April 10 to issue the following statement opposing the New Mexico Environment Department’s proposed copper-mining rules under consideration by the commission:

Welcome Camilla!

Many of you may have encountered Camilla Feibelman working on political campaigns for Martin Heinrich, Michelle Lujan-Grisham, and local candidates over the last several election cycles. We were so impressed with her organizational skills, we talked her into coming back to New Mexico for a longer gig.

Camilla was born and raised in Albuquerque, where she attended Albuquerque High School. The better part of her career has been spent in Puerto Rico, where
the Club — thanks to Camilla’s work — has created a new chapter over the last eight years.

Join us for a fun evening of free food, drink, and fellowship as the Outings Program celebrates spring hiking, Earth Day, and all things Sierra! All hike leaders, hikers, and hiking friends are welcome.

Beth Mills, community planner with Santa Fe County’s Open Space, Trails and Parks Program, will talk about the newest trails and plans for future open spaces, as well as long-range plans for a regional trail network.

And we’ll crown the winner of the Name That Hike contest that’s been featured in the Sierra Trail Mix weekly email this past quarter.

The Spring Blowout is scheduled for 6 p.m. April 25, at the Eldorado Community Center.

Please email Dag Ryen, dagryen@gmail.com, if you hope to attend, so we can plan.

By Mona Blaber
Chapter communications coordinator

In 2009, the New Mexico Legislature amended the Water Quality Act to require that the Water Quality Control Commission adopt specific rules for the copper-mining industry.

The stated purpose of the Copper Rule is to provide the industry with requirements for preventing groundwater and surface-water pollution.

By John Buchser
Chapter chair

Most of us would be happy to learn that the mix of fuels powering our TVs and refrigerators is moving toward sun and wind and away from water-guzzling coal and nuclear plants.

New Mexico has a law requiring that gradual transition to renewable energy, because as we all know, the health and safety of our kids and New Mexico’s drought-prone climate depend on it.

Which is why the Rio Grande Chapter is working to stop PNM and other industry forces from rewriting the rule that enforces that law.

On January 14, 2013, the Sierra Club launched a new campaign urging President Obama and the agencies he leads to take bold administrative action for clean energy and to fight climate disruption. In the months leading up to Earth Day, April 22, 2013, the Sierra Club will mobilize for 100 Days of Action, with rallies, Town Hall meetings, and other actions across the nation, demanding action to boost clean energy and slow the costly and destructive effects of climate disruption.

By Eliza Kretzmann, Chapter Resilient Habitats Activist

Even gray skies and threatening snow could not keep the public away from a mid-December public meeting with Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar in Taos to discuss designation of Rio Grande del Norte as a national monument.

By Barbara Calef, Pajarito Group Water Issues Chair

The San Juan-Chama Project (SJC), authorized by Congress in 1962 and completed in 1970, diverts water from San Juan River tributaries across the Continental Divide through a series of tunnels and other structures into the Chama River Basin, from which it flows downstream to users along the Rio Grande.