News
The latest news from the New Mexico Environmental Law Center.
7th Indigenous Uranium Forum - Leave Uranium in the Ground
Join the gathering! The Forum proposes to focus much-needed public attention on the attack of Mount Taylor by uranium mining.
Key note speaker Winona Laduke, Anishinaabe - Youth Poetry Jam - Concert & Film Festival - and much more…
Volunteers needed! Please call 505-726-9362 for more information.
Or visit the Southwest Indigenous Uranium Forum website
Green Fire Report Newsletter - Summer 2009
The GFR Summer 2009 edition is now available online. Case updates, new faces and other news about our work around the state.
You can also get past issues here.
BREAKING: Tenth Circuit Grants en banc review of the EPA jurisdiction case
The US Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, accepted HRI’s request for en banc review of the EPA jurisdiction case. Get PDF of the order.
Learn more about the case here
NM Water Law Conference Presentation on Ambrosia Lake Uranium Mining District
View Staff Attorney Eric Jantz’s PowerPoint presentation on Ambrosia Lake, “A Community Perspective” given at last week’s 17th annual New Mexico Water Law Conference in Santa Fe.
This presentation was converted to PDF format.
Uranium Legacy Remembrance and Action Day - Navajos Remember Church Rock Spill
On the morning of July 16th 1979, in Church Rock, NM an earthen dam that held the wastes of a uranium mill failed. It released ninety-million tons of liquid radioactive waste and 1,100 tons of solid mill wastes into the Puerco River contaminating its waters as far as Arizona.
Yesterday, commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the spill, Navajo community members, friends and supporters walked the route along SR 566 for Uranium Legacy Remembrance and Action Day.
Remembering the Largest Radioactive Spill in US History this Thursday
The Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment (MASE) - a coalition of community groups affected by uranium mining and committed to renewable energy development - announces the Commemoration of the Church Rock Uranium Tailings Spill on July 16, 2009 in Church Rock, NM starting at 7 am.
Please join us as we remember and honor the Diné communities that were affected by the largest release of radioactive waste in U.S. history, and to reaffirm the Navajo Nation’s ban on uranium mining and processing, as set forth in the Diné Natural Resources Protection Act (DNRPA) of 2005.
For more details, please visit our Events Page, or download a PDF of Flyer.
Become a Member of the New Mexico Environmental Law Center
Did you know that you can become a member of the NMELC for only $35? You can even sign up for monthly recurring donations. For more options and more information see our Donation page.
Your tax deductible donation will help protect the natural environment and communities of New Mexico. We couldn’t do it without you!
Lease Application Hearing Scheduled for July 28th in Rio Bonito Water Rights Case
The hearing is about an application by the Villages of Ruidoso and Capitan to lease water rights from Capitan to Ruidoso. Our client, Rio Bonito Preserve, opposes the transfer because it will cause depletion of flows in the Rio Bonito and impair the water rights of Acequias.
For more details visit the Rio Bonito Water Rights case page
The NRC Announces Change in Review Approach
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a press release today announcing the publication of the final Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) for in situ leach uranium recovery (ISR) operations. It states that the agency has decided to issue full Supplemental Environmental Impact Statements (SEIS) for new recovery operations, instead of Environmental Assessments as originally planned.
“The NRC’s decision to require site specific EISs for in situ leach uranium mining would not have occurred without the tremendous effort of hundreds of community groups, individuals and organizations, plus concerted efforts by tribes, tribal members and states.
This victory is a small first step to getting the NRC to listen and respond to the serious concerns of the people most affected by uranium mining and those living with the legacy of the environmental and health dangers of previous uranium mining.“ Jonathan Block, Law Center Staff Attorney
Motion for Clarification and for Partial Summary Judgment Filed in Rio Bonito water rights case
Get case details and PDFs of filings here.
Case Update: Conclusions of Law and Findings of Fact filed in Pit Rule Roll Back
Law Center files OGAP’s Proposed Conclusions of Law and Findings of Fact to the Oil Conservation Commission in an effort to defend the Pit Rule. Get PDF version of filing.
FRONTLINE: Poisoned Waters
PBS - A very informative investigation into the polluting of Americas great waterways. This report aired on PBS on April 21, 2009 and is now available to view online.
NMELC is on Facebook!
The New Mexico Environmental Law Center now has a Fan Page on Facebook. Become a fan!
Update on Efforts to Limit Greenhouse Gas Emissions
On April 6, the State Environmental Improvement Board (EIB) decided it had statutory authority to hear the Petition to cap greenhouse gas emissions that we filed for New Energy Economy. This alleged legal obstacle was raised by numerous companies and industry groups that benefit greatly from the current absence of any regulation of greenhouse gas emissions. Our Petition asks the EIB to adopt regulations designed to abate and prevent the air pollution caused by greenhouse gases (the NM Air Quality Control Act expressly authorizes the EIB to adopt regulations to abate and prevent air pollution).
Green Fire Report: Winter/Spring 2009 Edition Now Available
The online version of the Green Fire Report is now available here. You can also download a PDF version.
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