Proposed Methane Rules Could Have Big Impact On State – Santa Fe New Mexican
Northwestern New Mexico’s San Juan Basin could see big impacts from a proposed federal regulation aimed at dramatically cutting methane gas emissions.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports :
the draft regulation rolled out Tuesday by the Environmental Protection Agency seeks to reduce methane emissions related to oil and gas production by 40 percent to 45 percent below 2012 levels within the next decade...
A team of scientists recently found a methane hot spot half the size of Connecticut in the Four Corners area of the San Juan Basin. The hot spot contained some of the highest concentrations of methane in the United States, according to the scientists, who included some from Los Alamos National Laboratory...
New Mexico environmentalists applauded the proposed regulation...
A spokesman for the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association said there are many sources of methane in the region, and that scientists need to pinpoint the contributions from natural sources, coal mining and gas production.
Finance Chief Optimistic About New Mexico's Recovery – The Associated Press
New Mexico's top finance official says declining oil and gas prices will continue to cut into revenues but the state has enough money to follow through with education reforms and public safety mandates.
The head of the Department of Finance and Administration, Tom Clifford, updated members of the Legislative Finance Committee on the latest revenue outlook during a meeting Wednesday in Taos.
Clifford's agency says revenues from oil and gas are expected to be around $840 million for the 2016 fiscal year. That's more than 16 percent less than the last fiscal year.
With a slight hike in prices and increases in income and sales taxes, Clifford says New Mexico could see $293 million in new revenue for the 2017 fiscal year.
Federal energy analysts on Wednesday lowered their forecasts for crude oil through next year, citing uncertainty in the global market.
Cause Sought In Deadly New Mexico Scaffold Collapse – The Associated Press
Investigators are trying to determine what led to the collapse of a six-story scaffold outside a New Mexico hospital that killed one construction worker and injured seven others.
New Mexico Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials were at the Rio Rancho site Wednesday, a day after 21 feet of scaffolding buckled and collapsed from the top down.
Work on a second patient tower at Presbyterian Rust Medical Center has been going on since last year.
Patty Johnson, a spokeswoman for general contractor McCarthy Building Companies, says a subcontractor built the scaffolding. She says the company promises its full support of an investigation.
Johnson says she did not know the conditions Wednesday of the injured, who were all hospitalized including three with critical injuries.
A fourth worker died at the hospital.
Economic Impact Of Kirtland Base Dips As Jobs Increase – The Associated Press & The ABQ Journal
Jobs are up even as local economic impacts dip by $500 million for Albuquerque's Kirtland Air Force Base.
The Albuquerque Journal reports 2014 impact data from the financial analysis office of the 377th Comptroller Squadron shows the base contributed $7.6 billion to the Albuquerque economy, about 3.1 percent less than predicted.
Base commander Col. Eric Froehlich said during a meeting of community leaders Tuesday that the base is up by 774 jobs, mostly at federally contracted Sandia National Labs.
He said economic impacts are likely down due to automatic budget cuts in 2013 that kicked in when Congress couldn't agree on how to reduce debt.
Froehlich said the cuts limited improvements to facilities and infrastructure.
Interior Department To Lead Review Of Colorado River Spill – The Associated Press
The Interior Department will lead a review of the Colorado mine spill that tainted rivers in three western states.
The review was announced late Tuesday after elected officials from both parties questioned whether the Environmental Protection Agency should be left to probe its own heavily criticized response to the disaster. EPA and contract workers accidentally unleashed 3 million gallons of contaminated wastewater on Aug. 5 as they inspected the idled Gold King mine.
The Interior Department's report is expected to be released publicly in 60 days.
In addition, EPA's inspector general is conducting a separate review of the incident. Leaders of oversight committees in both the House and Senate say they are planning hearings after Congress returns from its August recess.
Expert: Convicting New Mexico Officers Of Murder A Challenge – The Associated Press
Experts say it will be a challenge for prosecutors to convict an Albuquerque police officer and a retired detective of murder after they were ordered to stand trial in the fatal shooting of a homeless man.
Michael Benza of Case Western Reserve University School of Law says officers are rarely sent to prison for on-duty shootings because the law gives them protection based on their perceptions during dangerous encounters.
Benza says that if defense lawyers convince jurors that the officers felt afraid, it will be difficult to get convictions.
A judge ruled Tuesday that Officer Dominique Perez and former Detective Keith Sandy should stand trial. They face charges of second-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter in the 2014 death of James Boyd, whose shooting was caught on video and sparked national outrage.
PNM Seeks Secrecy Order For Certain Documents – The Associated Press & The Santa Fe New Mexican
Public Service Company of New Mexico is asking the Public Regulation Commission for a protective order declaring certain documents confidential even before it files its latest request to increase electricity rates.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reportsa PNM spokeswoman said in a statement Tuesday that the utility isn't trying to keep any documents secret, but wants the order in place to ensure that the discovery process runs smoothly as parties seek information related to the rate proposal.
PNM, the commission and two mining companies recently sued The New Mexican over the release of "confidential documents" related to the company's controversial plans for the coal-fired San Juan Generating Station.
The commission hasn't yet decided on the protective order request.
PNM plans to file its rate request by Aug. 27.
Judge: New Mexico Police Officers To Stand Trial For Murder – Associated Press
A New Mexico judge has ruled that two Albuquerque police officers must stand trial on murder charges in the fatal, on-duty shooting of a homeless man that sparked angry protests in Albuquerque and helped lead to reforms.
After a nearly two-week preliminary hearing, a judge said Tuesday there was probable cause for the murder case against Officer Dominique Perez and former Detective Keith Sandy to go to trial.
The charges were filed against the two officers in the killing of 38-year-old James Boyd, who authorities say had schizophrenia and was shot during a confrontation in which police accused him of camping illegally.
Video of the shooting showed Boyd appearing to surrender before Perez and Sandy opened fire. Defense lawyers say Boyd had threatened officers with two knives.
Seven police officers around the country have faced murder charges for on-duty incidents since 2010. One was convicted of manslaughter and assault after a second-degree murder count was dropped. The rest are still in court proceedings.
Lawmakers Call For Independent Review Of Mine Spill – Albuquerque Journal
Five Republican lawmakers want federal legislation that would mandate an independent review of damage caused by a mine spill.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the legislators -
four of whom represents districts in northwestern New Mexico, sent a letter to the state’s congressional delegation arguing legislation is needed ...
after three million gallons of waste spilled into a tributary of the Animas River.
The accident was caused by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency whose workers were inspecting the shuttered Gold King Mine near Silverton, Colorado.
The five lawmakers are
House Majority Leader Nate Gentry of Albuquerque and Reps. Rod Montoya of Farmington, Paul Bandy of Aztec, Sharon Clahchischilliage of Kirtland and James Strickler of Farmington.
U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján – all three are Democrats – have called on President Barack Obama’s administration to expedite water quality testing and address a shortage of potable water. Heinrich plans to introduce legislation that would change federal mining regulations so royalties from mining companies could be collected to help pay for environmental cleanup efforts.
A spokesman for Luján said the representative
has already raised the issue of compensation with EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy.
Editor's Note: This story has been corrected to reflect that Sen. Heinrich hasn't introduced the legislation, yet.
Senate Committee To Hold Hearing On Mining Waste Spill – Albuquerque Journal
The Albuquerque Journal reports
Sen. Tom Udall announced Tuesday that the U.S. Senate Indian Affairs Committee will conduct an oversight hearing on the impact of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Gold King Mine spill on the Navajo Nation in New Mexico and Arizona.
Udall, a New Mexico Democrat, and Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican, requested the hearing Tuesday and received a prompt confirmation from the committee’s Republican chairman, Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, and its ranking Democrat, Sen. John Tester of Montana. A date for the hearing was not announced.
Navajo Farmers Reject Water Delivered By EPA Contractor – Associated Press
Navajo farmers in northwestern New Mexico have rejected some water delivered to tribal communities after a mine spill, saying the tanks holding it appeared unclean.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says the water trucked from Bloomfield, New Mexico, met all federal and state water quality standards. However, the agency said Tuesday it will replace that water with a source from within the reservation.
A crowd of mostly farmers gathered Monday night in Shiprock to address the water quality. Shiprock Chapter President Duane "Chili" Yazzie says the water coming out of tanks didn't look or smell right.
Jason Sandel of Triple S Trucking says the tanks and trucks were clean and he has no reason to believe the water is unsafe. The company was contracted to deliver water.
New Mexico Airports To Share $3.3M In Federal Grants – Associated Press
Nine airports across New Mexico will share more than $3 million in federal grants for runway expansions and other improvements.
Members of New Mexico's congressional delegation announced the funding Tuesday.
U.S. Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich say local airports serve as an economic engine for many New Mexico communities and the funding will help make them stronger while boosting commerce and increasing travel.
The city of Alamogordo is getting the lion's share — $1.4 million — to extend a runway to better accommodate local aircraft.
Lea and Colfax counties, the village of Questa, Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo and the cities of Clovis, Grants, Farmington and Santa Rosa will also receive funding for projects that range from resealing pavement to building taxiways.
Former Dona Ana Worker May File Lawsuit Over Termination – Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press
A former Dona Ana County Clerk's Office employee who was terminated earlier this year after alerting authorities to alleged wrongdoing within the office says he may sue the county.
The Albuquerque Journal reports Robert Hernandez, who worked as a temporary employee at the county office, sent a notice last week saying he has "causes of action" against county officials. The lawsuit would be in connection to alleged harassment and retaliation against him.
Hernandez had tipped off authorities to an alleged voter ID theft and check-cashing scheme within the office.
The allegations surfaced June 1, and Hernandez was notified days later that his job would be ending.
County officials have said the dismissal was not related to Hernandez's actions in alerting law enforcement of the allegations or the alleged scam.