C V N M . O R G Volume IX Issue II Winter 2014 Conservation Voters New Mexico
Newsletter Protecting our Land of Enchantment, one vote at a time
For our air, land and water — who we elect matters
By Victor Reyes, CVNM Political our conservation incumbents turnout that cost a handful of Director Rep. Liz Thomson, Rep. Emily legislators their seats in tight Kane and Rep. Phillip Archuleta races. n 2014, Conservation for their years of service which I Voters New Mexico’s Verde have been marked with a Despite the challenges, we saw Voters PAC & CVNM Action commitment to protecting our notable successes this election. Fund marshaled more resources state and its resources. Because of our efforts, we were than ever before to protect able to ensure that pro- conservation champions in Throughout this election we conservation candidate Doreen challenging races and elect pro- faced many challenges but we Wonda Johnson was elected in conservation leadership in key were never discouraged and we House District 5. Doreen’s races. took them on headfirst. We saw victory means that the first hand during this election constituents of her district will This cycle, we spoke to that turnout matters. When have a representative that hundreds of thousands of voters people vote, pro-conservation speaks for them and not the across the state. uranium industry or Because of our other big polluters. involvement, we changed the In House District 43, conversation to we took the lead in center on the organizing an importance of aggressive field protecting our program to support environment and Rep. Stephanie sending a message Garcia Richard. We to big polluters that knocked on nearly to our air, land and 5,000 doors, sent water are not for 7,000 pieces of mail, sale. and had over 10,000 candidates and our state’s phone conversations with voters We want to thank each of environment wins. Sadly, the across the district. In the end, CVNM Action Fund’s reverse is also true. Pro- Rep. Garcia Richard handily endorsed candidates for their conservation candidates defeated her opponent. We also hard work. A special thanks to suffered from a 13% drop in (Continued on page 2)
Conservation Voters New Mexico Newsletter, Winter 2014 1 C V N M . O R G Who we elect matters (continued from page 1) Rep. Jeff won’t return to helped defeat the incumbent in House District 50, a Governor Martinez appointee, where NM Legislature next year Matthew McQueen defeated Rep. Vickie Perea Transparency in government and holding despite the flood of money that polluting elected officials accountable to follow the rules industries and their allied PACs poured in to try are cornerstones of our work. That’s why to save her. Conservation Voters New Mexico (CVNM) supported the lawsuit challenging the Ensuring that every citizen’s voice is heard is nominating petitions of State Representative crucial for the sake of our air, land and water. In Sandra Jeff. keeping with this philosophy, CVNM’s Verde Voters PAC supported Maggie Toulouse Oliver As a Democrat, Rep. Jeff needed to submit 78 in her campaign to unseat Secretary of State valid signatures from Democratic voters in her Dianna Duran, who throughout her tenure has district, House District 5, for her name to sought to restrict access to the ballot box and appear on the primary election ballot on June make it more difficult for people to vote. Duran’s 3. She submitted 91 signatures. However, a campaign was bankrolled by the polluting court found that more than a quarter of them were invalid. industries that benefit from an elections administrator who uses her position for partisan purposes.
Some of the people who signed Rep. Jeff’s We know that when it comes to protecting our petition either signed for other candidates, did air, land and water, every vote counts – whether not live in House District 5, were not registered it is at the Roundhouse or the ballot box, and that to vote or were registered Republicans or elections are too important for playing political Independents. All of these circumstances games. We will work to hold Duran accountable meant they could not help get Rep. Jeff on the and fight against efforts to restrict voting rights primary ballot. that will likely arise during the next legislative session. The plaintiff in the case, McKinley County citizen Larry King, was dedicated to protecting This legislative session, the protections that keep the process for his community. our air, land and water safe will be challenged “This is about ensuring a fair process and like never before under a House controlled by making sure no one gets a free pass moving anti-conservation leadership. Governor Martinez forward,” King said during the case, which and her anti-conservation friends in Santa Fe included two district court and two Supreme would like nothing more than for us to give up. Court hearings. A district court judge They know that without CVNM the path towards disqualified Rep. Jeff from appearing on the achieving an agenda that prioritizes the profits of primary ballot because she didn’t have enough polluting industries over the health and safety of valid signatures and the state’s highest court our communities is clear. upheld that ruling. Rep. Jeff failed to comply with the rules by not But rest assured, we won’t give them that providing enough valid signatures from eligible satisfaction. We will fight day in and day out to voters, and we supported the legal action ensure that protections which took generations to seeking justice. The case was about protecting build up are not dismantled. the civic process and promoting democracy.
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Director’s Message
Here we are — on the other side of one of the toughest elections in our organization’s history. Though we are disappointed with the low voter turnout and overall outcome of the election, we did have some successes. Six of our endorsed incumbents in the House won and three new pro-conservation candidates are headed to the legislature. We thank them for their commitment to protecting New Mexico! Demis Foster
With the re-election of anti-conservation Governor Martinez and the impending loss of conservation leadership in key committees in the House, we know that the upcoming legislative session will perhaps be the toughest we have ever faced. But we still have our pro-conservation leaders in the Senate and CVNM is already crafting our legislative strategy. We will face this new political landscape with a bold and unwavering commitment to protect our communities’ land, air and water.
Meanwhile, through CVNM Education Fund, we are deepening our relationships, organizing town halls, and hosting skills and leadership training in McKinley and Cibola counties. We look forward to expanding our rural organizing work into Rio Arriba County and launching our new partnership with Acoma Pueblo. Our Latino organizing team, Juntos, continues their work connecting with thousands of people across Albuquerque about including clean energy in PNM’s replacement power plan and encouraging families to get involved. We are also ramping up our facilitation of the Environmental Alliance of New Mexico (EANM), in which we collaborate with dozens of our conservation allies on a unified strategy for the upcoming legislative session.
Together, we are strong. I want you to know how important you are to CVNM and our conservation community. With your support, we stand steadfast to protect our beautiful Land of Enchantment. We aren’t going anywhere — because New Mexico is worth fighting for.
With deepest gratitude –
Demis Foster Executive Director
Conservation Voters New Mexico Newsletter, Winter 2014 3 C V N M . O R G A Decade of Service
Staff Demis Foster Talia Boyd Executive Director Western NM Organizer Thomas Lawley Allison Fabara Liliana Castillo Development Director Communications Manager Thomas Lawley, CVNM’s Business Administrator, reached a milestone this Thomas Lawley Vicente Garcia year — a decade of service at CVNM. Business Administrator Juntos New Mexico Director Molly Brook Victor Reyes Thomas moved to New Mexico from Program Director Political Director Colorado in 2004. After his first visit to the Bosque del Apache to view the convergence of migrating birds, he became a passionate and lifelong CVNM Board of CVNM Advisory birder. Thomas’s love of nature always Directors Council shines through whether he is getting up at 3 am to look for birds, camping with Julia Catron, President Charmay Allred his wife Paula and their grandchildren Loyda Martinez, Secretary Kevin Dixon or kayaking down the Chama River with his fellow CVNM staffers. Molly Schmidt Nowara, James Gollin Treasurer Gary Goodman Thomas is known for his expert Sarah Cottrell Propst spinning of a tale and sharing of Marla Painter mesmerizing stories from his life of adventure and exploration. When once Larry McDaniel Sally Rodgers asked to describe himself at a CVNM Karen Mendenhall staff retreat he replied, ―I’m a moving John Scanlan and grooving, dancing and romancing, Noah Long Jon Goldstein shuckin’ and jiving,’ gracefully-aging hippie.‖ CVNM Education Fund To us, Thomas is our resident Zen Board of Directors Master. He is a kind, thoughtful and calming presence in our daily lives. He Bernard Ewell, President encourages all of us to stay healthy in both body and spirit and keeps the Javier Benavidez, Secretary CVNM ship afloat. We appreciate and honor Thomas Lawley — a cherished Cindy Padilla, Treasurer friend and thoughtful advocate for protecting our natural world.
Conservation Voters New Mexico Newsletter, Winter 2014 4 C V N M . O R G What is your legislators’ conservation score? In the last two sessions, our legislators cast many important votes – including those to uphold renewable energy and efficiency standards, water quality protections and defeat a measure that would have allowed polluting companies and sprawl developments to get discounted utility rates – subsidies paid for by working families, like yours and mine. In the Scorecard, we report the votes cast on the most critical issues affecting our air, land, and We will continue to fight policies that sacrifice the water during the 2013 and 2014 legislative best interests of our communities and future generations of New Mexicans — and hold sessions, as well as an evaluation of Gov. Susana Martinez’s environmental record. legislators accountable for how their actions affect our communities. Scorecards are a clear and comprehensive tool for you to learn how you are being represented Visit our fully interactive online Scorecard at on issues that matter to you. This is your CVNM.org/Scorecard and find out how your opportunity to find out if your elected officials are legislators voted on conservation issues and let voting your conservation values at the state them know what you think. capital. CVNM is the only state-based environmental The first step to ensuring that solid conservation organization in New Mexico that spends the policies pass is informing your legislators that majority of our time and funds lobbying for pro- you’re paying attention. conservation policies, as well as engaging citizens in the political process and holding our elected officials accountable.
Welcoming a new political director
A lifelong political activist, Victor went on his first block walk when he was just five years old and has been involved in campaigns and the policy-making process ever since. Prior to joining CVNM, Victor served as the legislative and district director for a member of the Texas House of Representatives. He also worked in the office of Congressman Charlie Gonzalez, the Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and of Latinos for Obama. Victor worked with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) and the National Hispanic Institute – two of the leading Latino organizations in the country — while earning his bachelor of arts in Victor Reyes government. Victor has been involved with local, state, and federal political campaigns across the southwestern United States. However, the campaign he is most proud of running was his best friend’s successful run for student council president. To this day, he believes much about the political system can be learned in a high school cafeteria.
Conservation Voters New Mexico Newsletter, Winter 2014 5 C V N M . O R G Writer, Activist Terry Tempest Williams addresses CVNM members in Santa Fe On October 15th, CVNM welcomed Terry Tempest Williams, beloved environmental writer from Utah, to address a room of 150 supporters in Santa Fe. A naturalist and fierce advocate for conservation, Terry inspired us with her remarks. Below is an excerpt:
This beloved work of ours is not just a political process, but a spiritual one. The crisis we find ourselves in is not just a political crisis, but a moral one…. As a sister state and a citizen of the American Southwest, we indeed are From left to right: Terry Tempest Williams, Santa Fe doing this together. We have a lot in author William deBuys and CVNM Executive Director common…. We are both under siege Demis Foster at CVNM’s event. with oil and gas development, with fracking. We both have sacred sites, whether it’s Otera Mesa or our beloved Canyonlands. These are under threat. And we both carry a nuclear history…. Nine women in my family have all had mastectomies, and six of them are dead. Half of my family is gone because of radiation. These are not abstractions to those of us who live in the American Southwest. It’s in our bones, and it’s in our bodies.
I honor your commitment to seeking social and environmental justice, and I honor your revolutionary patience. Your sense of place is your ethical stance of place—interconnected and interrelated…. I also know that it is not without its costs. And I’m not just talking about money, but your very soul. And I share that with you. And I know and understand what it means to be filled with so much despair that you wonder how you are going to wake up and face it again. But I also know that in those moments of despair, that I am aware of the limits of my own imagination. And imaginations shared—like tonight—create collaboration. And collaboration creates community. And in community, anything is possible.
onservation Voters New Mexico is connecting the people of New C Mexico to their political power to protect our air, land and water for a healthy Land of Enchantment. We do this by mobilizing voters, winning elections, holding elected officials accountable and advancing responsible public policies. Visit www.CVNM.org for more information.
Conservation Voters New Mexico Newsletter, Winter 2014 6 C V N M . O R G CVNM Education Fund News Juntos: Engaging the Latino Community on Renewable Energy
By Vicente Garcia, Juntos Program Director calls, and taken 550 volunteer or advocacy Juntos New Mexico is a new program of actions in support of our campaign (including Conservation Voters New Mexico Education phone banking, writing letters to the editor, door- Fund that uplifts the voice of Latino communities knocking, attending a house meeting or volunteer in Albuquerque. Through outreach, community meeting, attending a large scale event or rally, or organizing, and leadership development, we build joining with Juntos to talk to decision makers). the power of Latino communities to safeguard the air we breathe and the water we drink. ow. W That is the immediate word that comes to mind when I reflect on the past six months of organizing with Juntos New Mexico. When I first started, Juntos did not have an office or even a name. Now Juntos has a team of four organizers Our accomplishments are coming at a critical that works every day to elevate the voices of the time. Currently, the Public Regulation Latino community in support of clean, renewable Commission (PRC) is slated to make a decision energy – like wind and solar. Here’s a timeline of that will affect our energy future for years to some of Juntos’ biggest milestones so far this come. Two units of the San Juan Generating year: Station coal-fired power plant will be shut down in We debated many different names, but finally northwest New Mexico. The shutdown is a result decided on Juntos. Why? Because ―juntos‖ of critical safeguards recently put in place by the means ―together.‖ As Latinos and New Mexicans EPA to reduce regional haze. However, PNM we know that we cannot do anything without our must now plan how to replace the power from the family and without each other. coal plant partial closure. Right now, before the PRC, they are proposing that New Mexicans use Six months later, we are growing strong. the same sources of dirty energy that we fought Currently, our campaign is focused on fighting for so hard to transition away from, with only a small more renewable energy in New Mexico. We have percentage of renewables. a team of three dynamic community organizers and one fearless lead organizer. As a team, they The plan weighs heavily on coal and nuclear, two are out in the community every day educating of the most damaging energy sources -- not just and inspiring people to get involved in ensuring to our air, land, and water, but also to those of us that New Mexico will have a clean energy future. affected by asthma and increased rates of cancer And we are accomplishing this. Our activist base and diseases. We can do better. Renewable continues to grow stronger and stronger every energy allows us to preserve our precious day. As a testament to that fact, here are some resources. As a Latino, I inherently understand quick numbers. Since July, Juntos has: knocked on over 3,000 doors, made over 12,000 phone (Continued on page 8)
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Juntos (continued from page 7) this. When I was growing up, I remember hearing stories the older generations told about life in Mexico. Everything was always saved, local herbs were used as remedies, water was never wasted, and most of all you never took more than you could give back. These are important values to live with. We care about the environment. We care about our families and future generations. And for many of our families that have held roots in New Mexico for generations as caretakers of the land, renewable Juntos New Mexico Organizer Eduardo Garcia, left, speaks energy is the best option to with PRC commissioner staff about the 6,000 petitions urging preserve our beautiful home and the PRC to require PNM to implement more clean energy as communities -- not dirty coal and part of its power plan. The petitions were officially filed as part nuclear. That’s why we are out of the case on Sept. 25, 2014. there every single day. That’s why we care so much about what we do. When the PRC rules on PNM’s plan from now and into the coming months, we will be there doing whatever it takes to stop PNM’s dirty plan dead in its tracks.
Juntos we can! The PRC hearing on PNM’s power plan is scheduled for January 5, 2015. We’re gathering petitions asking the PRC to reject PNM’s plan. Add your name at http://bit.ly/PRCPetition.
We want to hear from you! Thank you for your support of Conservation Voters New Mexico.
As a valued member, we want to hear from you: what are the issues you care about most, what is CVNM doing well, and what could we do better?
I hope you will take just a few minutes and fill out our 2014 Supporter Survey. Your feedback will provide our staff and board with valuable information as we embark upon a new year and will help us better serve you.
We’re gathering your feedback until Jan. 2, 2015. Thank you for your participation and your contin- ued support of CVNM!
Find our survey online at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CVNM2014
Conservation Voters New Mexico Newsletter, Winter 2014 8 C V N M . O R G Report from the frontline: A New CVNMEF organizer Leader continues work to raise for a New Program awareness of uranium legacy waste Vicente has a By Talia Boyd, CVNMEF decade of Western New Mexico experience leading Organizer social justice Vicente Garcia Northwestern New programs and Mexico and surrounding organizing in diverse populations with a tribal communities have specific focus on LGBTQ and communities unknowingly lived in the of color. Most recently, Vicente’s work has dark with contaminated focused on Latino outreach at the League of land, air and water from Talia Boyd United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) uranium mining. Today, many rural and tribal National Educational Service Center in communities continue to be haunted by this Albuquerque. Prior to that, he worked at the legacy of pollution, and are targeted by new Movement Strategy Center in Oakland companies wanting to open new mines. where he managed administrative and Conservation Voters New Mexico Education financial duties for eight organizations Fund (CVNMEF) stands in solidarity with around the country. He has a B.A. in Latina/ impacted communities by working within them Latino studies from San Francisco State to shine light on the realities of uranium legacy University. waste issues. Vicente is originally from California, where This fall, CVNMEF organized two movie his grandmother’s family migrated from New screenings that were free to the public in both Mexico in the early 1920’s. He loves asking Grants and Gallup. Both events attracted new her to retell family stories about building faces to the movement and identified new allies adobe houses, harvesting green chile, and volunteers for the campaign. We featured traditional herbal remedies of the southwest, special guest speakers from the Multicultural and the powerful curanderas (healers) that Alliance for a Safe a Environment (M.A.S.E.), would perform various rituals across town. Silver Linings, and the Navajo Birth Cohort who Because of this, he is especially passionate covered historical, economic, and health impacts about helping to preserve this legacy of from the uranium mining industry. We created connection to land and place, not only for an informative dialogue among community Latino families, but for all families and members who had serious concerns about the communities in New Mexico. lack of health studies and data, remediation, and the notorious economic instability (boom and In his free time, Vicente enjoys dancing bust) of the uranium industry. cumbia and writing science fiction. His favorite novelist is Octavia Butler. CVNMEF was also featured in the Cibola Beacon: the article highlighted the diverse voices present at the event, which included both those
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Report from the frontline (continued from page 9) that support and oppose new mining. At each event, I had conversations with community members, talked about our work, built relationships with new allies, and talked about uranium mining legacy pollution in western New Mexico. In the coming weeks, I will be working to follow up with the activists and participants to continue engaging them in the campaign. This winter, we will also bring local community members together to talk to the county commission about their concerns of uranium mining pollution and the need to study community health impacts from mining. CVNMEF has also established a working relationship with the Pueblo of Acoma to create a community mural next year. The mural project will be planned in partnership with Acoma leadership and community members and will incorporate elements of healing and connection to the land. Preparing for the fight In just a few weeks, the doors at the State Capitol will open and the next legislative session will begin. This year, we’re facing a 60-day session, which means that there are no restrictions on the types of policies that can be introduced by the legislature. This also means that the environmental community has to be prepared for anything and everything. The Environmental Alliance of New Mexico (EANM) serves to do just that. EANM is a working collaborative of 27 conservation organizations that work together protect the air we breathe and wa- ter we drink. Every year, EANM convenes regularly to plan for the session by attending interim committee hearings to learn the latest on policies as they evolve, and build relationships with decision-makers. We also use the interim to organize skills-building trainings to grow as advocates. But the keystone of the work we do is in our common agenda: each year, the community identifies critical issues to address through legislative policy. EANM then votes on which policies the community will stand behind in a unified way, creating our common agenda. The 2015 common agenda includes:
A measure to extend tax credits for solar energy;
A measure to extend and expand a tax credit for renewable energy production; and
Funding a non-diversion alternative for the Gila River. In addition to these policies, the coalition is also committed to halting any attempts to weaken existing laws that protect the health of our communities and natural resources. In past sessions, we have defeated attempts by polluters to weaken our renewable energy laws, clean water policies, and even undermine the Endangered Species Act. We expect that all of these, and more, will likely be on the table this year. We know it’s not always easy to follow what happens at the Legislative session. That’s why Conservation Voters New Mexico Education Fund has Protect New Mexico, an issue clearing- house website that will track all conservation-related policies this session each day. So, if you haven’t seen it yet, be sure to log-in this January and get the scoop on what’s happening at the Roundhouse. Visit the website at: www.ProtectNewMexico.org.
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Juntos at the People’s Climate March Thanks to the generous funding from our ―Attending the People’s national partner, the League of Conservation Climate March was a Voters Education Fund (LCVEF), two of Juntos’ truly transformative organizers Yarida Estrada and Eduardo Garcia experience. Over 400,000 represented Juntos New Mexico in the New York people were there. City for the People’s Climate March. Both Additional support from organizers reflect on their experience below: around the globe came in the form of over 2,600 ―I would like to start my rallies in 162 countries. report back with the We made history and word, ―Wow!‖ I have Juntos New Mexico was a never been a part of Eduardo Garcia part of that. A multitude of something so voices were raised to put empowering and emphasis on the urgency of global warming and moving. our need for immediate action.
There we were, present We had the honor to march in the migrants’ rights at the largest climate bloc of the People’s Climate March, and not too march in history. I have far behind us was the students’ bloc. The energy Yarida Estrada respect for my fellow and excitement was incredible. People were community organizers from Colorado Protegete chanting and singing long before the march even and Arizona Chispa, programs also funded by started. In our bloc, we met important activists, LCVEF. I knew I would be marching alongside a organizers, and artists. great team for the 2014 People’s Climate March. It was satisfying to know that these people from Attending the People’s Climate March truly made the community feel the way I do. We recognize me realize that our effort here in Albuquerque that climate change is happening, it's affecting with Juntos New Mexico may seem minimal, but our Latino communities and we need to do in the larger scope of global action our work is something about it now. indeed imperative. The success of our campaign here in New Mexico will not only bring more The day of the march, we gathered our gear and renewable energy to families but also will headed to the subway to Columbus Circle, where significantly decrease CO2 emissions and help the march began. I was in awe at the amount of arrest global climatic change. Many tourists did people who showed up. All of us moving in not expect the People’s Climate March in their peace, as one, for justice. I constructed a short itineraries while in New York City, but many of clip compiling pictures and videos from the them joined us or cheered from the side. This march. I was fortunate enough to interview was a powerful march and a momentous Favianna Rodriguez, a visual artist focusing on demonstration of what democracy looks like. We, social change, who brought her creativity to the the people, spoke on behalf of the environment. march on behalf of our Mother Earth. I captured Now, it is time for our leaders to respond and pictures of all the people around us marching for stand with history, stand with progress, stand what they believe in.‖ with people and the environment.‖
onservation Voters New Mexico Education Fund is engaging the C people of New Mexico in our long-standing shared values of protecting our air, land, water and the health of our communities. We do this by mobilizing people to advocate on policy, enhancing the voting process, encouraging people to vote, cultivating conservation leaders and amplifying the voices of those most affected. Visit www.CVNMEF.org for more information.
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