Since 1987, the New Mexico Environmental Law Center has worked every day to protect New Mexico's water, land and air from toxic pollution; and to assist its many and diverse communities protect their environment.
Oil, Gas Law Change Sought
The New Mexico Oil and Gas Association filed a petition Friday to revise the state’s “pit rule,“ which regulates the disposal of waste from oil and natural gas drilling. The petition, filed with the state Oil Conservation Division, would loosen certain requirements, allowing drilling companies to use sealed pits to dispose of waste from wells that are not drilled close to groundwater.
“It essentially looks to us like they want to go back to business the way it was,“ said Bruce Frederick, a staff attorney for the New Mexico Environmental Law Center. menafn.com
Learn more about the New Mexico Oil and Gas Pit Regulation appeal case.
Private Profits, Public Threats: How Gov. Martinez’s Big Business Agenda Endangers New Mexican
Food and Water Watch, joined by Conservation Voters New Mexico and the New Mexico Federation of Labor, has released a report that outlines several examples of how Governor Susana Martinez has given special privilege to industries like oil and gas, industrialized dairy, homebuilders and mining at the expense of environmental protection and the local economy.
If you support the work of the NMELC, you’re supporting our work on ALL of the ongoing environmental issues mentioned in the full report.
Improper Hearing Procedures and Motion to Strike Filed in Greenhouse Gas Cap Case
Objection to Improper Hearing Procedures and Motion to Strike Parts of Petitioners’ Statement of Reasons filed in the case attempting to repeal the state wide carbon pollution cap law.
Get filed documents here. Learn more about the New Mexico Greenhouse Gas Emission Cap case.
Mining and Minerals Dept. Blocks Public in Public Hearing, Groups Claim Agency Acted Illegally
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, September 02, 2011
SANTA FE, N.M.— Yesterday, the New Mexico Environmental Law Center (NMELC) filed a post hearing submission regarding Rio Grande Resources’ (RGR) Mount Taylor uranium mine standby permit application. The submission demonstrates that the New Mexico Mining and Minerals Division illegally prohibited the NMELC’s clients, the Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment (MASE) and Amigos Bravos, from being heard at the public hearing on the standby permit.
“The hearing officer made legal mistakes and made decisions that violated the New Mexico Mining act,” says Eric Jantz, NMELC Staff Attorney. “We should have been able to submit all of this information at the public hearing and we still ought to be able to do it.”
On August 17th, at the standby permit’s public hearing in Grants, NM, Amigos Bravos and MASE attempted to present the testimony and evidence covering undisputed groundwater contamination at the mine site. They also sought to explore RGR’s willingness to conduct interim reclamation measures on the likely source of the contamination, and challenge RGR’s outdated and insufficient reclamation financial assurance. Unfortunately, the groups were silenced. Each attempt was objected by RGR’s lawyers and upheld by the Hearing Officer
Learn more about the Mount Taylor Standby Permit case.
NMELC Questions Impartiality of Environmental Improvement Board Members
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 01, 2011
SANTA FE, N.M.— Yesterday, the New Mexico Environmental Law Center (NMELC) filed motions before the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board (EIB) calling for the recusal of board members James R. Casciano, Gregory Hugh Fulfer and Debra Peacock due to their documented opposition to the adoption of the state’s carbon reduction rules. The motions, filed on behalf of New Energy Economy, also call for the other board members to disclose their past and ongoing relationships with the petitioners and other entities regulated by the carbon reduction rules.
The Board decided to conduct hearings to repeal the rules at the request of PNM and several other utility and oil and gas groups (“petitioners”). The requests to repeal the rules were filed immediately following private discussions between the petitioners and Ms. Peacock, who chairs the Board.
“EIB’s regulations require its members to recuse themselves if there is reason to believe that they are not impartial,” says Bruce Frederick, NMELC Staff Attorney. “It’s an appearance standard and there’s good reason to believe that members Casciano, Fulfer and Peacock are not impartial. Mr. Casciano and Mr. Fulfer testified against the rules last year when they were adopted. Ms. Peacock engaged in private discussions with petitioners, which led directly to their requests to repeal the rules.”
Learn more about the New Mexico Greenhouse Gas Emission Cap case.
Santa Fe Radio Café Talks to Staff Attorney Eric Jantz Re: Mt. Taylor Uranium Mine
If you missed it on Monday, you can listen to Santa Fe Radio Café‘s interview of Staff Attorney Eric Jantz regarding Mount Taylor’s uranium mine standby permit and the public hearing here.