San Juan County Residents Meeting On Gold King Mine Cleanup – The Associated Press
Residents of northern New Mexico will be able to learn about the long-term monitoring plan in response to the Gold King Mine spill that affected several communities.
The New Mexico Gold King Mine Spill Citizens Advisory Committee from San Juan County will meet on Monday to hear about progress and a runoff emergency preparedness plan. The meeting will be held at the San Juan Community College Student Center.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency caused the August mine spill that sent three million gallons of mining wastewater into the Animas and San Juan River system in New Mexico. The spill also affected the Navajo Nation, Colorado and Utah.
The Senate Indian Affairs Committee this week issued a subpoena to force the EPA to testify at a field hearing on the spill.
US Sen. John McCain Calls For Criminal Probe Into Mine Spill – The Associated Press
U.S. Sen. John McCain has called for a criminal investigation into what led to a massive spill of mine waste that polluted rivers in three Western states last summer.
McCain and the head of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs met with Navajo and Hopi tribal leaders and the Environmental Protection Agency on Friday to discuss the impact and aftermath of the 3 million gallon spill at Colorado's abandoned Gold King Mine.
The EPA inadvertently triggered the spill while performing preliminary cleanup work.
Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye said Friday during a Congressional hearing in Phoenix that the EPA has not done enough to compensate farmers who lost crops and livestock because of the spill and could face pollution problems for decades.
EPA officials admitted more could have been done to notify the Navajo Nation.
University Of New Mexico Pans Sex Assault Report – The Associated Press
The head of the University of New Mexico is criticizing how the U.S. Justice Department approached an investigation that found the school failed to follow federal law in handling sexual assault and harassment claims.
School President Robert Frank says the department report released Friday relied on an unscientific approach to collecting data. He also objected to conclusions that the school has a hostile campus.
Federal officials say the university must do more to address and respond to sexual harassment, which creates a hostile environment.
The department says it found that students, faculty and staff didn't understand options for reporting assaults or where to turn for help.
Frank says the 16-month investigation didn't take into consideration "very intense efforts" in recent years to improve how officials respond to sexual assault reports.
Lawmaker Sees Poverty, Humanity On His Around-The-World Trip – The Associated Press
A New Mexico Republican who is attempting a solo flight around the world says the experience has reminded him of the world's poverty and shared humanity.
U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce told The Associated Press on Friday the trip has brought back memories of his time as a pilot in the Vietnam War. He says the experience so far has been stunning.
Pearce, who is back in Washington, D.C., has nearly completed a worldwide expedition in a plane the size of a Volkswagen Beetle. The trip is mean to honor U.S. veterans killed in foreign wars.
The flight, which began March 27 from Nevada, recently was cut short in Spain because of weather. Pearce says he has 365 days to complete the last two legs for certification.
Sen. Ron Johnson Criticizes Border-Index Effort – The Associated Press
The chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is blasting a now-derailed effort to use a system of reds, yellows and greens to measure border security.
Ron Johnson said Friday that a consultant's report that cost the Department of Homeland Security $90,000 addresses a question for which the answer is known. He says measuring border security is complex and requires sophisticated and consistent metrics — not colors.
The Wisconsin Republican says a bill he has introduced would include measurements that help the government decide how to spend money on border security.
New Mexico Land Commissioner Opposes Flaring Rules – The Associated Press
New Mexico State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn isn't a fan of the Obama administration's plan to clamp down on oil companies that burn off natural gas on public land.
Dunn announced Thursday that his office has submitted comments in opposition of the proposed venting and flaring regulations.
Dunn says a committee was formed in New Mexico last year to study flaring reductions and assess the feasibility of capturing gas for new drilling permits.
One of the findings was the amount of time required to obtain federal rights of way from the Bureau of Land Management contributed to flaring on federal lands.
Dunn argues it's hypocritical for BLM to fault producers and impose costly new rules when the agency's own actions have been responsible for a large part of the problem.
New Mexico Weighs Major Settlement In Pay-To-Play Scandal – The Associated Press
Investigations into a pay-to-play scheme that preyed on New Mexico state investment and pension funds during the administration of former Gov. Bill Richardson have reached a major crossroads as district courts hold hearings on a $24 million proposed settlement with a Chicago investment firm.
New Mexico's attorney general and the State Investment Council are urging approval of the settlement with Vanderbilt Capital Investors. But husband-and-wife whistleblowers and their Santa Fe attorney say they can do far better at clawing back money for state taxpayers and a teacher pension fund.
The labyrinthine legal dispute comes to a head Friday in the first of a series of hearings in Santa Fe and Albuquerque.
Supporters of the proposed Vanderbilt settlement include Gov. Susana Martinez, chair of the State Investment Council.
New Mexico Says More Families Eligible For Child Care Help
-Russell Contreras, Associated Press
New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez has launched a push to get more eligible families to apply for federally-funded child care assistance.
The Republican governor announced on Thursday efforts to get families to seek assistance for a program that some might not even know exists.
New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Secretary Monique Jacobson says many families in one of the nation's poorest states qualify for child care assistance but don't know they do.
To qualify, families most earn just above the federal poverty line or less.
Jacobson says assistance is offered on a sliding-scale based on income.
State officials say only around 1,800 families in New Mexico currently take advantage of the program.
New Mexicans Have Until May 10 To Register To Vote – The Associated Press
Eligible voters in New Mexico have until May 10 to register to vote in the June 7 primary election — and they can do so easily online.
Secretary of State Brad Winter says he encourages voters to use a new online voter registration system that allows eligible citizens with current or expired New Mexico driver's licenses to register via the internet.
Voters can also register in person at any Motor Vehicle Division or county clerk's office. Seventeen-year-olds who will be of voting age by the time of the general elections in November can also register now and even vote in the primaries.
Winter says he wants New Mexicans to have access to efficient and transparent elections.
There were 1.2 million registered voters in New Mexico as of January 2015.