Rio Grande Sierran Volume 58, Issue 3 News of the Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter: & West Texas July/August/September 2020 WHAT’S NEXT? Demanding change on the streets and at the ballot box

2018 protest against the Wall. Photo by Molly Molloy

2014 rally for a wild Gila River. Photo by Camilla Feibelman

Brenda McKenna, Democratic primary winner in N.M. Senate District 9 Sierra Club member Yami Cruz at a June El Paso anti-racism demonstration. Photo by David Baake

Court hands Sierra Club a victory After years of relentless people- As the nation reckons with systemic racism, against border wall, but the powered effort, the Gila River is New Mexicans made a powerful statement for destruction isn’t stopping: Page 9 safe from diversion: Page 3 transformation in the June elections: 2, 6, 7

EXPLORE, ENJOY AND PROTECT THE PLANET Inside:

Rio Grande Chapter Non-Pro!t Org. What it’s like living in a nuclear sacri!ce zone Sierra Club U.S. Postage Holtec wants to send all the nation’s high-level nuclear waste to New 1807 Second St., Unit 45 PAID Mexico. Rose Gardner isn’t having it. Page 5. Santa Fe, NM 87505 Albuquerque, NM Permit No. 612 Coal out, 100% renewable/storage in? PRC hearing examiners recommend that the San Juan coal plant’s power be replaced with 100% renewables and storage in the impacted community. Page 5 Feds kill wolves while rewriting rule As Fish and Wildlife begins to draft new rule, wolves struggle. Page 9. More: Oil and gas, Chaco, Navajo mutual aid: Page 8. Navajo school air monitors: Page 10. Energy-e!cient building codes: Page 11. Plutonium-pit production: Page 11. Outdoors: Page 12 Facing white fragility, becoming anti-racist urns out white progressives Camilla because oppressed communities don’t you are risking your life just by leaving are a big part of the problem. Feibelman, have the power to deprive the people in the house, that you just want to feel And if you are like me, you Sierra Club power of their rights. normal, then you have a small window are sure that’s true, but...it’s Rio Grande #e videos we’ve seen provide a into the daily discrimination people Tnot you. You are open-minded and are Chapter horri!c window into false accusations of color face. I hear Maurice Mitchell, de!nitely part of the solution. director against black people and of deliberate national director of the Working I !nd myself thinking, at the Sierra murder and have brought longstanding Families Party, when he says this is Club I’ve worked almost exclu- truths home for many white people. not the time to tiptoe and fear making sively in justice-focused areas, for Being at home, not rushing to school, mistakes; this is the time to follow black the Sierra Student Coalition, for the Any experience that I’ve had with work and the store, even with scream- leadership, to step up while also step- Environmental Justice program, for injustice or unfairness isn’t supposed to ing children interrupting coherent ping back. #is is a time for reckoning. the Puerto Rico chapter, I’ve been show that I’m not part of the problem, thoughts, has demanded we listen We won’t each contribute in the same through dismantling-racism training it’s to provide me with the empathy I and imagine life for people of color, way. Some will march (with masks and the Sierra Club’s sta" training called need to better be present and active in black men and women, and indiginous and distance), some will stop to learn Growing for Change, I live in a multira- defense of Black lives. Diangelo explains people, when we’ve so long been asleep !rst, some will introduce moments of cial and bilingual household. How could that white people, no matter how to the truth. dismantling and reconstruction of an I possibly be part of the problem? On committed, progressive and present, are We’ve done some good work, but it’s organization, and some will better teach the outside I am trying to do all the right inevitably racist, not because we are bad been slow, and it’s not enough. So let’s their children. But if you are white things, but inside I’m feeling defensive. people, but because we bene!t from wake up from the haze and make a daily and looking for a !rst step (even if you And it wasn’t until I started reading the advantages for white people in our commitment to retraining our minds, are still sure it’s not you), please see “White Fragility” by Robin Diangelo society and because we so often don’t our organization, our actions, our the excellent list of resources on Page that I was able to enter this next phase of make ourselves aware of the unearned activities to route out the exhausting 8. Please also help us take action for my learning, learning I will need to do privileges we recieve and the daily inequities for people of color. I heard a ending the military surplus program for every day for the rest of my life. indignities that people of color face. But black activist compare the exhaustion Albuquerque Police Department (see #is book has helped me take myself she also explains that being ignorant of of living with covid to being black in Page 7) and think about joining our and my ego out of the picture. I learned white privileges is a major part of the America. She said if you feel right now solidarity policy committee by emailing that my personal story is not the issue. problem. Reverse racism cannot exist that everything is harder, that you feel [email protected]. Rio Grande Green Daniel Tso wins By the Friend and Fund Development Committee national award s we all are roiled from By Miya King-Flaherty Athe past months of the aniel Tso, longtime Covid-19 virus and the tragedy Dactivist and partner of violence against our Black, in the campaign to protect Brown and Native American Greater Chaco, has won the brothers and sisters, we are all Sierra Club’s Distinguished struggling to come to grips with Service Award, which equity in our homes, work, honors persons in public towns, states and nation. #is service. is very serious work. #e Sierra Daniel is a Navajo Club and your Rio Grande National Council dele- Chapter are taking decisive gate and chairs the coun- steps and working hard to live cil’s Health, Education, Daniel Tso our commitment to equity and and Human Services environmental justice. Dale Doremus is a former New Mexico Environment Department Committee. He is a staunch “Fracking Reality” tour of Your membership makes program manager who now chairs our Chapter Water Team. advocate for the protection the region has increased the a bold statement about your of public health, indige- public’s awareness of the beliefs and actions. Your dona- 131 new members these hours in perspective, the nous cultural lifeways, and environmental injustices that tions fuel the work on the Remember that when you IRS values volunteer time at environmental justice for rural communities experience ground here in New Mexico and join or renew your Sierra Club $25.43 per hour. #e hours communities impacted by through the BLM oil and gas western Texas. membership through the donated this quarter were worth oil and gas development leasing program. His tours, #ank you. Chapter’s donation page, it $13,630.48. in northern New Mexico’s presentations, testimonies brings more money back to New If you’d like to get more Greater Chaco region. and support letters have been In your mailbox Mexico! Go to www. involved, please give us a call He represents 8 Navajo instrumental in educating You should receive a request riograndesierraclub.org/join. at (505) 243-7767 or go to our Chapters, several of which congressional representa- for support from our Political Donations: $132,489 (a website www.riograndesierra- are in heavily oil and gas tives, legislators and state Action Committee by mid-July. correction is re$ected from club.org/volunteer-form to see developed areas. He is and federal agencies on the previous report) In these uncertain political, all the ways in which you can the epitome of individual impacts that communities social and economic times, our 477 individuals and/or house- help. commitment to safeguard- face every day, resulting in a work to elect individuals who holds from our membership ing communities through series of advancements aimed share our beliefs and who will have stepped above and beyond Volunteer Hero of the bringing greater awareness at addressing oil and gas !ght for equity, clean water, clear their membership to be donors! on the dangers of oil and development in this cultur- air, public lands and wildlife for 89 give monthly. Just imagine Quarter gas drilling. ally sensitive region. all of us is more critical than it what we could achieve together, Dale Doremus serves on the Daniel is a community #rough Daniel’s guid- has ever been. if all members were donors, too! Chapter’s Executive Committee leader, an elder, and activist ance and unwavering Our Rio Grande Chapter has If you aren’t already a monthly and as our Water Chair. Dale who has been tireless in commitment to mitigating celebrated big successes in the donor, consider becoming one. has worked in water-resources his work to highlight the community impacts from A gift of $10 or more each primaries, including an unprec- programs in New Mexico for myriad impacts that Navajo development, the Rio month, which is about the cost edented number of women of 30 years at the New Mexico communities in the Greater Grande Chapter has been color. Now the pressure is on to of a fancy co"ee twice a month, Chaco region experience. Environment Department and able to support projects !ll legislative seats with envi- can make a real di"erence. Go He continues to lead the Interstate Stream Commission. like the community- and ronmental champions. #ank to www.riograndesierraclub. work of the Greater Chaco Indigenous-led Counselor you for giving as generously as org/donate and click “Regular She has overseen Superfund, Coalition, of which the Rio Health Impact Assessment you can to our chapter polit- Donation.” Be sure to check the groundwater-quality and reme- Grande Chapter is a part, that documents commu- ical action committee so we box for a monthly gift. diation programs. Having this and has engaged in count- nity exposure to emissions. can support pro-environment, Volunteers: 536 hours level of professional experience less actions to break down Daniel has also been pro-justice candidates. Sierra Club is a grassroots and expertise brings real weight the inequities and injustices instrumental in empowering organization! We volunteers to our conservation mission to perpetrated by oil and gas community members and By the numbers make the wheels turn with the protect and conserve communi- operators and the Bureau of elders to speak out and voice (End of second quarter 2020) support and leadership of our ties, the environment and water Land Management. their concerns about oil and Membership: 9,459 members; outstanding sta". Just to put resources. #ank you, Dale! For years, Daniel’s gas impacts. Huge victory for a wild Gila River By Allyson Siwik ) also deserve planning for the past !ve years, Gila Resources Information our thanks for carrying the the local New Mexico Central Project torch each legislative session in Arizona Project Entity has noth- support of spending Arizona ing to show for the $16 million he campaign to Water Settlements Act funding in AWSA funding it has spent protect the Gila on cost-e"ective, community and remains committed to its River has proven the water projects instead of an Ben Franklin adage dream of diverting and storing una"ordable and harmful from Poor Richard’s Almanac 14,000 acre-feet per year of Gila T diversion. that “energy and persistence water. Now that the diversion is conquer all things.” It’s taken #is group lacks full represen- !nally o" the table, it’s time more than a decade and lots of tation from local governments for the ISC in collaboration energy and persistence, but the (Silver City, Bayard, Hurley, and with local communities to take Gila River diversion is !nally Columbus are not members) responsibility for e%cient and defeated! and stakeholders in the region, e"ective use of the remain- #e Interstate Stream as well as the technical expertise ing AWSA funds to secure a to make funding decisions on Commission (ISC) voted 7-2 resilient future water supply last month to stop work on Photo courtesy Gila Resources Information Project community water projects. #e for everyone in southwest New state of New Mexico should the Environmental Impact Community members have fought for years to stop the Mexico. disband the NM CAP Entity Statement for the Gila River expensive, risky plan to divert the Gila River. In June, the #e $70 million in AWSA diversion project, e"ectively Interstate Stream Commission !nally put an end to the threat of and form a new, more repre- funding could be used on proj- sentative organization with the ending the 15-year battle over diversion, freeing funding for community water projects. ects such as the following: appropriate expertise to decide the future of the Gila River. 14,605 Deming residents how to spend the remaining Your steadfast support over we could build a uni!ed and funding to priority commu- could bene!t from projects AWSA money. the past several years made the powerful force for protection of nity water projects rather than seeking funds for well upgrades di"erence in the campaign to New Mexico’s last wild river. the harmful and una"ordable ($2.2M), e&uent reuse #e AWSA planning process end this ill-conceived project In addition to the support of Gila diversion. Sens. Martin ($1.8M), and water system line was the fourth attempt over the and protect the wild Gila for advocates, community leaders, Heinrich and Tom Udall have replacement/repair ($1M); past 50 years to dam or divert future generations. and citizens, we also have had worked tirelessly for Gila River 2,797 Lordsburg residents the Gila. In order to prevent Back in 2014, the Rio several amazing champions that protection and !scally respon- could bene!t from projects to future diversion plans, we must Grande Chapter joined with deserve our thanks for defeat- sible use of AWSA funds to treat drinking water to remove work for passage of Wild and us to strongly oppose the ing the Gila diversion project meet southwest New Mexico’s $uoride ($3.1M) and rehab/ Scenic River designation to “billion-dollar boondoggle” for good. water-supply needs. drill new wells ($10.5M); ensure that the Gila and San that would have put massive In her 2018 water plan, Our state legislative cham- 26,000 residents of Central Francisco rivers are permanently diversion and storage infra- Gov. pions in the Senate (Peter Grant County could bene!t protected for future generations. structure in the Cli"-Gila pledged to end work on the Wirth, , Joseph from completion of the Grant We can all breathe a sigh Valley, severely impacting diversion and to direct the Cervantes, Je" Steinborn, Bill County Regional Water Supply of relief that our beloved Gila ecologically important riparian Interstate Stream Commission Soules, , Liz Project ($15M); River and the riparian habitat habitat and popular recre- to work with local govern- Stefanics, , Jerry 20,000 residents of Silver and wildlife that it supports ational areas, including an ments and stakeholders on Ortiz y Pino and Antoinette City and area water associa- are out of imminent danger inventoried roadless area. implementing water projects Sedillo Lopez) and the House tions serviced by Silver City’s from this nonsensical project. #e Chapter added its name to bene!t all of southwest (Rudy Martinez, Matthew water system could bene!t It’s now up to us to make sure to the list of conservation New Mexico. Lt. Gov. Howie McQueen, , from new wells; well, water that the ISC follows through groups across New Mexico Morales has been a strong Melanie Stansbury, Abbas line, and storage tank replace- with a responsible process for and Arizona commenting leader since his time in the Akhil, , Joanne ment/improvements; and spending AWSA funds on local on the diversion proposal state Senate when he sponsored J. Ferrary, , e&uent reuse improvements water projects that will do the during the environmental legislation to direct Arizona Debbie Sariñana, Derrick ($17.9M). greatest good for the greatest compliance scoping process Water Settlements Act (AWSA) Lente, and Responsible for the diversion number of people. in 2018 and just recently on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. More than 500 substantive comments had been catalogued and categorized before the draft Environmental Impact Statement process ended. #is campaign demonstrated that by joining together diverse voices representing conserva- tion, sportsmen, businesses, communities, and elected o%cials throughout the state, Southern NM Group Chair and Outings: Howie Dash, howiedash@aol. com, 575-652-7550 Treasurer: Cheryll Blevins, spotblev@earth- link.net, 575-524-4861 Secretary and Wildlife: Mary Katherine Ray, [email protected], 575-772-5655, Political: Kurt Anderson, kurt@nmsu. edu, 575-646-1032 Mary Hotvedt: mary- [email protected] Dan Lorimier, dlorim- [email protected] Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter Contacts riograndesierraclub.org facebook.com/nmsierraclub Twitter: @riograndesierra instagram.com/riograndesierraclub Executive Committee Oakland, CA, 94612. 415-977- Chair: Karl Braithwaite Political Committee: Chair: ‘Rio Grande 5500 Water: Dale Doremus Richard Barish, richard. Mary Hotvedt, chair Dairy: Dan Lorimier, [email protected], 505-232- Sierran’ [email protected] Local Groups [email protected] 3013. Pajarito Group: Jody publication Susan Martin, vice chair, Central New Mexico Water Sentinels: Shannon Benson; Central Group: Ray 505-670-3279, smartin317@ Group, 2215 Lead Ave. SE, Romeling Shortridge; Southern Group: The Rio Grande Sierran is gmail.com Albuquerque, 87106 Chair: Public Lands: Chair: Derrick Dan Lorimier; El Paso Group: published four times a year, Laurence Gibson, secretary, Diane Reese, reesedianem@ Toledo Laurence Gibson; Northern in January, April, July and 915-309-5419, lgibson@utep. gmail.com. Nuclear-Waste Storage: New Mexico Group: Ken October, by the Rio Grande edu El Paso Group, P.O. Box Chair: John Buchser Hughes. Members: Susan Chapter of the Sierra Club as Ray Shortridge, 505-604- 9191, El Paso, TX 79995, Wildlife: Chair: Mary Kath- Martin, Mary Hotvedt; Patricia a bene!t for members in New 3908 Chair: Laurence Gibson, lgib- erine Ray, 575-537-1095, Cardona, Kurt Anderson. Mexico and West Texas. #e [email protected], 915-309-5419. John Buchser, jbuchser@ [email protected] Trade Issues: Chair: Richard opinions expressed in signed comcast.net, 505-820-0201 Northern New Mexico Four Corners: Miya King-Fla- Barish Group, 1807 Second St., articles in the Sierran are the Karl Braithwaite, 505-850- - opinions of the writers and not 3369, [email protected] Unit 45, Santa Fe, NM 87505, sierraclub.org cer: 505-983-2703, Chair: John necessarily those of the Sierra Derrick Toledo, derrick. Methane: Camilla Feibelman, Richard Barish Buchser, jbuchser@comcast. Club. Products and services [email protected], 505-401- camilla.feibelman@sierraclub. Sierra Student Coali- net, (505) 820-0201. advertised in the Sierran are not 7932 org tion: El Paso: Neysa Hardin, Pajarito Group, 520 Na- necessarily endorsed by Sierra Dale Doremus, Mining, Sand & Gravel: [email protected]; Albu- vajo Road, Los Alamos, NM, Club. [email protected], 505-795- Allyson Siwik, allysonsiwik@ 87544. Chair: Jody Benson, Contributions are welcome. 5987 gmail.com [email protected], 505- Transportation: Chair: Ken 217-1943 Send them to riogrande.chap- Shannon Romeling, 662-4782. [email protected]. Submissions 575-758-3874, Hughes. Southern New Mexico Coalitions/Working by Rio Grande Chapter [email protected] Zero Waste: Central NM Group, P.O. Box 735, Mesil- Group: members will take precedence. Diane Reese, Central New Groups la, NM, 88046; Chair: Howie Carol Chamberland, Articles chosen to be published Mexico Group representative: America Votes: Richard Dash, [email protected], are subject to editing. [email protected] Barish, 575-652-7550. 505-341-1027 Letters to the editor may be up Chaco Coalition: Miya Ken Hughes, Northern New to 400 words, subject to editing, Mexico Group representative: Outings Activism Teams King-Flaherty, Teresa Seam- Chapter outings chair: Ter- ster and are printed at the discretion (505) 474-0550,, b1family@ Communications Team: of the editorial board. icloud.com ry Owen, teowen@comcast. Chair: Shannon Romeling. Coalition for Clean Af- net, 505-301-4349 Editorial practices as devel- Jody Benson, Pajarito Group Members: fordable Energy: Karl Central New Mexico: Terry oped and adopted by the chap- representative, echidnaejb@ Laurence Gibson, John Buchs- Braithwaite, Camilla Feibel- Owen ter will be used in production of gmail.com, 505-662-4782 er man El Paso: Laurence Gibson, Doña Ana County Coali- the Sierran. Kurt Anderson, Southern Rio Grande Sierran Edito- [email protected] tion: New Mexico Group represen- rial Board: Laurence Gibson, Northern New Mexico: Howie Dash Join the Sierra tative, 575-646-1032, kurt@ Ken Hughes, Mary Katherine Alan Friends of the Rio Grande nmsu.edu Ray, Jody Benson, David Coss, Club Shapiro, [email protected] Shannon Romeling del Norte: Eric Patterson El Paso Group representative: You can join the Sierra Club Southern New Mexico: Sierran Editor: Mona Blaber, Otero Mesa Action Team: Open (your membership is to both Howie Dash, howiedash@aol. 505-660-5905, monablaber@ Antoinette Reyes Treasurer: Connie Huffmire, com, 575-652-7550 Valles Caldera Coalition: the national group and the Rio gmail.com Grande Chapter) for only $15! 505-382-5769 Inspiring Connections Web Editor: Ellen Loehman, Teresa Seamster Outdoors: Nuclear-waste storage: Just go to riograndesierraclub. [email protected], 505-328- org/join or send a $15 check O"ces and Sta# Santa Fe: Raymond Green- 2954 Patricia Cardona, John Buchs- well, [email protected], er with your name, address and Elections: Mona Blaber, John 516-312-5751 Chihuahuan Desert Border the code 1700 in the memo 2215 Lead Ave. SE, Albuquer- Buchser, Claire McKnight El Paso: Ted Mertig, 915-852- Coalition: Antoinette Reyes, line to: que, 87106, 505-243-7767 Nominating: Mary Hotvedt, 3011, Michael Di Rosa, Ken Hughes Kurt Anderson Sierra Club Camilla Feibelman, Rio [email protected] Attn: Member Services Grande Chapter director, 505- Finance: Chair: Ray Shor- National Military Outdoors Pro- tridge, 505-604-3908; Mem- 2101 Webster St., #1300 715-8388, gram: camilla.feibelman@sierraclub. bers: Brintha Nathan, Howie Representatives Oakland, CA 94612 Terry Owen Dash, Claire McKnight, Connie Council of Club Leaders Do you have a membership org Excursiones a la Naturale- Huffmire Delegate: Shannon Romeling. question? Call 415-977-5653 Miya King-Flaherty, Our za: Cecilia Chávez Beltrán, Wild New Mexico organizing Friends and Funds: Louise Alternate: Susan Martin or e-mail membership.ser- cecilia.chavez.beltran@sierra- Jensen Building Healthy Commu- representative, club.org [email protected]. 505-243-7767, Members: John Buchser, Da- nities Team facilitator: Action Teams vid Coss, Mark Rudd Ken Hughes, 505-316-2278, Scan the QR code below on your cell phone to join the org Bosque Action Team: Rich- Legal: Richard Barish, 505- [email protected] ard Barish, richard.barish@ 232-3013, richard.barish@ Sierra Club Wildlands and Rio Grande Chapter using our Roddy Hughes, Beyond gmail.com, 505-232-3013. gmail.com Wilderness BLM Subteam: online form. Dirty Fuels Campaign senior Bag-Free Team: Jody Ben- Legislative: Co-chairs: Patri- Derrick Toledo, Miya King- campaign son, cia Cardona, 505-469-3230, Flaherty representative, (202) 271- [email protected], 505- patriciacardona24@yahoo. Rio Grande Water Fund: 5881 662-4782 com; Teresa Seamster [email protected] Melinda Smith, [email protected], National Water Sentinels: Northern New Mexico Conservation Issues 505-515-7284 Teresa Seamster, Shannon Conservation Chair: Karl Personnel: Chair: John Romeling 1807 Second St., Unit 45 Braithwaite, 505-850-3369, Buchser. Members: Mary Cover banner photo of Fa- Santa Fe, NM 87505 • 505- [email protected] Hotvedt, Laurence Gibson, jada Butte by Jim Klukkert 983-2703 Energy/Climate Change: Fred Houdek Mona Blaber, communica- tions, 505-660-5905, monab- [email protected] Claire McKnight, PAC trea- surer, 646-864-0209, claire. [email protected] Brintha Nathan, bookkeep- er, 505-310-0595, brin- [email protected] Southern New Mexico Antoinette Reyes, Southern New Mexico organizer, 575- 342-1727, antoinette.reyes@ sierraclub.org Sierra Club National 2101 Webster St., Suite 1300, go.sunpower.com/partner/sierra-club/rio-grande/ Dirty energy 100% clean closer to replacing coal By Mona Blaber lation in comparison to the U.S. general Chapter communications Comparing replacement plans for San Juan coal population, particularly with childhood n June 25, PRC hearing 100% renewables and storage topped Investment asthma. She cited poverty, limited examiners released their Public Regulation Commission hearing 100% clean: $447 million in same access to specialty care, environmental recommendations on examiners’ recommendations to replace school district, $700 million in challenges, and high levels of indoor how to replace the costly, retiring San Juan coal plant. McKinley and Rio Arriba counties and outdoor air pollution exacerbating asthma rates. Begaye testi!ed that 13% Opolluting coal power from the retiring Jobs Mostly gas: $425-480 million in of American Indian/Alaskan Native San Juan Generating Station. #eir No. 100% clean plan: 3,545 school district; $0 in Rio Arriba and direct and children have asthma, compared with 1 recommendation? 100% renewable McKinley County. indirect jobs 8.6% in the U.S. general population. energy and battery storage. PNM mostly gas: 1,883 direct and Tax revenue Jobs: Hearing examiners quoted #e portfolio proposed by the indirect jobs Coalition for Clean and A"ordable 100% clean: $52.3 million state and UNM economist Kelly O’Donnell, a Energy (CCAE) and highlighted by Cost local witness for community groups includ- hearing examiners would replace coal Both plans would SAVE customers Mostly gas: $32 million state and local ing Diné CARE and San Juan Citizens with 100% renewable energy and $6-$7 per month Alliance. O’Donnell said coal-mine battery storage in the same school reclamation and plant decommissioning Photo: Navajo Tribal Utility Authority district as the coal plant, plus large have the potential to improve environ- solar/battery projects in nearby to go carbon-free by 2040. It just doesn’t 3,545 direct and indirect jobs, about mental quality, increase property values, McKinley County and Jicarilla Apache make sense to build a power plant that twice as many as the gas-heavy option. enhance business opportunities, and Nation in Rio Arriba County. will be shut down in 20 years. A third option cited by hearing exam- generate a substantial number of new, #e hearing examiners said the 100% ALL the recommended scenar- iners, which includes renewables but also multi-year jobs. clean proposal is the best choice for ios would SAVE the average PNM 200 MW of gas, puts only 200 MW and O’Donnell said that instead of invest- compliance with the Energy Transition customer $6-$7 a month in comparison $156 million of resources in the Central ing millions attempting to resuscitate the Act’s prioritization of investment in with continuing to run San Juan. Consolidated School District. It does coal industry, northwest New Mexico the community impacted by San Juan’s #e 100% clean CCAE option not comply with the ETA’s location and should aggressively pursue an econom- closure and reducing environmental invests $447 million in the Central lowest-impact requirements. ic-development strategy that leverages impacts, as well as cost and reliability. Consolidated School District, where Highlights from the recommended local assets and prioritizes quality of life, CCAE’s proposal creates more than San Juan Generation Station is, restor- decision: with a focus on tourism and recreation, 1,200 construction jobs in San Juan, ing the property-tax base for the schools Community health: In their recom- solar power generation/storage, and mine McKinley and Rio Arriba counties. and the county. mendation, hearing examiners quoted reclamation/plant decommissioning. However, as a backup option, the #e CCAE proposal would also invest community groups’ expert Adella On Enchant’s carbon-capture scheme: hearing examiners recommended a PNM more than $500 million and create 700 Begaye, Diné CARE board president Hearing examiners recommended NOT proposal that includes 440 MW of gas construction jobs in nearby McKinley and a former Indian Health Service o%- delaying a replacement decision so and only 100 MW of solar. #is option and Rio Arriba counties with the Arroyo cial. Begaye testi!ed that the burning of Enchant, which wants to keep San Juan would provide fewer jobs and no invest- and Jicarilla solar/storage facilities. fossil fuels contributes to heart disease, running as a high-risk carbon-capture ment in McKinley or Rio Arriba coun- PNM’s gas-heavy option invests nothing cancer, stroke and chronic lower respira- coal plant, could make a proposal: “All ties. #e ETA would require that the gas in Rio Arriba or McKinley. tory diseases, including asthma. witnesses testi!ed that PNM needs units be retired by 2045 because of their A UNM economist’s report !nds that Begaye also said health disparities $exible resources, not the base-load that climate impact, and PNM has pledged the 100%-clean proposal would create exist among the Native American popu- (carbon-capture coal) would provide.” By Rose Gardner Lea County resident s I look to the east of town at night, it looks like a prison or an airport,A something of impor- tance. Initially the lights were white, then some yellow ones were added years later, and now Rose Gardner lives in Lea I can see red blinking lights, County, in the lower-right the signs of industrial activity corner of this New Mexico where there used to be almost threat map created by Deborah none. #e area is about 5 miles from my house, but all activi- Reade. ties in the area are of Urenco, sions, and many live with aller- the uranium-enrichment facil- gies and asthma, like my two ity, Waste Control Specialists- Deborah Reade grandchildren. How much more ISP, the nuclear dump that is from one environmental !ght tons of high-level nuclear waste anyone else. I feel especially should we be required to take on the other side of the Texas to another. I tried !ghting from around the country and indignant about these two proj- for the economy to be diversi- state line from Urenco, and o" Urenco, after it had been even possibly from overseas. ects because of their proximity !ed enough to satisfy the money then there are the new wind- run o" from Louisiana and #ey talk of possible reprocess- to me and my family. mills on the Texas side. #en whoremongers? I do not consent Tennessee because they weren’t ing of the waste in the future. I My community in Eunice there is the ever-present Lea to be a guinea pig for these wanted there. I tried !ghting am also !ghting the high-level is small, about 2,700 people, companies, nor will I consent County land!ll for all of the nuclear waste license application Waste Control Specialists when and yet we are disproportion- to be the national sacri!ce area Lea County communities and by WCS-ISP, which wants to they wanted their low-level ately bearing the brunt of for high-level nuclear waste now a new Loves Truckstop. bring 40,000 tons of high-level nuclear-waste license. I spoke health impacts if these projects generated elsewhere and sent to Some people call it economic commercial waste to a site just against the changes that the go forward. Are we consid- poison me and my family. diversity for Lea County, N.M. on the other side of the Texas Department of Energy wanted ered expendable? Is the idea I call it a paradox. I recall the border from us. Interestingly, !e NRC is accepting to make on waste volume and days when I would see a calm both applications are being “Someone has to do this, so comments on Holtec through and dry desert scene common expansion at the Waste Isolation considered simultaneously. why not here”? Is it our patriotic Sept. 22 at Holtec-CISFEIS@ in this area, with cows and the Pilot Plant (even as I recall #e draft Environmental duty to su"er the known and nrc.gov and through Sept. 4 on occasional coyote or rabbit. I the !re and waste explosion in Impact Statement on both unknown illnesses that come ISP/WCS at WCS_CISF_EIS@ remember when the basic jobs 2014), about 37 miles from Holtec and WCS-ISP claim with living near a high-risk nrc.gov. Learn more at riogrand- picture involved oil and gas my house, and now I !ght the there will be small impacts to nuclear dump or facility? esierraclub.org/holtec/ extraction and all the necessary proposed Holtec International the area, to jobs, to people, We live in the county with Rose Gardner chairs weekly ancillary businesses required for project sited 35 miles from my yet no one really knows since the highest cancer rate in New meetings of activists protecting that industry. home near WIPP. this will be an experiment that Mexico. We live with the risks their community from harmful Now I !nd myself going Holtec seeks to bring 173,000 hasn’t been done anywhere on associated with oil and gas emis- pollution impacts. Primary Election 2020

Sierra Club-endorsed winners in the June 2 primary: Marian Matthews; Neomi Martinez-Parra, Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero; Rep. Miguel Garcia; Rep. Debbie Armstrong; ; ; Sen. Mimi Stewart; Rep. ; Rep. Matthew McQueen; Katy Duhigg; ; Siah Correa Hemphill; Sen. ; Leo Jaramillo; Adriann Barboa; Brenda McKenna; Pam Cordova; Harry Browne; Hank Hughes; ; Katharine Clark; Aurora Chavez; Amanda Lopez Askin. Big victories over Big Oil

By Richard Barish Santa Fe County Clerk (e"ec- Stair lost Rio Grande Chapter Contribute to local political wins tively; she has no opponent in District 28: Siah Correa Political chair When you receive a letter in mid-July from our Political November). Hemphill won Many of you called or other- he primary was a Action Committee, please consider giving. Your dollars will District 30: Pam Cordova support local and state candidates who will bring equity and wise volunteed for many of won stunning and over- the races. #ank you! Working whelming victory bring pro-environment legislation to reverse the dangerous District 35: Neomi actions at the federal level and bring out more pro-environ- together is how we achieve for the environ- great things. Martinez-Parra won ment, for justice, and for other ment voters. You can also donate at riograndesierraclub.org/ T New Mexicans can relish this District 38: Carrie Hamblen progressive issues that we all donate and choose PAC donation. moment, even as we confront won care about, and a repudiation the many other challenges we of conservative politics in the Women of color led the day. face. Victories like these are County races: Democratic Party. Indications are that it will now why we spend our valuable Bernalillo County As you may know, the be a whole new ballgame for time volunteering. Commission: Adriann Barboa Sierra Club, along with allies legislation such as permanent won OLÉ, Working Families Party, funding of early childhood House races: Bernalillo County Progress Now New Mexico, programs and so much more District 13: Rep. Patricia Commission: Frank Baca: lost No Corporate Democrats that focuses on New Mexico Roybal-Caballero won Coalition, Planned Parenthood families. District 14: Rep. Miguel Doña Ana County Clerk: won and others, targeted !ve Overall, 18 of the 21 legisla- Garcia won Amanda López Askin: Democratic senators who tive candidates we endorsed in District 17: Rep. Debbie Grant County Commission: for years have voted with contested primaries won (list Armstrong won Harry Browne: won Republicans to block progres- Teresa Leger Fernandez below). Brenda McKenna won District 27: Rep. Marian Sandoval County Clerk: Bob sive legislation, including a di%cult three-person race Matthews won Perls lost environmental legislation. Chair Clemente Sanchez; in Albuquerque’s north valley District 40: Roger Montoya Santa Fe County Voters turned out in and Siah Correa Hemphill and Corrales. Rep. Matthew won Commission: Hank Hughes numbers not seen in years embarrassed freshman Sen. McQueen beat back a chal- District 42: Kristina Ortez won Gabriel Ramos. Noreen Kelly, to reject the conservative lenge from a scion of the King won Dems, who were backed by a Navajo elder who lost in the family, and Mimi Stewart, Santa Fe County Clerk: District 45: Linda Serrato millions of dollars of oil and !fth race, stepped up and ran a Katharine Clark won Patricia Roybal Caballero and won gas money. Chevron spent strong race, but was hampered other environmental stalwarts Santa Fe County Treasurer District 50: Rep. Matthew more than $750,000 on a by the inability to campaign who were challenged also all Lucinda Marker lost McQueen won Texas-based PAC that backed on tribal lands where face-to- easily survived. Valencia County Clerk – District 65: Rep. Derrick the conservative incumbents, face campaigning is the norm And of course, Teresa Leger Aurora Chavez won and a Republican-leaning and by an obscene monetary Lente won Fernandez easily outdistanced Our slate of endorsed PAC spent thousands on disadvantage. In addition, the House District 70: Anita her six rivals in the race to candidates will expand for the deceptive last-minute mailers pandemic’s grip on the Navajo Gonzales lost succeed Ben Ray Luján in the general election to include and robocalls. Voters weren’t Nation made it much more 3rd Congressional District in Senate races: many who were unopposed in fooled. Four of the !ve conser- di%cult for many to vote. Northern New Mexico. the primary but have chal- vative senators were beaten I can’t emphasize enough Leger Fernandez’s victory Senate District 4: Noreen lost lenges in the general election. by progressive challengers we how huge these results are. means that New Mexico could Kelly supported. Between COVID and racism become the !rst state to boast a District 5: Leo Jaramillo won Democratic voters have made Neomi Martinez-Parra laid bare, this is without doubt Congressional delegation of all District 8: Pete Campos won clear who we want to lead us defeated powerful Senate a di%cult time. But if you women of color. District 9: Brenda McKenna as we confront our greatest Finance Committee Chair haven’t allowed yourself at Finally, six of nine candidates won challenges. ; Carrie least an occasional smile, you we endorsed in county primary District 10: Katy Duhigg #ese primary results bring Hamblen beat Senate President really should. Voters demanded races won, including Adriann won fundamental change for this Pro Tem ; candidates who will strive for Barboa for Bernalillo County District 17: Mimi Stewart state, and they are a crucial step Pam Cordova crushed Senate justice, community and a safe Commission and Katharine won in achieving justice and funda- Corporations Committee climate for future generations. Clark, who was elected as Senate District 20: Rebecca mental change. Justice and equity My rise to action for Black Lives Matters By Sharon J. King my defenses down and mingled on the other hand, left it or Rio Grande Chapter activist with several white students. I became somewhat oblivious to omeone asked my found that we had a few things it because it was fantastically personal meaning of in common. As we began to do easier. For many years there had BLM (Black Lives things socially around the city, been a deliberate disconnect for Matters) and why I felt I discovered that many white my daughters and myself on this Sthe need to engage in this move- establishments fought to keep subject. #is saddens me deeply ment. #oughtfully, I did some us out and apart. because as an older woman I am soul-searching because I needed Needless to say, this did not now learning about the degree to profoundly and truthfully sit well with me, and after grad- of relentless inequalities, injus- re$ect on how this currently uation I was o" to California tices, and killings of my black resonates with me not only in where I found the freedom that brothers and sisters. my mind, but also in my soul. I would not be denied. I no #e pandemic has shed so #is movement troubles longer worried as much about much light on America for me deeply because my roots racism, it was a place where I many, and it illuminates how stem from the deep south of could be myself and raise my there is no liberty and justice for Memphis. #e deep south was children freely and educate all, as the Constitution states. I the reason for my immediate them for many years in diverse am purposely here now to !ght departure as soon as I gradu- Photo courtesy Miya King-Flaherty private schools. for what is right because black ated college. #ough raised in Sharon J. King, right, and her daughter Miya, who is the Rio Long story short, I sheltered lives matter as well as all lives. black segregated neighborhoods Grande Chapter Our Wild New Mexico organizer. us from racism as much as One of my daughters, Miya I found this normal for the possible, and it had become a King-Flaherty, is an organizer most part, yet even in my early college, mainly because of my courses, and I found I had to non-issue at least in my mind with the Rio Grande Chapter. youth I felt a deep penetrating smarts and ability to accom- work harder, but I caught up. for a very long period in our I am a volunteer, and together discourse that something was plish whatever I invested my At the same time, I was also lives. While we went on to live we are working to bridge those not right racially. time and energy into. My inspired by Angela Davis at our lives through the years — connections between racial and I was one of the fortunate schooling fell short of my this unchartered time in my here we are facing RACISM social justice and protecting African Americans to go to white colleagues in my college life. Gradually I began to let in America that never left. We, our environment. N.M. special legislative session Anti-racism Defeated senators take Changes to voting law Tribes and pueblos will be resources able to keep early-voting sites As one of the largest climate and envi- last swipe at voter rights open even if they have COVID- ronmental-justice organizations, the Sierra related lockdowns. #is was Club recognizes the need to dismantle By Alissa Barnes and Tem Mary Kay Papen’s longstand- prohibited by previous law. systemic racism in the United States and Lucas Herndon ing ability to dictate what bills go Smart trackers so voters can within our own organization. We can never Progress Now New Mexico to what committees to John Arthur track their ballots; forget that the roots of the climate crisis lie Smith’s control over anything related ell, we made it through limited emergency powers for in racism, land theft and colonialism. to budget issues as chairman of the another special session of the the secretary of state, and As Hop Hopkins says in his excellent W Finance Committee. SB4 should , and a few increased time for applica- article in this month’s Sierra magazine have gone to Senate Judiciary, but weeks later we continue to re$ect on tions and ballots to be sent. (www.sierraclub.org/sierra/racism-killing- under the urging of Papen and other the wins, the losses, and the absolute planet), “we will never survive the climate outgoing Democrats who voted with ridiculousness of some of the debates. crisis without ending white supremacy.” Republicans, that was changed to the Cuts to environment Below are some resources, many geared While some important legislation Senate Rules Committee. In advance of the special session the toward environmentalists: was passed and a compromise budget Two of the seven Democrats on Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter joined #e Sierra Club Outdoor Activities was agreed to, there was a lot left Rules are lame-duck senators who 19 partner groups in writing an open team compiled this document with to be desired. But we get it — the lost their bids for re-election in the letter to the N.M. Legislature urging a reading,and other resources for doing state Senate speci!cally couldn’t do June primary: Papen and Clemente limit to cuts to the agencies that keep the work on ourselves and making the EVERYTHING on the table; they Sanchez. #ey voted with Republicans our communities’ air and water clean. outdoors more equitable and safe for all: had to save three and a half hours to once again to strip out the measure #e !nal budget included a 4% cut https://bit.ly/outdoor-racism-resources pat each other on the back. that would have allowed absentee from the General Fund for all agencies, #e primary election laid bare ballots to be mailed directly to voters. New Mexico black-owned food including the Environment and Energy, inadequacies in our voting system #anks senators — your parting gift businesses: ediblenm.com/black-owned- Minerals and Natural Resources depart- and disenfranchisement exacerbated was to continue to make it more businesses-new-mexico/. by the pandemic, especially for tribes di%cult for New Mexicans to engage ments. #e Environment Department Make a donation to local organiza- and pueblos in one of the biggest in our democracy. was cut an additional $400,000 for new tions supporting justice and equity: virus hotspots in the state. #e elections bill, which fortunately sta" for the Water Protection Program. Welstand Foundation, which works SB4 is an election-reform bill did eventually pass, did keep some #ere were also cuts to one-time for health equity and underserved youth: meant to address some of those crucial voter-access and equity provi- funding for special projects for both charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/ inadequaces. It was written with sions (see box), including increased departments, including $1.6 million welstand-foundation input from the Secretary of State and Tribal and Pueblo authority over from the Environment Department for Black Lives Matter Albuquerque: county clerks from around the state. voting centers. long-needed IT infrastructure to allow venmo.com/BLMDONATIONSABQ One of the major points of the bill In other news, we were not surprised more transparency in the permitting Organizations to donate to, reading was to allow county clerks to opt in by House and Senate Republicans’ process. #e Energy Department lost and ideas for action/education: to mailing ballots to all registered complete lack of connection to BIPOC $500,000 for promotion of invest- https://bit.ly/3'abey voters without requiring the addi- (Black, Indigenous and People of ments in clean-energy production and For more, see riograndesierraclub.org. tional step of the application process, Color) communities when comment- $500,000 for the Natural Resources Albuquerque police demilitarization: which confused and bogged down ing on SB8 (body cameras for police), Trustee fund. #e City of Albuquerque Public Health the system in the June primaries. SB7 (state responsibility in disman- More measures in the legislation- and Safety Committee is holding a public But that major voter-access provi- tling institutional racism), and HB5 transferred funds from Environment meeting at 12 p.m. #ursday, July 16, sion was stripped out in committee (creation of a civil-rights commission Department programs to the General to hear a resolution that would end the by Republicans and two outgoing to review quali!ed immunity). Fund. #ese reductions will mostly Albuquerque Police Department’s partic- Democrats before being heard on the Luckily, despite Republican impact community water/wastewater ipation in the military surplus program. Senate $oor. attempts to amend and table the bills, projects. #ey include a $2 million #is is a !rst step but is not the only #e N.M. Senate for years has all three did pass. While none of them Corrective Action Fund cut (cleanup for change we need to reform our police been controlled by corporate-backed alone are the solution for BIPOC underground storage tanks); and $2.5 department. If you would like to make a Democrats who have aligned with communities, they are small positive million from drinking water state revolv- comment, you must sign up by 10 am on Republicans to hold key Senate steps, and we are grateful for the legis- ing loan fund. July 16. You can access the sign-up sheet leadership positions — from Pro lators who supported them. — Dale Doremus at: www.cabq.gov/july-16-2020. Oil and gas Crashing industry hobbles NM Comment By Denise Fort and Kyle Tisdel deadline on New Mexicans are getting whiplash watching the ups Chaco plan and downs of the oil indus- try. Obviously, the industry plays an important role extended contributing to our state’s budget, but it has also tied By Miya King-Flaherty our state to a cycle of boom Our Wild New Mexico and bust while causing untold harms to people and s the public health crisis the environment. #e oil continues, disrupting lives industry is in trouble, and and impacting the most the economic future of our vulnerableA in our communities, the state and the livability of our Department of Interior forges ahead planet depend on our ability with the planning process for its to manage that decline. Resource Management Plan amend- #e industry is volatile, ment for the Greater Chaco region. tied to international markets #e draft, released in February, and economics that are allows for up to 3,000 new fracking entirely out of New Mexico’s wells, with more than 40,000 exist- hands. For example, the Photo courtesy Nathalie Eddy/Earthworks ing oil and gas wells in the region. recent oil price collapse was New Mexico has put itself into a box with its heavy reliance on oil and gas revenues, now As federal and state health guide- the result of power plays about one-third of the state’s budget, a proportion that increased signi!cantly after tax cuts lines were announced in March from Russia and Saudi for the wealthy and corporations were passed in 2003 and 2013. in response to COVID-19, New Arabia, with the pandemic Mexico’s entire congressional delega- exerting downward pressure mental risks to our state. #e important since the EPA decline of production. Such tion, Tribal leaders, Energy, Minerals on all energy consumption. oil and gas industry does not is on the brink of the !nal bold action is needed to stay and Natural Resources Dept., and #e result in New Mexico pay for new wells out of its gutting of federal rules. within warming thresholds multiple groups called on Interior was a state budget that pockets, but instead does so We must create a manda- and avoid the worst impacts Secretary Bernhardt to extend the suddenly plummeted from by borrowing huge sums of tory schedule for the plug- of the climate crisis. New May 28 comment deadline to allow lost oil production. money. In the next few years ging and abandonment for the public and state and tribal Mexico will need to broaden We can no longer a"ord alone, almost $200 billion of wells that are no longer governments to meaningfully engage. for oil and gas to dictate of this debt will come due producing — creating jobs our economy and our tax Members of the Navajo Nation and the terms of its operations, — just as the price of oil has and cleaning up a legacy of base as this transition occurs. the Pueblos are among the hardest hit or allow our fears over lost collapsed. pollution on our landscapes #e federal government by the pandemic, and state and tribal revenues to prevent account- At the same time, the oil — and tie any future permit must step forward with governments are focused on address- ability and give the industry and gas industry has not been approvals to a company’s ing the mounting public health crisis. a pass to pollute. Precisely regulation and just transi- saving for its retirement. compliance with this sched- Instead of heeding pleas to extend because the market for oil is tion funding, recognizing Every new well that is drilled ule and its environmental the comment period, 15 days before international, any breaks we that some states are far too adds to a legacy of industrial compliance. the deadline the BLM and BIA held give industry will only exac- pollution. In New Mexico We must also update bond- beholden to the industry to four virtual meetings. Virtual meet- erbate the harms to our state alone, there exist almost ing requirements, including e"ectively regulate. A protec- ings do not constitute meaningful without making the slightest 100,000 historic oil and gas full-cost bonding for all new tive uniform base of federal tribal consultation, and the Navajo di"erence in how many new wells, representing billions Nation and Pueblos disproportion- wells are drilled. permits and when permits are regulation can allow some if not tens of billions in transferred from one company ately lack adequate access to broad- New Mexico has put itself states to be more protec- clean-up costs. As markets go to another, as well as imposing band Internet. into a box with its heavy tive, while ensuring that bust and industry bankrupt- liability on all owners to create #e virtual meetings were fraught reliance on oil and gas national interests in climate cies rise, those costs will get accountability throughout the with problems. #ere was little revenues — now approxi- change and federal lands are transferred to the state and its chain of well ownership. #is representation from tribal govern- mately one-third of the state’s protected. ments and impacted community budget, a percentage that taxpayers … unless we hold will ensure a funding mech- #e time will come when members, some commenters increased signi!cantly after industry accountable. anism to clean up industry’s What do we need from mess in the event of bank- the world has transitioned to were cut o" because of connec- tax cuts for the wealthy and tivity issues, others had problems state and federal o%cials? ruptcies or companies simply renewable energy and New corporations were passed logging into the Zoom meetings, #e state must push walking away. in 2003 and 2013. To be Mexicans will once again and the majority of commenters forward with methane At the federal level, we clear, the state’s economy is look out on quiet desert condemned the online meetings. regulation. #e damage that need the government to far broader than oil and gas, landscapes. We need to act #e inadequacy of virtual meet- methane emissions do to our execute a 180 degree turn but we have failed to build a now to ensure that these ings also underscores the history of future cannot be tolerated— on oil and gas. In the short tax structure that is fair and the federal government failing to both because it is 87 times term, the prospect of aban- lands don’t look like some- resilient. In order to diver- meaningfully consult with tribes doned oil wells has led to a thing out of Mad Max. sify our economy and build more potent than carbon and demonstrates how marginalized helpful proposal from House Kyle is an attorney with the a just and equitable New dioxide as a greenhouse gas communities and people of color are Democrats to provide jobs for Mexico we must hold Big Oil pollutant, but also because of Western Environmental Law often systematically disenfranchised unemployed workers plugging accountable. Revenues from associated air pollutants and Center. from decision-making processes that wells and restoring lands. oil and gas should be invested their impacts on our health. impact them. Another bill would raise Denise has been a Club and used for limited projects #anks to the governor for After widespread criticism and rather than being put in the standing !rm. We expect federal bonding requirements. member since 1975 and is Professor Emerita of Law at outrage over the process by thou- general fund. to see draft rules for the We also need an immediate sands of members of the public, UNM, where she taught envi- #e current volatility has public to comment on later end to oil and gas leasing on Interior Secretary Bernhardt also accelerated the environ- this year. #is is especially public lands and a managed ronmental law. extended the draft plan comment period to Sept. 25. Although this is welcome news, it took far too long. Contribute to Navajo COVID mutual-aid fund #ank you to those who #e Navajo Nation continues to be and food markets, the Far Eastern 19 pandemic. www.gofundme.com/f/ commented, and please stay tuned. one of the hardest-hit regions in New Navajo communities are susceptible to far-east-navajo-covid19-relief. We’ll continue working with our Mexico from COVID-19. signi!cant impacts. You can also donate to Indigenous partners to call for a plan that protects #e New Mexico-based Torreon #e funds purchase critical sanita- Environmental Network’s Emergency public health, air and water quality Community Alliance requests your tion and food supplies for the most Mutual Aid fund by texting IENCOVID and cultural resources and addresses support to help Far Eastern Navajo needy communities. #is project is to 44-321. the environmental injustice issues that chapters respond to the pandemic. meant to supplement and support the Or donate to Dig Deep to provide impact Greater Chaco communities. Because of distance from sophisticated local Navajo Governmental Chapters running water to Navajo families at region. Stay tuned for forthcom- medical facilities, governmental centers response and mitigation of the COVID- navajowaterproject.org. ing calls to action. We’ll need your Wildlife, Outdoors Policy Court rules border wall illegal By Antoinette Reyes no one can go to court to block the immediate relief for communities president’s blatant abuse of power. and land impacted by new walls. El Paso Executive Committee n June 26, the Ninth #e court a%rmed the district Last year, the Supreme Court elpasosierraclub.org Circuit Court of Appeals court’s order blocking the illegal stayed the injunction we won Laurence Gibson, Chair, (915) 309-5419 [email protected] ruled that President construction. #e ruling came in a at the District Court level. #is OTrump’s attempt to circumvent lawsuit, Sierra Club v. Trump, !led Ann Falknor, Secretary, (915) 833-9162, means that the imposition of new Congress and transfer of $2.5 by the American Civil Liberties [email protected] walls, blockage of waterways and billion in military pay and pension Union on behalf of the Sierra Club Liz Walsh, (915) 342-7630 [email protected] funds for border wall construction and Southern Border Communities wildlife movements, and destruc- Neysa Hardin (915) 227-5154, nrhardin@yahoo. is unlawful. Coalition. tion of sacred Indigenous sites will com #e court also forcefully rejected While this victory is HUGE, continue until the Supreme Court Francesca Wigle (512) 497-5026 [email protected] the administration’s argument that unfortunately, there will not be lifts the stay. SunZia line drops plan for Escondida crossing By Mary Katherine Ray Conservationists note the lines could In a surprise move in May, the now be buried under the Rio Grande SunZia Southwest Transmission Project to prevent bird collisions and elec- announced that it is abandoning its trocutions. SunZia hasn’t released the proposed electrical transmission line on new plan but said it will cross the river the White Sands Missile Range and the farther north. Regardless, crossing the Rio Grande crossing at Escondida just river above ground is a threat to birds, north of Socorro and Bosque del Apache as the river is a major migratory route that had drawn deep concerns about the harm the overhead lines posed to migra- throughout its length in south-central tory birds, especially Sandhill cranes, New Mexico. Since the land in ques- raptors and other waterfowl. tion belongs to the BLM, a new process Previously, SunZia proposed to for permission will begin, likely this bury the lines across the missile range. summer. Jim Schulz/Chicago Zoological Society Call for nominations to executive committees The wild population of Mexican wolves needs genetic diversity. This spring, a #ink you’d be a good candidate to Northern New Mexico, Central New record 20 wolf pups were cross-fostered from captive to wild dens. serve on the Rio Grande Chapter exec- Mexico, Southern New Mexico and utive committee, or one of our group El Paso. Group positions run for two executive committees? years and chapter seats for three. Please Wolf news, good and bad #e chapter includes !ve groups: contact Ken Hughes at b1family@ Pajarito (Los Alamost and surrounding), icloud.com with nominations. By Mary Katherine Ray In addition, the agency placed eight Chapter Wildlife chair wolves into captivity in April and May exican wolves, the most also because of con$ict with livestock. imperiled canine species #is has been allowed under the in the world, have made $awed 2015 management rule. U.S. progress in the last three Fish and Wildlife is under court order Mmonths but have also su"ered setbacks. to rewrite this rule because of its glaring In May, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife inadequacies. In good news, the agency Service announced that a record 20 pups received over 40,000 comments about were cross-fostered from captive wolves what should be included in the rewrite into wild dens. FWS has been using this to !x the problems. practice to insert profoundly needed Declaring the wild population to genes from the captive population into be “Essential” under the Endangered the wild. Cross-fostering requires that Species Act rather than “Non-essential,” pups from captivity be within days of as they are now, would make it harder the same age as pups in the wild, which for the government to kill or remove means that wolf managers have to move wolves. #e Fish and Wildlife Service quickly. #e genetic bottleneck of the must produce the new management rule wild population is one of the largest by May 2021 and with it, wolves will looming threats to wolf recovery. get a sorely needed reprieve. Sadly, for the !rst time, one of the Wildlife Services contracts exchanges went horribly wrong. Two wild pups were removed and trans- Most people are shocked to learn that ferred to a captive den to make room counties using public money contract for the captive pups in the wild den. with the euphemistically named federal #e captive wolf parents killed the agency Wildlife Services to kill wild- wild-born pups along with their own life at the behest of private interests. remaining two pups. #e cause for this After two years of pressure, the Grant unprecedented response is unknown and County Commission voted that its unexplained. annual contract with Wildlife Services An unacceptably high number of shall require the agency to use non-le- wolves have been intentionally killed thal con$ict resolution measures before by the Fish and Wildlife Service itself at resorting to killing. the bidding of livestock interests. Since We thank our partners at WildEarth January, !ve Mexican wolves have been Guardians and activists in Grant shot by the agency charged with their County, especially Glenn Gri%n (who protection. #e wolves were killed for knows what su"ering in a trap is like preying on livestock. But their stories after having two dogs go through the are complex and involve pack disrup- experience) for his dedication to this tions from unexplained losses as well as outcome. injuries from traps, both those set by A similar contract has expired in Doña the agency and by private trappers. #e Ana county. By the time you read this, it latest wolf to be intentionally killed was may have voted on the contract and any a 3-legged trap amputee who turned to changes for the coming year. livestock as the easiest prey. #is year, County commissioners can Clean air and Zero Waste Navajo Nation schools might get monitors Teresa Seamster Northern NM Group Northern New Conservation chair Mexico Group t started as a small group call to get an air moni- contacts tor set up in the Chaco O!ce: 1807 2nd Street #45, Tri-Chapter area by Santa Fe, NM 87505, (505) ITribal Air Monitoring Service 983-2703 to continue the monitoring Executive Committee started by the Counselor Chair, water issues: John Health Committee. Buchser, (505) 820-0201, Brandon Velivis, Ojo Encino [email protected] Economic Development Secretary: Shannon Romeling, consultant, contacted a few (575) 758-3874, sromeling73@ colleagues to see where the gmail.com monitoring project might go. Conservation: Teresa Seamster, Out of that one phone (505) 466- 8964, ctc.seamster@ call, a few health advocates, gmail.com Navajo Nation Environmental Membership: Alice Cox, (505 ) Protection Agency, and 780-5122, auntiealice@cyber- members of Northern Arizona mesa.com University’s Institute for Tribal Energy: Joseph Eigner, josei- A look at air quality from the Purple Air website on June 19 shows several elevated readings from Environmental Professionals, [email protected] Albuquerque to southern Colorado — a result of two wild!res in south-central Arizona and their with decades of expertise in Political, chapter delegate: resulting smoke plumes blowing across north-central New Mexico. monitoring air quality and Ken Hughes, (505) 474-0550, community outreach, are for Tribal Environmental able to measure microscopic to PM 2.5 leads to serious lung [email protected] considering funding to install Professionals Project Director particulate matter (PM2.5) impairment, induced asthma Susan Martin, (505) air monitors in possibly all 150 Mansel Nelson replied: “In that comes from combusted and other debilitating respira- 988-5206, smartin316@gmail. Navajo Nation schools. Alaska, we had monitors set hydrocarbons such as !res and tory conditions. com On the call, participants gave up across the state. I think it oil-well and vehicle emissions. In a UC Berkeley Energy Other responsibilities: introductions about the local would be a dream come true to Purple Air o"ers monitors in the Institute blog by Meredith O!ce: Jerry Knapczyk, air-monitoring work of the have one in all 150 schools on $170-$300 range that provide Fowlie, “My New Pollution [email protected] Counselor Health Committee, Navajo Nation.” continuous indoor and outdoor Monitor: Gimmick or Game Outings: Alan Shapiro, (505 ) the newly developed wild!re PM2.5 levels that can be down- Diné CARE NM Energy Changer,” the conclusion is: 424 -9242, [email protected] air-quality reporting network loaded from phones, laptops Organizer Wendy Atcitty said: more is better. Book Distributor: Janet under the Navajo Nation EPA, or computers. #e Purple Air Peacock, (505 ) 988 -8929 and the work of Northern “With air monitors at schools global map gives real-time read- “If these little sensors are Book mailings: Gail Bryant, Arizona University environmen- for students to collect data, this ings from thousands of locations going to be transformative, (505) 757 -6654 tal profressionals and interns would be real STEM — not around the nation and world. they’ll need to be more widely interested in the air quality at learning from a book.” #e focus on measuring PM deployed. And the data need Navajo schools and potential #e push for greater access 2.5 pollution has sharpened to be actionable so that people After the telephone conver- health impacts on children. to local air-pollution data has with the publication of numer- can understand where the most When asked what the ideal grown rapidly in the last 10 ous health studies and !ndings dangerous pollution problems sation in early July, we are air-monitoring network on years with convenient and that even moderate (under 100 manifest and how we might the Nation would be, Institute inexpensive technology avail- mg/m3) continuous exposure address them.” hoping for a “game-changer.”

Central New Mexico Group Zero waste during a pandemic

Chair: Diane Reese, By Carol Chamberland #ere is renewed appreciation for the Only YOU can prevent waste! [email protected] Central NM Zero Waste Chair great outdoors. And there are still Vice Chair: Ray Shortridge, It seems like I’m writing from a things you can do to help. Here’s one Want to help but you don’t know how? Here [email protected] di"erent planet today. #e pandemic I’ve adopted since our reusable bags are some easy tips from our Zero Waste Team Treasurer: David Ther, grelbik@ is wreaking havoc and cratering our have become unwelcome in grocery members. If you have clever tips, let us know so gmail.com economy. Millions of Americans are stores. Sure, you can bring them in we can share them. Email pictogra!x@comcast. Secretary: Heather Kline, unemployed, hundreds of thousands are and bag everything yourself. But I’ve net with the subject line “Tips to Reduce Waste.” [email protected], dead. Police murders of Black men have found it easier to have them put your Refuse: 505.577.2798 unleashed national protests unlike any purchases back into the cart, wheel the Idling your engine contributes to air pollu- Outings: Terry Owen, teowen@ since the Vietnam war. cart to your car, and pack it there, using tion. If you are able-bodied, ditch the drive- comcast.net, 505-301-4349 People are hunkering down at home, your trusty reusable bags. through lane. Park your car and walk inside. Carry a spork so you can refuse plastic utensils Carol Chamberland, heeding the call to stop the spread of Many of us who received a stimulus when dining out. [email protected] the virus. Meetings and outings are check were fortunate enough not to Mark Rudd, mark@markrudd. cancelled through the summer. Precious Switch to loose-leaf tea. Tea bags contain plas- need it. I surveyed friends to see what tic and don’t decompose. com little hugging is going on. they did with the extra funds. #ey Peter Kelling, cloudsandwater@ All of this is having an e"ect on Use wood chips instead of kitty litter. kept the money in New Mexico by Reduce: juno.com our e"orts to refuse, reduce, reuse supporting overworked food banks, Take the Plastic Pledge. Save all your plastics Fred Houdek, fjhoudek@gmail. and recycle. A proliferation of latex charities, tribal groups, medical organi- com, 630.809.4234 gloves and plastic masks are making (recyclable and not) for a week to see how much zations and local businesses. trash you really generate. Prepare to be shocked. Other Responsibilities their way into our waters. Due to the National protests have raged across Political/Bosque: Richard “temporary” relaxation of restrictions Buy re!llable laundry soap and shampoos. Don’t buy a new plastic jug each time. Barish, on single-use plastic, such bags and the country, and monuments are Use bar soap and shampoo instead of bottles. [email protected] takeout food containers are cropping toppling. Here in Albuquerque we Reuse: Art showings: Peter Kelling up in huge numbers. Online orders are said farewell to Juan de Oñate amid Volunteer coordinators: Keely way up, resulting in more non-recycla- cheers, boos and some violence. Other Buy used instead of new, if possible. #rift stores are good sources of reusable goods. Sche"er, ksche"er99@unm. ble plastic packaging. Low oil prices New Mexico monuments to the Civil Save plastic bags from tortillas, bread, etc. for edu, Patty Duncan, pgnm@ make it cheaper to manufacture new War and Spanish colonization are reuse around the home. comcast.com, plastic than to use recycled. being subjected to new scrutiny. Amid Use the library instead of buying new books. Wildlife: Open this belated reckoning, isn’t it time I don’t mean to be depressing. People Recycle: Military Outings: Terry Owen are still working toward a Zero Waste to rename Coronado Historic Site in Recycle smarter. See our handy cheat sheet at UNM Sierra Student Coalition: environment. #ere is some hope that honor of the people who were actually riograndesierraclub.org for tips on how to do it Keely Sche"er corporations will embrace a circular there? Kuaua Pueblo Historic Site has a right. economy as we begin to open up again. nice ring to it. Pajarito and Central New Mexico No community-lab pit collaboration

By Jody Benson #ese issues must be fully addressed Pajarito Group with public input prior to the pit-facil- Pajarito Group ity infrastructure moving forward. he world has seen how inept, riograndesierraclub.org/pajarito unprepared, disinterested, unfo- Of these, let’s focus on the cused, and unscienti!c the US “lowest-hanging fruit:” initiating and Executive Committee TAdministration and much of Congress sustaining a smart transportation plan. Howard Barnum, hnbarnum@ has been in dealing with the COVID- Smart transportation plan: aol.com 19 pandemic. #is failure to protect Although the supplemental EIS states Cheryl Bell, bellrancho@gmail. the public makes me concerned for the LANL will need about 400 new hires com, 505/672-9655. government choices when it comes to for the pit factory, LANL management Jody Benson, echidanaejb@gmail. nuclear weapons. predicts it will hire 1,000 to 1,500 new com, 505/662-4782 And yet, even with the pandemic and workers per year for the next !ve years. Iris Chung, itlchung@hotmail. its subsequent economic/educational/ To meet these needs, the Los Alamos com cultural meltdown, even as Earth’s County Council created an inventory Michael DiRosa, mddbbm@ climate is changing at a rate that has of all the vacant land, both public gmail.com exceeded most scienti!c forecasts (Siberia and private, within the county. #ese Nona Girardi, [email protected] measured 100 F on June 20; the humans missile (W76-2), the W93 subma- include school property as well as TAs Carene Larmat, carenelarmat@ cut or burn 200,00 acres of Amazon rine-launched nuclear warhead (to 70/71 adjacent to Pajarito Acres. gmail.com, 505/920-5675 forest per day; drought and $oods world- replace the Trident), and the 87-1, a LANL also proposes to house many wide severely impact agriculture, adding redesign of a 40-year-old thermonu- of these new workers o" #e Hill Committee chairs to the increase in climate refugees despite clear weapon made for ground-based (primarily in Rio Rancho, where homes Treasurer: Mark Jones, the pandemic), even as the world grap- missiles. #ese are our current federal are a"ordable), LANL proposes to [email protected], 505/662- ples with centuries of injustice — even priorities. Except for voting for a change maintain the existing paradigm of indi- 9443 as all these demands press the life out in the Senate and the Executive, we viduals driving cars. For this the lab is Conservation: Michael DiRosa, of us, the federal government is transi- can’t do much about the federal nuclear urging the state to build a shortcut from [email protected] tioning toward producing 30, then 80, “security” mission. I-25 across the Caja del Rio Western Endangered Species/Wildlife: nuclear-weapons triggers (pits) per year However, because LANL expects Los Wildway Priority Wildlife Corridor, Cheryl Bell, bellrancho@gmail. by 2030. Alamos and Northern New Mexico to bridging the Rio north of Frijoles com, 505/672-9655. Much of the e"ort will be at Los support and fund all the extraneous Canyon to connect to State Road 4. #e Global Warming: Charles Keller, Alamos National Laboratory on the needs required by the huge increase in state and other agencies — not LANL [email protected], 505/662- skirt of the Jemez Mountains that have both sta%ng and infrastructure, we can — would fund this project. 7915 been in serious drought for almost 20 work locally. A most e%cient transportation Newsletter Editor, Zero Waste: years, and with only one way in and Here’s the Pajarito Group’s strat- model, however, is for a LANL- Jody Benson, echidnaejb@gmail. one way out in case of a “radiological egy: (Except for commenting on the sponsored, free system such as a bus com, 505/662-4782 incident.” Supplemental EIS: web link below) $eet similar to what the Nevada Test Open Spaces, Caldera Issues: #e e"ort is to be shared between focus on local governments. Let our Site provided from Las Vegas. Not only Howard Barnum, hnbarnun@aol. Savannah River National Lab and Los cities and counties know they must would the $eet signi!cantly reduce com Alamos National Lab. Although this monitor and restrict LANL’s demands the state and nation’s responsibility Water Issues: Barbara Calef, is a huge shift in the LANL mission, on our communities. Local govern- for continued repairs and upgrades, [email protected], 505/662-3825 there’s been little public collaboration ments’ job is to protect both human but eliminate the need for a short cut Mailing address: 520 Navajo on issues that will signi!cantly a"ect communities and the natural envi- requiring bridging the Rio Grande. both Los Alamos and Northern New ronment. LANL must alleviate issues Contact Sens. , Tom Mexico. After multiple requests, the before the project proceeds. We locals Udall, and your representative, and tell Deb Haaland: haaland.house.gov/ Lab !nally wrote a letter thanking the must communicate our demands in them you want a Manhattan Project for contact Pajarito Group for our interest and order to ensure that negative impacts Climate Change at LANL rather than telling us to comment on the Site-wide are either stopped or mitigated. new nuclear weapons triggers. Ben Ray Lujan: lujan.house.gov/ Environmental Impact Statement. #e most urgent issues regarding the Heinrich: contactsenators.com/ contact/mail new-mexico/martin-heinrich Here’s the background: Our federal impacted communities of Los Alamos Los Alamos County Council: county- government is committed to nuclear and Northern New Mexico include: Tom Udall: tomudall.senate.gov/ weapons’ viability, as well as to creat- transportation, quality of life, protect- contact [email protected]. ing new weapons such as the nucle- ing the natural environment, a"ordable Xochitl Torres Small: torressmall. ar-armed, submarine-launched cruise housing, and limiting climate change. house.gov/contact/emailme Questions to address

Virtual SC and Root Beer: NM adopting energy-saving building codes

Silvery minnows By Ken Hughes proposed 2018 energy code will be weaken some of the criteria. By Diane Reese Chapter Executive Committee 20 percent more energy e%cient than Please comment at the July 29 public under the existing code. Central New Mexico Group chair ne of Gov. Michelle Lujan hearing in support of adopting the Grisham’s top energy prior- Like that old commercial put it, latest code revision with no amend- Sierra Club & Root Beer goes virtual! ities, along with passage you can pay now or really pay later. ments. Or submit a written comment 6:30-8 p.m. Friday, July 31 Oand implementation of the Energy Of course there are upfront costs to with the subject line “Proposed the builder in conducting a blow- #e Rio Grande Silvery Minnow Transition Act, is adoption of new 2020-5-14 2018 Residential and er-door test on air movement and is a beautiful little guy who was once energy-e%ciency requirements for Commercial International Energy abundant in the Rio Grande. Dial in to buildings. a duct-blaster test to check for duct leaks, among other items. And while Conservation Code Adoption” by hear #omas Archdeacon of the U.S. New Mexico is still using the energy the builder will pass on these costs to July 28 to the State Construction Fish and Wildlife Service speak about codes last updated in 2009, twice the homebuyer, reduced utility bills Industries Division, mary.james2@ how the decrease in the Rio Grande passing up opportunities during the mean extra costs of $1,470 will save state.nm.us. Martinez administration to bring our silvery-minnow populations is directly residents $324 per year, a return on Check your email in mid-July for an energy-e%ciency requirements up correlated with man-made modi!- investment of 4.5 years. Any home- action alert with more details and help to date. Now the state is considering cations and alterations over the past owner and most business owners will adopting the new code. with your comment or go to century. #e Egg Salvage Pilot Project gladly take that kind of return. riograndesierraclub.org/building-codes. All but the most intrepid Sierra Club #at does not include many other rears minnows to adult size and then New Mexico cities and counties can hikers spend 90 percent of their time bene!ts of a more resilient housing transplants them back into their native indoors. Getting homes, o%ces and stock and a more livable planet with adopt their own building codes, as range or holds them for captive propa- stores built right can massively reduce fewer health-care costs associated with long as they are stricter than the state’s gation. climate pollution. Energy e%ciency poorly built homes. codes. #e city of Albuquerque is also Dial-in information to be sent out is the cheapest and often the most #e new e%ciency requirements are considering adoption of the latest shortly — please email reesedianem@ e"ective way to cut utility bills as well likely to face heavy opposition from code. Contact riogrande.chapter@ gmail.com to RSVP. “See” you soon! as greenhouse gases. some builders and developers, and sierraclub.org to learn how you can New buildings built under the the state may make amendments to take action to boost energy e%ciency. Outdoors, safely — for all By Terry Owen of the Land of Enchantment. Chapter Outings chair Hike for a mile or 10 miles, Hi, Sierra Club supporters! it’s totally up to you. Sign-up As coronavirus cases surge using the link provided and across the nation, Sierra Club indicate which trail you’ll has extended the moratorium beautify. You’ll be noti!ed if on outings and events through others sign-up for the same Aug. 31, with an eye toward trail. Children under 18 must your safety and welfare. be accompanied by a parent or As the nation grapples legal guardian. Recommend with dismantling systems of bringing water, snacks, gloves, oppression and racism, the Rio plastic or recycling bags, yard Grande Chapter continues its tongs, and sunscreen. RSVP no focus on making the outdoors later than Sept. 24. COVID-19 and our outings safe, inclusive CDC and state guidelines will and welcoming for everyone. be observed. When it’s safe, please join us, Leader: Terry Owen, and if you’re wondering what 505-301-4349, teowen@ you can do to make outdoor comcast.net spaces more equitable, please Level: Easy see some of the outdoors- Top photo by Ken Hughes. focused anti-racism resources Photo at right by Richard Barish Sign up at www.riograndesi- on Page 7. erraclub.org/calendar/ Following are outings that Above: We can’t hold Saturday, Sept 26: North are scheduled for after the organized outings, but we Channel Trail-Nob Hill Bike current moratorium expires can still enjoy our outdoor loop. Meet at Java Joe’s, 906 Aug. 31, but may not occur spaces, like the Santa Fe River Park Ave SW at 9:30 a.m. depending on state health and its new ponds. #is moderate surface street and Sierra Club guidelines. and bike-trail loop of 11.8 COVID-19 CDC, state and Left: A Plumbeous Vireo miles will include uphill in the Sierra Club guidelines will be nest along the Cienega Trail Martineztown area to downhill observed for all hikes when in the Sandia Mountains in in the University Heights area. they resume. early June. Total elevation gain is 384 feet. Here are the upcoming Helmets required. #is ride is outings. appropriate for youth 12 and Saturday, Sept. 12: West Level: Moderate Included is the steep Gabaldon 15-mile bike tour of Chapin up accompanied by parent Old Town-Wells Park Bike Location: Southwest bridge across the Rio Grande. Mesa is tentatively scheduled or legal guardian. Plenty of Loop. Meet at Java Joe’s, 906 Colorado #e total elevation gain is 177 the following day for those sunshine so wear sunscreen, Park Ave SW at 8:30 a.m. #is Sign up at www.riograndesi- feet. #is means that some- interested. RSVP by Sept. 23. bring water to stay hydrated easy, mostly $at surface bike erraclub.org/calendar/ where we’ll be riding downhill! COVID-19 CDC and state and cash for a stop at Nitro loop is 6.8 miles of streets & #is ride is appropriate for guidelines will be observed. Fog Creamery for ice cream. bike trails. Lots of sunshine, Saturday, Sept. 19: youth 12 and up accompanied Leader: Hart Pierce, 505-320- Final phase of the riding so wear sunscreen and bring Mountain hiking and blissful by parent or legal guardian. 1055, [email protected] training in and around ABQ. water to stay hydrated. Helmet yoga. Contact leader for loca- Plenty of sunshine so wear Level: Moderate required. #is ride is appro- tion. If you’d like to explore the RSVP to trip leader by wonders of nature, hiking and sunscreen and bring water to Location: Southwest #ursday, Sept 24. COVID-19 priate for youth 12 and up, stay hydrated. Helmets are outdoor yoga in the company Colorado CDC and state guidelines will accompanied by parent or legal required. Consider this phase of nice people, this is the Sign up at www.riograndesi- be observed. guardian. Consider this phase three of the riding training hike! We’ll embark on an easy erraclub.org/calendar/ two of the riding training in in and around Albuquerque. Leader: CarrieAnn Drinville 2.5-mile hike that incorporates Saturday, Sept 26: A summer and around Albuquerque. RSVP Sept 17. COVID-19 505-369-9450 (text is best) a one-hour outdoor yoga and outing into the Bosque. Heavy Rain cancels. RSVP CDC and state guidelines will Meet [email protected] mindfulness break midway. to trip leader by #ursday, Sept be observed. us at the sculpture garden Level: Moderate Includes 200 feet of elevation parking lot just o" the Montano 10. COVID-19 CDC and state Trip Leader: CarrieAnn Location: Municipal guidelines will be observed. gain and amazing views of the Bridge at 8:30 a.m. for an mountains. Sponsored by the Drinville 505-369-9450 (text is Albuquerque Leader: CarrieAnn Drinville best) [email protected] approximately two-hour easy Sierra Club Military Outdoors walk into our beautiful Bosque. Sign up at www.riograndesi- 505-369-9450 (text is best) Level: Easy/Moderate erraclub.org/calendar/ [email protected] Program and everyone is #e walk is leisurely, the paths welcome. Limited to 15 partic- Location: Municipal Sierra Club is discussing Level: Easy/Moderate are wide and level so we can ipants, and children over the Albuquerque what precautions should be Location: Municipal take time to enjoy the Bosque. age of 12 are welcome when Sign up at www.riograndesi- taken once outings reopen. Albuquerque Part of the path will take us to accompanied by parent or erraclub.org/calendar/ the Rio Grande as well as past Some of the guidelines that the Sign up at www.riograndesi- Saturday, Sept 19: Mesa legal guardian. To preserve the the Oxbow. Enjoy the beauty Club is considering are listed erraclub.org/calendar/ Verde Prater Ridge Hike: solitude of the occasion only Mesa with us! Dress comfortably, below. If you have suggestions Saturday, Sept 12: Purgatory certi!ed service dogs meeting Verde National Park has several bring water and snacks. Register please email me at teowen@ Flats autumn aspen hike. #is beautiful hikes but the Prater ADA guidelines will be permit- by Sept 24. comcast.net. hike begins across US 550 Ridge Trail a"ords hikers unob- ted. Contact leader no later Level: Easy from Purgatory Ski Area 25 structed vistas of points in all Limiting number of partic- than Sept 15th to RSVP and Leaders: Margaret DeLong, ipants (predicated on absence miles north of Durango, Colo. obtain location. COVID-19 Four Corners states from as It is a 4-mile out and back far to the west as Bears Ears, [email protected], Julie of any local jurisdiction that CDC and state guidelines will Hudson, [email protected] limits group size) hike through a large aspen be observed. north to the Mt. Wilson massif forest. We will quickly enter in Colorado and the Abajos Location: Albuquerque Requiring masks Leader: Terry Owen, the Weminuche Wilderness and La Sals in Utah; east to the Sign up at www.riograndesi- 505-301-4349, teowen@ Keeping outings local and enter a grassy, Purgatory La Platas; and south to Angel erraclub.org/calendar/ comcast.net Keeping outings simple Flats, 1 mile below US 550. Peak, Huerfano Peak, Shiprock; Saturday, Sept 26: Adopt- Level: Easy (short hikes as opposed to raft- We will continue 2 miles to and the Lukachukai and a-Trail Event. Here’s your ing or backpacking trips) Cascade Creek where we will Location: East Mountains of chance to make a di"erence Carizzo Mountains in Arizona. RSVPing via Camp!re/ take a snack break and enjoy Albuquerque #is hike is a 7.5-mile loop and design your own adven- calendar events vs. handling the cool alpine air and foli- Sign up at www.riograndesi- with an elevation gain of 1,000 ture. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the paper and pens age that should be turning to erraclub.org/calendar/ feet in about 4 hours. Meet at trailhead of your choice to autumn colors. #is outing Saturday, Sept 19: Vista More!eld Campground, which hike and pick-up trash. #ere Adherence to CDC and is appropriate for children 16 Magnifica-River View Heights is 4 miles from the Mesa Verde will be Outings Leaders at local protocols/directives (social and over if accompanied by an bike loop. Meet at Java Joe’s, National Park main entrance. some trails across the state to distancing, etc.) adult or legal guardian. RSVP 906 Park Ave SW at 8:30 a.m. #ere is a park fee of $20 per accompany you, or recruit your After precautions are issued, by Sept. 9. #is moderate, mostly $at vehicle. All park passes are own squad, or you can go solo we’ll notify participants in Trip Leader: Hart Pierce, surface street bike loop is 8.2 accepted. Camping is available and enjoy your favorite trail advance so you can properly 505-320-1055, [email protected] miles of streets and bike trails. at More!eld Campground. A while enhancing the beauty prepare.