Rio Grande Sierran Volume 53, Issue 2 News of the Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club: New Mexico & West Texas April/May/June 2015 Victory in numbers

Photo by Madeleine Carey Chaco Coalition members rallied at the Roundhouse in March to oppose fracking and the Piñon oil pipeline. Citizens from around New Mexico turned up in force to stop an onslaught of legislation that placed short-term profit over our air, water, wildlife, climate and health. New leadership in the New Mexico Legislature brought an increase in threats to our environment and our health, but your activism defeated them — and even helped pass some proactive legislation. See Pages 6-9.

Wildlife: Despite major Water: Bills reducing Mining: A sneak public support, bills to ban factory-dairy accountability attack on critical water trapping and coyote-killing failed, thankfully. But bills protections in the Mining contests failed in a hostile increasing accountability Act failed, thanks to new House committee. over the Gila River diversion vigilant legislators and Page 8 also failed. Page 9 your activism. Page 7

More inside: Kinder drops pipeline plan: Central New Mexico residents who protested the carbon-dioxide pipeline celebrate the withdrawal. Page 3 Chaco groups sue BLM: Community groups want to block BLM from EXPLORE, ENJOY AND PROTECT THE PLANET allowing more than 100 oil and gas permits near Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Page 3 Rio Grande Chapter Non-Profit Org. Bosque blow-up: The city of Albuquerque plowed a 6-foot-wide path Sierra Club U.S. Postage through a sensitive area of the Bosque without notice. Page 5 1807 Second St., Unit 45 PAID Santa Fe, NM 87505 Albuquerque, NM PNM power and rates: As PNM admits that its plan to replace dirty Permit No. 612 coal with more dirty fuels has gotten more expensive, the PRC hears from the public. We’re also fighting the utility’s plan to fine solar users and raise rates. Page 4 Ban the Bag Los Alamos gets a foe: You know you’re successful when the American Chemistry Association comes after you. Page 10 Thanks, Margot: An integral member of the chapter retires. Page 11 Northern New Mexico: Valles Caldera, Zero Waste and more. Pages 12-13 El Paso Group: Big Bend International Park? Page 14. Outings: Find out about our free hikes and events. Pages 15-16 Rio Grande Chapter Contacts Executive Committee tions coordinator, 505-660-5905, com Personnel: Chair: Open. Members: [email protected] Verne Loose (natural gas), vlsilver@ John Buchser, Laurence Gibson, Ken John Buchser, chair, 505-820-0201, Sierra Club National gmail.com, 505.301.2917; Elliot Stern, Hughes, Norma McCallan [email protected] 85 Second St., 2nd Floor, San Fran- [email protected]; Shane Political Team: Susan Martin, 505- Norma McCallan, vice chair, 505- cisco, CA 94105, 415-977-5500 Woolbright, [email protected], 988-5206, [email protected] 471-0005, [email protected] Local Groups 405-323-2569; Ken Hughes (solar), Members: Judith Bunney, Richard Bar- David Coss, [email protected] [email protected], 505-474-0550 ish, Diane Reese Central New Mexico Group, P.O. Laurence Gibson, secretary, 915- Political Compliance Officer: Rich- Box 25342, Albuquerque, NM 87125, Water: Chair: Allyson Siwik, ally- 309-5419, [email protected] ard Barish, 505-232-3013, richard. Chair: Julie Wilt, [email protected], [email protected], Eric Patterson, [email protected] Susan Martin, 505-988-5206, smar- 505-404-0972; Outings: Odile de la [email protected], John Buchser, Sierra Student Coalition: Open [email protected] Beaujardiere, [email protected], [email protected] Allyson Siwik, allysonsiwik@gmail. 505-433-4692 Dairy: Dan Lorimier, 575-740-2927, Outings com, 575-590-7619 El Paso Group, P.O. Box 9191, El [email protected] Outings: Norma McCallan, 505-471- Shane Woolbright, 405-323-2569, Paso, TX 79995, Chair: Laurence Public Lands Team: (Northern 0005, [email protected], [email protected] Gibson, [email protected], 915-309- lands) Norma McCallan, Tom Gorman, co-chair: open Teresa Seamster, Mary Katherine Ray Julie Wilt, Central New Mexico Group 5419; Outings: John Walton, walton@ Inner-City Outings: Ted Mertig, Wildlife: Chair: Mary Katherine Ray, representative: 505-404-0972, julie@ utep.edu, 915-539-5797; 915-852-3011, tcmertig@sbcglobal. 575-772-5655, [email protected] thewilts.net Northern New Mexico Group, net 1807 Second St., Unit 45, Santa Fe, Four Corners: Robert Tohe, 928- Nona Girardi, Pajarito Group repre- 774-6103, [email protected] Coalitions/Working sentative: 505-412-0670, nonamg@ NM 87505, 505-983-2703, Co-Chairs: Norma McCallan, nmcallan@mind- Mining, Sand & Gravel: William Groups aol.com Beardsley spring.com, 505-471-0005, Teresa ANCET (Arizona/New Mexico Clean Tom Gorman, Northern New Mexico Zero Waste: Co-chairs: Jessie Seamster, [email protected], Energy Team): Nellis Kennedy-Howard Group representative: 505-438-3932 Emerson, 505-470-1363, osoherbal- 505-466-8964; Outings: Tobin Oruch, Coalition for Clean Affordable El Paso Group representative: Open [email protected], Sharon Guererro, [email protected], and Alan Shapiro. Energy: David Robertson Ray Shortridge, treasurer, 505-604- [email protected] Pajarito Group, P.O. Box 945, Los Columbine-Hondo Wilderness 3908, [email protected] Alamos, NM, 87544, Chair: Mark Activism Teams Coalition: Eric Patterson. Alternates: Assistant Treasurer: Mark Jones Jones, [email protected], 505- Communications Team: Chair: Tom Gorman, Norma McCallan Bookkeeper: Brintha Nathan 505-310- 662-9443; Outings: Michael DiRosa, Open. Members: John Buchser, Lau- Environmental Alliance of New 0595, [email protected] [email protected], 505-663-0648. rence Gibson, Norma McCallan, Earle Mexico: Dan Lorimier PAC Treasurer: Claire McKnight Southern New Mexico Group, P.O. Pittman, Jeff Potter: Benton Howell Otero Mesa Coalition: Jerry Kurtyka Box 735, Mesilla, NM, 88046; Chair: Offices and Staff Rio Grande Sierran Editorial Valles Caldera: Howard Barnum, Glenn Landers, glenn.landers@gmail. Albuquerque office Board: Norma McCallan (Chair), Teresa Seamster com, 575-525-0491; Outings: Howie 2215 Lead Ave. SE, Albuquerque, NM Laurence Gibson, Ken Hughes, Mary Rio Puerco Management Dash, [email protected], 575-652- 87106, 505-243-7767, fax 505-243- Katherine Ray, Jody Benson Committee: Norma McCallan, Tom 7550; 7771 Sierran Editor: Mona Blaber, 505- Gorman Camilla Feibelman, Rio Grande Action Teams 660-5905, [email protected] Chapter director, 505-715-8388 or Bosque Action Team: Richard Bar- Web Editor: Christina Selby, chris- National, Regional [email protected] ish, [email protected], 505- [email protected] Representatives Roger Singer, Senior field organizing 232-3013; Elections: Fred Houdek, 630-809- 4234, [email protected] Council of Club Leaders Delegate: manager, (NM, CO, UT), mobile: 303- Bag Ban Action Team: Jody Benson Finance: Chair: Ray Shortridge, 505- Susan Martin, 505-988-5206, smar- 884-0064, office: 303-449-5595 x103, [email protected], 505-662- 604-3908; Mark Jones, 505-662-9443, [email protected] [email protected] 4782; [email protected] Alternate: Norma McCallan, 505-471- Robert Tohe, Environmental Justice, Otero Mesa Action Team: Jerry Members: Brintha Nathan, Jim Baker, 0005, [email protected] 928-774-6103, robert.tohe@ Kurtyka, [email protected], Ray Shortridge Sierra Club Board of Directors sierraclub.org 915-526-6297 (El Paso). Fundraising: John Buchser member: Liz Walsh, 915-342-7630 Southern New Mexico OMDP Action Team: Christine Members: David Coss, Jim Baker Building Healthy Communities Dan Lorimier, conservation coordi- Newtson, [email protected], nator (Southern and El Paso Groups), Legal: Richard Barish, 505-232-3013, Team Facilitator: Ken Hughes 575-644-8682. Chapter lobbyist, 575-740-2927, dan- [email protected] BLM Subcommittee of the Wild- [email protected] Conservation Issues Legislative: Chair: David Coss. Mem- lands Committee: Norma McCallan Northern New Mexico Office Conservation: Chair: Ken Hughes, bers: John Buchser, Judy Williams, Rio Grande Water Fund: Teresa 1807 Second Street, Unit 45 505-474-0550, [email protected] Elliot Stern, Mary Katherine Ray Seamster Santa Fe, NM 87505 • 505-983-2703 Energy/Climate Change: Membership: Open Chaco Coalition: Teresa Seamster Mona Blaber, chapter communica- Chair: Denise Fort, denisefort@msn. Nominating: Open Page 1 banner photo by Lajla Ryen

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huge sigh of relief was heard County as well as the critical Abo After significant from residents from Quemado Watershed and dense areas of Salinas community Missions ruins, prehistoric pueblo commu- to Mountainair on the evening resistance, A nities and burial mounds. This alternative of Jan. 21 after Kinder Morgan Kinder Morgan announced the cancellation of its plans dropped plans would have entailed additional time. to build the massive Lobos CO2 pipe- for a carbon- BLM notified Kinder Morgan that it could still file a new application for a line through central New Mexico. dioxide pipeline right-of-way grant at a later date. Some 1,100 landowners in three through Central New Mexico. “If the company wants to come counties, health organizations and envi- back to the project, then they would hundreds of supporters. A committee of to have been submitted to BLM once ronmental groups including Sierra Club have to start from scratch,” said Mark residents worked with the Partnership the Environmental Impact Statement had registered their concerns for over a Matthews, BLM project manager. year about the pipeline’s impact on land for a Healthy Torrance County and draft was completed in 2015. Resistiendo member Deb Jones values, road safety, water supplies and Human Impact Partners of Oakland, Kinder Morgan’s statement cited prob- summed up the group’s feelings. community health to Bureau of Land Calif., to complete dozens of interviews lems with delays of the project at a time “Members are cautiously optimistic Management, Kinder Morgan repre- and prepare a history of people’s health, when oil prices and demand for carbon that New Mexico will not be the site of sentatives and elected officials. socioeconomic levels and occupations, dioxide, used for enhanced oil recovery, another unwanted, unneeded pipeline The town of Mountainair formed water resources and cultural back- were bottoming out. Many landowners that could do serious harm to our sensi- a citizens group, Resistiendo — Resist grounds in a comprehensive Health had refused to sign right-of-way ease- tive environment, cultural areas and the Pipeline, with over 60 members and Impact Assessment. The document was ments, and Resistiendo had suggested critical watersheds.”

Photo by Mike Eisenfeld Open methane flares near Lybrook and the greater Chaco area add potent greenhouse-gas emissions, ruin the night sky and waste a valuable fuel product. Chaco Coalition challenges BLM By Teresa Seamster, protest BLM permits to drill in the area. ing its management plan for the San Northern New M Group The day the lawsuit was filed in Juan Basin in the face of an expected arch 11, 2015, was 108 federal court, the larger coalition held shale-oil boom, and the groups are years to the day that a press conference at the Roundhouse urging the agency to stop approving new President Theodore to inform legislators about the public’s drilling permits until the plan is in place. Roosevelt declared Chaco concern and to thank Sen. Benny In January, the BLM did postpone MCanyon to be a historical monument in Shendo for his sponsorship of Senate an oil and gas lease sale for more than 1907. Memorial 29, “Natural Gas Flaring and 4 square miles in northwestern New The threat to Chaco in that time was Venting,” in the Chaco area. Mexico, saying more time was needed to the looting of archaeological treasures Tribes, environmentalists, archaeolo- review public comments and concerns. and sacred artifacts. Today, it is ramped gists and residents have long criticized The recently proposed Piñon Oil the idea of drilling near Chaco Canyon, up oil and gas development, especially Pipeline could quadruple oil develop- a World Heritage site that includes a fracking and contaminated water supply. ment and fracking near Chaco, adding On March 11, WildEarth Guardians, series of monumental stone structures another 8,000 wells. The impact on Western Environmental Law Center, that date back centuries. The area was people and land could be enormous. Diné CARE and San Juan Citizens considered a ceremonial and economic A full Environmental Impact Alliance, all groups in the Greater center for ancestors of many Native Study and Mancos Shale Resource Chaco Coalition, filed a lawsuit against American tribes in the region. the Bureau of Land Management “The Bureau of Land Management Management Plan are the first require- challenging its approval of more than is not taking serious consideration of ments the Coalition is requesting from 100 oil- and gas-drilling permits in the the sacredness of the greater Chaco the BLM. San Juan Basin near Chaco Cultural region and the impacts on surrounding BLM has announced an initial National Historic Park. Diné communities as they continue to Environmental Assessment will be Representatives from 34 Navajo orga- approve more drilling and fracking,” completed this summer that could nizations and environmental groups, said Colleen Cooley with Diné Citizens be a preliminary to a more in-depth 1700 including the Rio Grande Chapter, Against Ruining Our Environment. Environmental Impact Study of the rallied at the Roundhouse in March to The BLM is in the process of updat- Piñon pipeline project. April/May/June 2015 Rio Grande Sierran 3 Coal and Clean Energy Volunteers lead the way in Roundhouse, Bosque e have a new media lobby. prior to the legislative session. We trained our local kids completion of dialog between celebrity in the Rio Thanks to The trainings, coordinated by group, Global Warming concerned citizens and the City, Grande Chapter. KUNM and volunteer Diane Reese and Express, to help them advocate was totally inappropriate. WJanie Chodosh, who was KNME for assisted by local legislators, for action on climate change on The Central Group’s Bosque interested in lobbying on the their super helped citizens feel comfortable Renewable Energy Day at the Action Team is now involved coyote-contest bill, appeared on report. advocating at the Roundhouse. Roundhouse — where Sierra in negotiations with the City KNME-TV as well as KUNM The Sierra Chapter lobbyist Dan Club Director Michael Brune to reroute a portion of the radio and several newspapers Club Rio Lorimier said the citizen lobby- spoke. Thanks to everyone who trail that is too close to the Rio in a report created the morn- Grande ing support was key to killing helped. Y’all ROCK! Please Grande. Check out the Bosque ing of Wildlands, Wildlife and John Chapter, with many bad bills, including an read more about citizen contri- Team’s website, savethebosque. Water Day at the Roundhouse. Buchser, partner groups attempt to weaken the Mining butions on Pages 6 through 9. org. A million thanks to the Our chapter director, Camilla Chapter including Act that our chapter worked In Albuquerque, the Bosque many involved, and particularly chair Feibelman, was filmed training Conservation very hard to successfully pass team awoke one day this winter to Richard Barish and the coun- a big group of volunteer lobby- Voters New Mexico and 20 years ago. to find out that Mayor Richard cilors who supported the bill to ists and teaming them up with Environment New Mexico, We helped fill virtually every Berry had allowed earth-moving block the work until a plan was old hands like Melinda Smith held three lobby-training legislative hearing room on equipment to plow a 6-foot trail completed. and our Legislative Team chair, sessions in Las Cruces, days that bills we supported or through sensitive areas of the Read more about the issue on David Coss, to learn how to Albuquerque, and Santa Fe objected to were being heard. state park. This work, prior to Page 5. New Mexico’s future: Coal or clean energy? Nellis Kennedy-Howard Beyond Coal regional And how much organizing representative or decades, will you pay? PNM’s San Juan Generating Station By Nellis Kennedy-Howard has threatened PNM filed an application for a rate increase our air, land, and water F of $107.4 million at the Public Regulation with toxic pollution. From Commission in December that will no doubt soot and smog to arsenic impact what you pay for your energy. The and mercury, the harmful PRC will decide how much PNM can charge pollution from the plant for its energy and different projects, including has endangered the health the utility’s plans to continue burning coal at and well-being of fami- the San Juan Generating Station. If approved, lies throughout the Four this rate case will result in the average residen- Corners region. We can see tial customer’s bill increasing by nearly 12% and feel the impacts of this (PNM estimates the average residential user’s pollution all around us. bill will increase by $9.75 per month). According to the Clean Along with the costs of PNM’s proposal Air Task Force, pollu- Tom Solomon to continue burning coal at the San Juan tion from the San Juan About 300 people came to a Public Regulation Commission hearing in Generating Station, PNM also wants to tax Generating Station contrib- Albuquerque, most speaking up against PNM’s plan to replace San Juan rooftop solar users through a monthly $6/ utes to 33 premature deaths, coal power with out-of-state nuclear, natural gas and more coal. kw solar charge and elimination of a banking 600 asthma attacks and 31 option for energy generated. The fee would sive fuels and even increase asthma-related emergency apply to customers who install rooftop solar on their reliance on one of the room visits each year. The Take Action their homes after Jan. 1, 2016. For example, this remaining coal units at San enormous health problems Go to sc.org/PNMRiskyPlan and tell the PRC to results in a $30 monthly fee for a 5kw system. Juan. caused by pollution from the protect New Mexico ratepayers and reject PNM’s This is a critical time to stand together and Today, our state and San Juan Generating Station plans for more dirty, expensive coal pollution. urge our public officials that the time is now to public officials at the Public costs the public as much as start building a clean-energy economy that puts Regulation Commission $240 million over a five-year New Mexico families over big polluter profits. face a choice: prolong the like you and me. away from an agreement period, according to a 2012 Clean energy isn’t just the safe choice — life of one of our region’s Stakeholders everywhere that would continue PNM’s analysis by Dr. George D. it’s the smart one. New Mexico should be greatest public-health threats are seeing the risks and use of coal at the plant, Thurston, a professor of a national leader in wind and solar. Wind or take this opportunity to speaking out. Support for citing the overall uncertainty environmental health at the already powers the equivalent of more than transition to clean, renew- continued burning of coal at about San Juan’s opera- New York University School 200,000 homes in New Mexico — but if the able energy. This spring, the San Juan has fallen as admis- tions. The home city of the of Medicine. state embraced its full potential, it could meet PRC will decide on whether sions by PNM have revealed plant, Farmington, N.M., In order to protect New its energy needs more than 70 times over just to approve PNM’s plans or serious financial risks for the Mexico skies from harm- announced earlier this year with wind. whether cheaper, safer and future of the plant, including ful pollutants coming that it would not acquire By increasing the share of power we get from from San Juan, the U.S. cleaner options must be the uncertainty of where the an increased stake in the plant will get its coal after clean energy, we can create good jobs for work- Environmental Protection considered. plant due to concerns about 2017 and who will own the ers, protect families and small businesses from Agency issued a rule requir- For New Mexico ratepay- reliability and the huge costs plant after an ownership expensive coal rate hikes, and secure a stronger ing the reduction of danger- ers and families across the that would be passed on to contract runs out in 2022. future for our communities. ous emissions coming from state, PNM’s plan is a bad the community. investment. Earlier this year, Of the nine parties that the plant. PNM’s plan to We believe PNM can comply with the rule and to PNM acknowledged that originally supported PNM’s Go solar, get a discount, and should do better. This cut emissions at San Juan due to accounting errors, the proposal to continue burning is an opportunity for PNM help our chapter! includes the retirement cost estimate for its plan to coal at San Juan, over half to create a plan that will To find out if your home is eligible for of two of the plant’s four continue burning coal at San of the original supporters a $750 Sungevity solar discount, request coal-burning units and to Juan and to spend money (six organizations), including protect ratepayers, clean our air and water, and an iQuote at content.sierraclub.org/solar/ install pollution controls on on other expensive fuels was clean-energy and environ- sungevity?ref=203 or call Sierra Club Solar create much-needed jobs by the remaining units in order more than $1 billion higher mental advocates, have Homes Coordinator MacKenzie Cane reducing our dependence to continue burning coal than its initial estimate. pulled their support for the at 415-977-5634. If your home qualifies, on coal and replacing it with beyond 2017. In addition, According to The Santa Fe proposal. Sungevity will also give the Rio Grande PNM proposes to invest in a New Mexican, those costs will Other New Mexico clean, renewable energy and Chapter $750. Check it out! combination of other expen- likely be borne by ratepayers stakeholders have also pulled energy efficiency. 4 Rio Grande Sierran April/May/June 2015 Bosque Blow-Up

By Richard Barish Below: The City of Bosque Issues chair Albuquerque plowed n Feb. 9, ignoring a 6-foot-wide path through the opportunities sensitive areas of the Rio for public input it Grande Bosque in February in the midst of a public had promised and process and an incomplete Oan ongoing consensus process, environmental study. the City of Albuquerque At left: Concerned citizens plowed a trail through the toured the construction Bosque. The City breached the area and protested at City public trust that it worked so Council meetings. The city hard and effectively to rebuild has now agreed to discuss over the prior year. mitigating damage and The public process was a vetting future projects. response to the reaction of the public on Sept. 4, 2013, when Left: Photo by Camilla Feibelman Below: Photo by Ian Mentken about 400 people showed up at the Albuquerque Museum to express their displeasure with Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry’s plans for the Bosque. After that meeting, the City appeared to reconsider. To its credit, the City agreed to take a year to do baseline environmental monitoring. It held a series of wonderful Bosque educational forums in the first half of 2014. It committed to a public process to review options. It engaged in consultations with the Sierra Club and the Bosque Action Team (BAT) about what it would do, and agreement on a consensus option was within reach. Then, on Feb. 9, with no advance notice to the public or affected agencies and entities, the City began constructing a trail through the Bosque north of Central Avenue to the I-40 bridge. The City apparently told the Albuquerque Journal about the construction — it had an edito- rial supporting the construction on the day it began – but did not tell anyone else, includ- ing the Middle Rio Grande materials and wild character of situation for wheelchair users in they are not going to undo the process. The resolution passed Conservancy District, which the Bosque. It goes for about a some locations. fact that Mayor Berry got what after a contentious debate, owns the land and is required quarter mile along the river’s Unsurprisingly, people were he wanted — a developed and but was vetoed, and the veto to approve any plans, or its own edge, increasing impacts on the upset, and they let the City groomed trail in the Bosque — override vote failed. However, Open Space Advisory Board. most environmentally sensitive know it. The City has now been by ignoring the promised public Councilor Benton introduced The trail widens what, for zone of the bosque. The best willing to engage in discussions process and other required a second Bosque resolution, most of the length, was a thing that can be said about with the Club and the BAT over approvals and permits. which has been deferred while footpath into a 6-foot-wide trail. the trail is that it may allow what can be done to mitigate City Councilor Ike Benton we engage in our talks with the The trail will be a perfectly wheelchair access, but it does the damage and over proce- deserves our thanks for intro- City. leveled, manicured trail, not appear to have been well- dures for vetting future Bosque ducing a resolution, co-spon- For occasional e-mail surfaced in crusher fines. It will designed for that purpose. It will projects. These discussions have sored by Councilor Ken updates, send me an be obviously constructed and encourage fast bicycle traffic, been promising and hopefully Sanchez, to halt the construc- e-mail at richard.barish@ inconsistent with the natural potentially creating a dangerous will lead to something good, but tion and complete the public gmail.com. Lots of Sierra Club hikes planned for Central New Mexico Saturday, April 4, and Saturday, To reserve space, e-mail John: gjua- a.m. in Albuquerque or at 10:15 a.m. at com or call 505-433-4692, providing May 2: GPS classes. Introduction [email protected]. Provide e-mail as the trailhead. email as well as cell and home phone. to field use of a hand-held GPS. Class well as cell and home phone. No fee for Email [email protected] or call Sunday, May 17: Easy walk in will cover basic navigation techniques Sierra Club members. Please contact 505-433-4692, providing e-mail as well including use of the trip computer, John for details. as cell and home phone. Elena Gallegos Park. Total distance about 3.8 miles, around a loop. (Loop using waypoints, saving routes and other Sunday April 12 Ojitos: Saturday May 9, South Peak navigation tools. walk can be interrupted at any time for Explore the hoodoos in the new Ojito Strenuous hike up Embudito trail. shorter distance). Stay for picnic after Maximum participants 10; GPS units Wilderness. Total of about 5.5 miles. Last part to the summit is steep and will be provided for use. No dogs. Meet Part of the hike is off trail, and we will rocky. Total distance about 11 miles. the walk. Email [email protected] at 10 a.m. at the Open Space Visitor go up or down steep slopes over short Elevation gain: about 4,000 feet from or call 505-433-4692, providing email as Center parking lot, 6500 Coors Blvd. segments. Dogs OK (2 total). Meet at 9 the trailhead. Email Odile.dlb@outlook. well as cell and home phone. April/May/June 2015 Rio Grande Sierran 5 2015 New Mexico Legislature Citizen activism averts threats

By Dan Lorimier At left: Roundhouse training existing Residential Solar Tax and Mona Blaber sessions run by the Rio Credit (SB391) and the estab- he 2015 New Grande Chapter and allies lishment of a Rio Grande Mexico legislative were packed with people Trail from Colorado to Texas session might have who wanted to learn (HB563). The governor has not more about lobbying their been contentious, yet signed these bills, but once legislators. Tbut it was also marked by an again, you’ve demonstrated the encouraging — and successful Below: Sierra Club Executive power of the people. Hundreds — upswell in citizen engage- Director Michael Brune of you have called Gov. Susana ment and by legislators who spoke to the Global Warming Martinez’s office urging passage. worked tirelessly to protect our Express kids group and others Among good bills that died air, land, water and wildlife. on Renewable Energy Day. were those prohibiting coyote- With the new Republican killing contests and banning majority in the House of trapping on public lands (see Representatives seemingly intent Page 8). Despite the success of on expressing an industry-profits- the residential solar tax credit, at-all-costs agenda, there were far bills to renew expiring tax credits more threats than opportunities for utility-scale renewable energy for the environment. Yet several failed. Our efforts to pass a tax positive pieces of legislation credit for electric vehicles and passed, including extension of charging units came very close solar tax credits and a plan for a but died after passing the Senate Rio Grande Trail. and two of three House commit- And despite a hostile House tees. Three bills (SB461, SB542, and a Senate that is often domi- SB455) aimed at transpar- nated by an anti-environment ency and accountability at the coalition of Republicans and Interstate Stream Commission conservative Democrats, none all failed (see Page 9). of the most dangerous legisla- While this session’s gridlock tion passed. drew much attention, the volume The story of this session was of bills passed shouldn’t be the really the stupendous effort by measure of success if those bills pro-environment legislators — profit a few at the expense of and you. the many. Those who watched You rang your representa- floor and committee debate this tives’ phones off the hook when session could see many of our the Renewable Energy Act was elected officials exposing the threatened. You filled e-mail dangers of harmful legislation “in” boxes to stop an attempt with thoughtful, well-researched to privatize our drinking water; arguments. Champions like you crowded hearing rooms to Brian Egolf, Bill McCamley, ban coyote-killing contests; you Bobby Gonzales, Jeff Steinborn attended our training sessions and Javier Martinez in the House to learn how to make your and Senate Majority Leader voice heard at the Roundhouse. Michael Sanchez, among many And the results were inspiring. others, worked throughout the Here are some of the major session to stop dangerous and threats you helped prevent: harmful legislation. Federal land grabs: All our successes are HB291, HJR10, HJR13 and in conjunction with the SB483 were different forms of Environmental Alliance of attempts to ease the path for New Mexico, which includes the state to seize our federal Environment New Mexico, public lands, which would then Food and Water Watch, open them to being sold off to Conservation Voters New private interests. None of these Mexico, the Oil and Gas bills passed either chamber. Accountability Project and Gutting the Renewable others. We worked on the EV Energy Act: HB445 would tax credit with the Southwest have eliminated New Mexico’s Energy Efficiency Project. On requirement for utilities to wildlife legislation, we joined provide 20 percent of their elec- forces with Animal Protection tricity from renewable energy by Voters of New Mexico. 2020. This bill passed the House being heard. (See Page 7). Committee tabled the others. Conservation before dying in But it is you, our members and supporters, who hold the by one vote but was killed in a Oil and gas pre-emption: Privatization of our Senate Judiciary Committee. bipartisan vote of the Senate real power. We logged 2,963 HB366, HB199, SB421 and water: “Public-Private One negative bill that did pass Conservation Committee. messages to legislators, hundreds other bills would have pre- Partnerships” (HB299) would would make it illegal for boat- Assault on the Mining Act: of calls, hundreds of concerned empted county and local have allowed private companies ers, hikers, anglers, etc. to wade HB625, which was never avail- citizens packing committee able for the public to see, would ordinances governing oil and to run public entities, includ- a public stream or river where rooms and dozens of people have stripped oversight from gas drilling and given sole juris- ing water utilities, and would it crosses private property. The attending our lobby trainings. copper and uranium mining and diction to the political appoin- have instructed the General governor has not yet signed this Your impact was tangible. allowed new mines to pollute tees at the Oil Conservation Services Department to use possibly unconstitutional bill. These bills, the good and the our water for thousands of years. Commission. HB366 passed the taxpayer money to search for Some proactive bills bad, will be back at future legis- Your calls and e-mails in key House but died in the Senate, private partnerships. This bill passed both chambers, lative sessions. We hope you’ll districts stopped this bill from and the Senate Conservation passed the House and Senate including an extension of the be back, too. 6 Rio Grande Sierran April/May/June 2015 2015 New Mexico Legislature Assault on Mining Act stalls in House Last-minute Southern move by mining New Mexico industry thwarted P.O. Box 735, Mesilla, NM by environmental 88046 Glenn Landers Chair, Pol- groups and legislative lution, Grasslands Issues, 575/525-0491, glenn.land- champions [email protected] Allyson Siwik Cheryll Blevins, Trea- Rio Grande Chapter surer, Editor Group Page, Executive Committee, Gila 575/524-4861, spotblev@ Resources Information earthlink.net Project Director Mary Katherine Ray, Secre- ith only 16 tary, Wildlife, Membership, days left in the 575/772-5655, mkrscrim@ 60-day legisla- kitcarson.net tive session, Earle Pittman, mining giant Freeport- W 575/541-6281, espittman@ McMoRan, owner of the zianet.com Chino, Cobre and Tyrone David Farrell, Political copper mines in Grant County, Chair, 575/895-3352, dafar- tried to push through a bill to [email protected] roll back critical safeguards in Christine Newtson, newt- the New Mexico Mining Act. Photo courtesy Gila Resources Information Project [email protected], 575-644- Although a strong defense by In a late-session move, Freeport-McMoRan, which operates Tyrone copper mine 8682 environmental groups and in Grant County, above, tried to push through a bill that would have allowed mining companies to walk away from reclamation. Your calls and e-mails to your , Outings legislative champions prevented Howie Dash legislators played a big role in defeating this bill. chair, [email protected], HB625 from ever coming up 575-652-7550 for a vote in the House Energy, serious environmental conse- even after they stop producing, cation in the Mining Act and Ken Newtson, newt- Environment and Natural quences for mining-impacted by removing the total number streamlining the permitting [email protected], Resources Committee, we communities and financial of years a mine can go on process. 575-644-8793 expect that the mining industry implications for the state. standby. Language in the first But a number of factors will bring the bill back during The bill would have opened committee substitute would came into play to prevent the 2016 legislative session. huge loopholes in the Mining have reduced the amount of the bill from advancing. The Mining Act were not vetted Freeport-McMoRan owns Act that would have allowed money mining companies are Mining and Minerals Division, first through the appropriate and operates in Grant County mining companies to walk away required to post as a cleanup the agency authorized to imple- interim committees and what two of the nation’s largest from reclamation and shifted bond. ment the Mining Act, had the impacts would be, not just open-pit copper mines that the burden of mine cleanup Freeport-McMoRan did not concerns with the bill related for large mines, but smaller contaminate a billion gallons onto local communities and the bring its bill to any interim to financial assurance and operations and other types of (3,345 acre-feet) of water annu- state. legislative committees to discuss removal of public notice and hard-rock mines. Concerns of ally and will cost half a billion Specifically, the bill would the changes in a more delib- participation from the standby Rep. Sarah Maestas Barnes dollars to clean up. For nearly have permitted new mines to erative way. The bill was given process, among others. (R-Bernalillo) demonstrated 25 years, the Mining Act has pollute surface and ground only one committee assignment House Energy, Environment that not all the Republicans ensured that mining corpora- water for thousands of years in the House very late in the and Natural Resource were on board with the bill, tions like Freeport protect our by changing the Mining Act to session, significantly limit- Committee members Brian and after two days of question- water, clean up messes they no longer require “perpetual ing the amount of scrutiny it Egolf, Javier Martinez, ing and debate, it was clear the create, and don’t leave taxpay- care.” Unlimited expansion of would have gotten. Because the Stephanie Maez, Matthew bill was dead. ers footing the bill for billions mines without public notice dummy bill process was used, McQueen and Jeff Steinborn Your calls and emails played of dollars of reclamation costs. and participation would have the two committee substitutes all grilled the bill sponsor, a big role in defeating this Sponsored by newly been acceptable with the bill were never posted on the Rep. Zimmerman, and his bill, showing that the power elected Rep. John changes. Industry’s proposed legislative website, preventing expert witnesses, Freeport- of citizen engagement in the Zimmerman (R-Doña Ana, changes would also have given public access to bill language. McMoRan’s attorneys/lobby- Legislature can stop powerful Grant and Sierra), HB625 mining companies a loophole The sponsor and his expert ists Dalva Moellenberg and industry groups from weaken- proposed changes to the to indefinitely postpone recla- witnesses insisted that the bill T.J. Trujillo, questioning why ing our environmental protec- Mining Act that would have mation/cleanup of a mine, was all about removing dupli- these significant changes to the tions.

Shopping at Amazon? When you use this link to access Amazon.com, Rio Grande Chapter gets 6 percent of any purchase you make: http://amzn.to/19DuLAZ You can also access our Amazon link by clicking on the Amazon logo on the right side of the page at riograndesierraclub.org. This is a way to support local environ- mental protection at no cost to you, so if you do shop at Amazon, please use this link! Thank you for being a defender of our air, land, water, wildlife and climate here in New Mexico and West Texas! Questions about your membership? Call 415-977-5653 or e-mail [email protected] April/May/June 2015 Rio Grande Sierran 7 2015 New Mexico Legislature The Wildlife (killing) Committee By Mary Katherine Ray passed a memorial that asked Chapter Wildlife Chair the State Land Commissioner, ast November, currently a Republican, to work a majority of to delist lesser prairie chickens Republicans were and other listed species on state elected to the state trust land. That would include LHouse of Representatives, the Mexican wolf. This memo- turning leadership of the rial passed the House floor on a House over to the Republican party-line vote. No Republican Party for the first time in 60 voted against it, but many were years. The consequences were absent and did not vote. not good for wildlife. The Ag, Water and Wildlife Every single bill on the Committee showed itself to subject of wildlife had to go be extreme and at odds with through the House Agriculture most New Mexicans by how Committee, which became the its majority voted on wildlife House Agriculture, Water and issues compared with how other Wildlife committee when the committees voted and how new leadership reorganized many citizens showed up with and shuffled the committee opposing views. The wishes structure. Placing wildlife issues Above: Rep. Jeff of an extreme special inter- under the control of agriculture Steinborn cheers the est should not be held higher interests was not unlike placing crowd at the Feb. 11 than those of all others. If this hens under the control of foxes. Wildlands, Water and Wildlife Day, which also committee persists with its The bill to end coyote-killing featured the bullsnake hostility to wildlife, the outlook, contests, where people compete at far left. Steinborn to rack up a high body count of especially for carnivores and co-sponsored a bill endangered species, will be coyotes to win cash and prizes banning coyote-killing (and sometimes to kill the largest bleak. Elections have conse- anti-carnivore message wasn’t contests. The bill passed adult coyote or smallest coyote the Senate but died in quences, and even though clear enough. puppy), started in the Senate, the House Ag, Water there are wildlife champions in Ag, Water and Wildlife also sponsored by Republican Mark and Wildlife Committee the Republican Party, turning Moores. It sailed through, approved a bill to remove chaired by Rep. Candy over the leadership effectively passing its two committees and all protections from moun- Spence Ezzell, who wore muzzled them and all wildlife the Senate floor handily by tain lions, which would have her coyote-fur boots for supporters. a vote of 27-13. It truly had allowed them to be shot and the occasion. There will be an election bipartisan support and was trapped in any number, at any Top photo by Camilla Feibelman. before the next long session in co-sponsored by Democratic time. It is currently not legal to Far left: By Mary Katherine Ray. 2017. Every legislator will be Rep. Jeff Steinborn in the set traps for the sport killing of Left: Photo courtesy Art Rescues on the ballot. When you vote House. But in the House Ag, mountain lions, and there are ment over to the state. At the ment of oil and gas exploration (not if!), please don’t forget the Water and Wildlife Committee, quotas and a bag limit imposed committee hearing, bill spon- even if at odds with protect- injustice of having agriculture by New Mexico Game and the reverse happened and only sor and committee member ing this imperiled bird. This interests in charge of wildlife. Fish (although arguably they two members, Democrats Rep. Republican Rep. Andy Nuñez bill did not get past the House That is a consequence of the are too high). But in an about- Bill McCamley and Rep. Bobby was asked by Rep. McCamley Judiciary Committee, so the Ag, last election. Let it not be a last- face illustrating how out of step Gonzales, voted for it. how many wolves he thought Water and Wildlife Committee ing one. The bill to end the use of the Agriculture committee is, would be a good number for traps and poisons on public the bill was killed in the next New Mexico, Rep. Nuñez land, sponsored by Rep. Bobby committee, House Regulatory replied “zero.” Gonzales, was killed by the and Public Affairs, with a Clearly this memorial was same committee on the same unanimous vote from members about facilitating the exter- day with the same 8-2 vote. The of both parties. mination of our wolves. HM hearing room was packed — House Memorial 117, a 117 was in the queue to be with citizens whose dogs had measure that was assigned heard on the House floor when been trapped, with hikers, hunt- only to the House Agriculture, the session ended, so it never ers, teachers, veterinarians and Water and Wildlife Committee reached a final vote. wildlife enthusiasts, all support- before heading to the House The Agriculture, Water ing the bill. But committee chair floor, called on the gover- and Wildlife Committee also Rep. Candy Ezzell, a rancher nor to “denounce” Mexican passed a bill to give authority from Roswell, chose this day wolf recovery and to demand to the state over lesser prairie to wear what appeared to be that the U.S. Department of chickens, another threatened coyote-fur boots just in case the Interior turn wolf manage- species, and forbid the impair- Please respond to our March appeal! In the last few days, all our members in New quadrupled oil production in this precious area; Mexico and West Texas received our annual we’re fighting to keep drinking water safe from the appeal. March is the one month each year that millions of gallons of waste produced by indus- the Rio Grande Chapter asks for your donation. trial dairy operations; your contribution helps us When you donate directly to the chapter, your provide you the tools to make a difference, because contribution stays local and supports our work your activism makes all this happen. and yours on the issues we report on in The Please support the air, water, climate, land and Sierran. wildlife right here in your back yard by sending a We’re clearing a path toward a total transition check to: Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter, 1807 away from San Juan Generating Station coal and Second St., Suite 45, Santa Fe, NM, 87505. toward clean energy; we’re working with coali- You can also donate at riograndesierraclub. tion allies to stop the Piñon Pipeline from plow- org/donate. Thank you for supporting the envi- ing through the Chaco area and bringing with it ronment in New Mexico and West Texas! 8 Rio Grande Sierran April/May/June 2015 2015 New Mexico Legislature Dairy industry targets water safeguards By Dan Lorimier Responsible Agriculture Project, with groundwater-quality stan- groundwater under fields that neighbors suffering the conse- Chapter Conservation we will challenge the industry’s dards, clear rules need to be in are sprayed with the waste. If quences of these operations’ Coordinator proposed amendments to gut place and enforced. these amendments are adopted constant growth and waste. But the hard-won groundwater- But the industry is now asking by the current industry-friendly several bills sought to restrict he Rio Grande Chapter protection rules on the books. the WQCC to return to the commission, the industry community members’ rights and our partners in the Since 2009 the chapter and unregulated past by throwing will be operating in a largely New Mexico Citizens even further. HB564, which our Coalition allies, including out our current rule and replac- unregulated environment. We TCoalition are ready to argue limited damages in nusiance Amigos Bravos, Food and Water ing it with loose guidelines. No will attempt to hold on to the our positions at Water Quality suits to property value, passed Watch, Lea County Concerned more required synthetic liners current common-sense and Control Commission rule- the House of Representatives Citizens, Mesquite Community for waste lagoons, no more scientifically sound rules. making hearings in April. and Senate Conservation Action Committee and Rio effective backflow protection Meanwhile, industry lobby- Committee but died in the With representation from the Valle Concerned Citizens, have for agricultural well water that ists did their best during the Senate Judiciary Committee. New Mexico Environmental worked with the Environment is mixed with effluence at the legislative session to further Law Center and expert Department and the dairy well head, no more careful immunize the industry from Thanks to our allies who live witnesses Bill Olson, former industry to set comprehensive placement of monitor wells accountability for its practices. near dairies. Their stories of chief of the Environment protections in a business-friendly downgradient from the lagoons The Right to Farm Act already gradually diminishing quality of Department Groundwater framework for New Mexico where dairies dump their waste, contains sweeping pre-emptions life because of dairy growth and Quality Bureau, and Kathy dairies. With well over half of and no more certified nutrient- against nuisance lawsuits against practices resonated with legisla- Martin from the Socially our dairies out of compliance management plans to protect agricultural operations by tors. Sunshine on the Gila process Gila bills shine light on Interstate Stream Commission corruption and lack of transparency Allyson Siwik, Chapter ExCom, Gila Resources Information Project s the dust settles on the 2015 legislative session, I’m heart- ened by many of our state senators who voted to hold Athe Interstate Stream Commission (ISC) accountable for its misguided and waste- ful plan to divert the Gila River. The ISC is spending millions of dollars planning a massive diversion project that is unlikely to ever be built and may yield little water — at a likely cost of more than a billion dollars. These funds should instead be spent on cost-effective community water projects that will meet long-term water needs without harming New Mexico’s last free-flowing river that contributes significantly to our hunting, fishing, and recreation economy. Photo by Dennis O’Keefe The ISC’s Gila planning process has Although none of the bills that sought to bring transparency and accountability to the Interstate lacked transparency and meaningful Stream Commission were passed by the full Legislature, the effort brought attention to the secrecy of public participation, and the agency has the commission’s process in planning to divert the GIla River, above. been under fire for illegal actions related to contracting and conflicts of interest. Committee, this bill sent a strong will develop a new well at the Grant professional experience and diverse A suite of Gila River-related bills intro- message to the ISC that the Legislature County Airport and construct an inter- perspectives on water resources manage- duced this session would have provided and the public demand full disclosure, community pipeline to serve current ment and with balanced political interests legislative oversight, prevented wasteful public participation and fiscal responsi- and future water needs of 26,000 people is needed to move beyond the ISC’s Gila use of public funds on the diversion proj- bility in its Gila planning process. in the Mining District and Silver City. River planning failures. New Mexico ect, and reformed the ISC’s structure. SB 461 (Sen. Howie Morales, Water withdrawal will be balanced by needs, and we as citizens deserve, a more SB 455 (Sen. Joseph Cervantes, D-Catron, Grant, Socorro) directed the return flow credit from the wastewater professional commission that will provide D-Doña Ana) and SB 542 (Sen. Sander Interstate Stream Commission to spend treatment plant, so there will be no net improved leadership and guidance to Rue, R-Bernalillo) required public no less than $77 million of AWSA fund- depletion to the aquifer. ISC staff on these multimillion-dollar participation, greater transparency and ing on non-diversion alternatives to meet SB467, sponsored by Sen. Peter Wirth water projects and contribute to making accountability from the ISC in its expen- high-priority community water needs in (D-Santa Fe) would have restructured the best water planning and manage- ditures of Arizona Water Settlements southwest New Mexico. appointments to the ISC and required ment decisions for all New Mexicans. Act (AWSA) federal funding, as well as Although tabled in Senate minimum qualifications for members, in The bill passed the Senate floor late disclosure of key information related to Conservation Committee, Morales’ bill order to improve political and geographic in the session on a 28-13 vote but didn’t a Gila River diversion project, such as put pressure on the ISC to allocate $2.1 balance and multi-stakeholder repre- make it through the House. financing, affordability, and water yield. million in AWSA funding to the Grant sentation and bring a minimum of Thanks to our legislative champions The Gila diversion planning transpar- County Water Commission Regional professional expertise to the commission. and to all of you who participated this ency and disclosure bills, combined into Water Supply project in late February. The ISC is responsible for formulating session in supporting efforts to bring a committee substitute for SB455 and The ISC had tabled the funding allo- important state public policies pertaining transparency and disclosure to the Gila SB542, passed the Senate Conservation cation decision on this project at its to water, the need for public investments River planning process and to reform the Committee on a vote of 6-3. Although November 24, 2014, AWSA decision in our water supplies, and use of water. ISC into an effective and balanced water- not heard in the Senate Judiciary meeting. The Grant County project A reconfigured commission with planning agency. April/May/June 2015 Rio Grande Sierran 9 Pajarito Group ‘Save the Bag’ comes to Los Alamos

By Jody Benson Pajarito Group Meetings Newsletter Editor Tuesday, April 28, 7 p.m. f you have read comments in the Los Alamos Monitor, The April/May presen- LADailypost.com, or tation, co-sponsored by savethebaglosalamos. PEEC and the first formal Iblogspot.com, you have seen presentation in the new that well-meaning people are PEEC building on Canyon either uninformed, misinformed, Road, will feature New or have been activated by the Mexico Department of American Chemical Association Game and Fish Bighorn (ACA) to fight a ban on the Sheep Biologist Eric single-use disposable plastic shop- Rominger’s long-awaited ping bag. An interesting assertion talk on our very own Los from the save-the-baggers is that Alamos bighorn ram. bags aren’t a problem locally or globally, and there are no bags blowing around Los Alamos. • Water consumption in plastic In order to help inform the production. savethebaggers, we have the • Chemical contamination of opportunity to offer some data. groundwater from buried plastic All we need to do is take a photo leaching toxins in landfills. of whatever feral bag we find, • Greenhouse gases from caption it (location is good), then Photo by Mark Jones incineration of plastics and upload it to Instagram by using: The American Chemical Association has helped spur a “Save the Bag” movement landfill venting (methane), and tag@banthebagLosAlamos or in Los Alamos. The save-the-baggers say there are no bags blowing around Los carbon use in transportation #banthebagLosAlamos. Alamos. So when you see a bag like the ones above on Diamond Drive, snap a from production sources to the Enlist your friends, and then picture and post it to Instagram or Twitter with the tag #banthebaglosalamos. consumer and back to plastic- don’t forget to become our would you be willing to pay 10 of county waste per month are recycling locations. friend on www.facebook.com/ Waste: cents for a bag?) plastic bags. • Scientists estimate bag litter NoMorePlasticBags, where you • Good news: the old Smiths Fact 1: The only bag to be • Each American uses an will survive for 1,000 years. can see your photos posted. had the highest number of bring- banned is the single-use dispos- average of 500 single-use plastic • Humans have discarded 100 Sign the bag-ban petition their-own-bags shoppers in the able carry-out plastic shop- carry-out bags a year. That’s over billion tons of plastic since the on paper (call an Executive state, and White Rock was ninth. ping bag. These are the brown 9 bags per week, which equals 1950s. Committee member) or online at Smiths even worked with PEEC Smiths/white Walmart bags 1.2 billion per year. Just in the • Plastic does not biodegrade. bit.ly/1x4inoO or through our and Mountain School to distribute made of high-density polyethyl- United States. A trillion are used Instead, it degrades into chemi- webpage: pajarito.riogrande reusable bags in 2009 and set up ene (HDPE). annually worldwide. The number cals and nurdles (plastic pellets) sierraclub.org. the bag-recycling bins in the store. Fact 2: Stores will charge of plastic shopping bags in the that get into the ecosystem and • Good news: Public Works for paper bags so that they can U.S. equals 100 billion per year, are ingested or absorbed by Talking points to Director Philo found a recycler recoup the significantly higher which equals 12 million barrels plants, wildlife, domestic animals, Ban the Bag cost of paper. It is not a tax. It who will take plastic bags for Los of oil to make that many bags and humans. Here are some talking points is a market-driven cost. We’re Alamos: Friedman Recycling in (according to The Wall Street • Plastics suffocate plant life related to Los Alamos that will trying to increase the incentive Rio Rancho. Yes, we can recycle Journal). If a percentage of that and plankton. help people realize how expen- to reuse. We want to make clear now, but why recycle when you can oil is coming from the Middle • Because multiple species sive is this free use-once-and- what goes into a plastic bag—all eliminate the bag in the first place East, our use of the disposable mistake plastic for food, wildlife toss item. It only takes a few the resources, energy, impacts to by simply bringing your own? bag becomes a national security ingests it or becomes entangled minutes of searching the web to human health and the environ- • Bad news: Unless Friedman issue. in it. understand what a serious global ment — something with as many Recycling has a market for bags, • The cost to U.S. retailers for • The Monterey Bay problem these bags are. impacts shouldn’t be a frivolous the bags get trucked to the Rio the100 billion bags is $4 billion. Aquarium cites 97.5 percent Some questions to ask (and item that we get for free and then Rancho landfill. (The Wall Street Journal). Even of albatross chicks on an island then listen to their response): throw away. Bring your own bag, • Good news? More than 75 retailers like Krogers are getting 1,000 miles from the nearest What do you want your legacy and you don’t have to pay. percent are reused then trashed. involved and proposing a fee on big city have plastic in their to be? Are you willing to sacrifice Fact 3: For dog/cat bags, the • Bad news: Only 1 percent to bags. stomachs. the health of your grandchildren • A car could drive about many options include veggie bags, 3 percent of bags are recycled; • About 50 percent of plastic and the environment for the toilet paper bags, diaper bags, That’s about 30 million that are 11 meters on the amount of is used for single-use disposable mere convenience of carrying take-home food bags (none of just trashed. petroleum used to make a single applications: i.e., our ubiquitous something from the store to your which are banned). Check your plastic bag. car? When you shop at Costco Cost in dollars: buddy, the plastic shopping bag. house for bag-replacement oppor- Cost to the or Sam’s, do you get bags? If tunities; for garbage, you can buy • Los Alamos County resi- • These bags do not biode- your objection to a ban is that bags. The point is to eliminate the dents (excluding the Laboratory) environment: grade, but simply degrade, and you don’t want more government 9 bags/person/week. generate 30-40 tons of trash Multiple impacts to the envi- during that process last several control, would you let the market Why is this becoming an issue a week. Smiths shoppers use ronment include: hundred years and become a drive consumption? (The plastic worldwide? Waste, cost, environ- 330,000 plastic bags=2-tons a • Extraction of petroleum and hazard and nuisance to humans bag is not free for the merchant; ment, and human health. month. Two tons of the 30 tons all its related pollutants. and animals alike. Pajarito Group Contact Information http://pajarito.riograndesierraclub.org Committee Chairs 505/428-0360 Mining: David Torney, [email protected], Executive Committee Treasurer: Chair: Mark Jones, Jonesmm1@ comcast.net, 505/662-9443 575/829-3433 Chair: Mark Jones, [email protected], Conservation; Outings; Outings Leadership Newsletter Editor, Publicity, Sprawl, 505/662-9443 Training: Michael DiRosa, mddbbm@gmail. Transportation, Endangered Species/Wildlife: Vice-chair/Secretary: Jody Benson, echidanaejb@ com, 505/663-0648 Jody Benson, [email protected], 505-662- gmail.com, 505/662-4782 Environmental Education: Pauline Wilder, 4782 Howard Barnum, [email protected] [email protected], 505/662-7768 Open Spaces, Caldera Issues: Howard Barnum, Iris Chung, [email protected] Global Warming: Charles Keller, alfanso@cyber- [email protected] Michael DiRosa, [email protected], mesa.com, 505/662-7915 Political, Membership Co-Chair: Mark Jones, 505/663-0648 Grazing, Natl Forests, Wetlands, Wilderness: Water Issues: Barbara Calef, [email protected], Nona Girardi, [email protected] David Gemeinhart, [email protected], 505/662-3825

10 Rio Grande Sierran April/May/June 2015 Thank you, Margot Wilson! Margot I first met Margot in the Southwest Environmental Center Wilson helped By Mary Katherine Ray mid ’90s when she started a and more. Even while going build the Chapter Wildlife Chair Sierra Club section in Truth Or through chemo, knee surgeries Rio Grande e wish Margot Wilson a Chapter, and Consequences — as unlikely a and more, Margot’s energy and relaxing and rewarding place to find fellow Sierrans as I commitment never flagged. her expertise retirement! and passion W thought could exist. But find each Thank you Margot for your on a wide From forest-restoration projects other we did as Margot organized mentorship, friendship and inspira- range of to travel management plans to and brought speakers to tell about tion. I can hardly believe you’ve issues have injudicious mining proposals to the environmental plights of the pulled off retirement without been key to State Game Commission meet- places we love. having to move or die — but thank protecting ings, Margot Wilson has advocated How she convinced so many goodness you did neither! May you Southern for the outdoors, our wildlife, our up-and-coming environmental find many great birds with those New Mexico’s water and our natural landscapes water, public leaders to give presentations in binoculars, take great photographs from low elevations to high for lands and little T or C boggles the mind. of your travels and enjoy learn- wildlife. decades. And even when doing But that is how I came to know ing about painting with pastels. all that, she also led outings to so the now directors of groups like The Rio Grande Chapter honors Photo by Mary many special places across New WildEarth Guardians, Animal and thanks you for your years of Katherine Ray Mexico. Protection of New Mexico, The service! The importance of the Pecos By Norma McCallan Chapter Vice Chair he 223,637 acres of the Pecos Wilderness, which straddles the Sangre Tde Cristo Mountains, have long been a key destination for locals and visitors alike, to hike, backpack, birdwatch, climb, fish, ride horses, take photos, hunt, or just relax and enjoy its peace and solitude. The word “Pecos” means place where there is water. Because of its many high mountains, more than 15 lakes, and broad meadows, it has some of the lushest and greenest landscapes in our arid state. It is the headwaters for the Pecos and Mora Rivers and supplies drinking water to the cities of Santa Fe and Las Vegas as well as critical irriga- tion water to the many acequias used by the surrounding communities and ranchers. Fishermen love its clear streams nourishing rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout. If With drought and rising of wildfire both within and you drive up the road beyond temperatures, increased outside the wilderness, the the village of Pecos you will be water demand and Wilderness Act also provides hard-pressed to find a single decreasing supply, the that “measures may be taken as parking space along the miles mountain lakes and may be necessary in the control of pickup trucks and campers creeks of the Pecos of fire.” Moreover, search-and- Wilderness will become lining the banks of the Pecos rescue operations do occur in even more important to River. a healthy ecosystem, our Wilderness; grazing would not With our current years of economy, and the culture be curtailed simply because of drought and rising tempera- of the five counties a Wilderness designation; and tures, increased demand for surrounding it. Wilderness designation does water, with a decreasing supply, not supersede the Americans Above: Pecos Baldy Lake. those mountain lakes and At left: Truchas Lake. with Disability Act. bubbling creeks will become Fortunately, after six of us even more important to our Photos by Sergey Trudolyubov testified against the memo- environment as a large, still rial and no one testified for it, quite healthy ecosystem, our areas in both the Carson and legislative session saw the claims that the prohibitions of Sen. Griego pulled it, saying economy, and the culture of Santa Fe National Forests desig- introduction of yet another such designation would prevent he created it to encourage the five counties surround- nated as “roadless areas” many measure seeking to prohibit fire suppression, proper live- discussion among opponents of ing it. And more critical for yeas ago. But they are likely to any further designation of stock management, search and the bill with the local farmers the prolific wildlife population succumb sooner or later to the Wilderness there — Senate rescue operations, forest thin- and ranchers, and felt he had which the Wilderness supports pressures of encroaching devel- Memorial 40, introduced by ning and handicapped access. succeeded. But similar legisla- — including bear, elk, deer, opment, the increasing spread former Sen. Phil Griego, called However, these claims are very tion will likely pop up again. turkey, and a large herd of of off-road vehicles with their on the U.S. Congress to refrain misleading. We need to be ever vigilant, bighorn sheep. subsequent erosion problems, from designating additional While the Forest Service aims and meanwhile better educate Happily, there are still some and perhaps mining or oil and wilderness or special manage- to permit lightning-caused the public on what can and quite pristine areas surround- gas exploration. ment areas adjoining the exist- fires to play a natural ecologi- cannot be done in a wilderness ing some of the Wilderness — But the 2015 New Mexico ing Pecos Wilderness. The bill cal role and reduce the risks or other protected area. April/May/June 2015 Rio Grande Sierran 11 Northern New Mexico Group

New edition of ‘Day Hikes’ coming Northern New Mexico Group We need more that has to go through private Contacts land or has serious access volunteers to help issues like very bad roads to Executive reach the trailhead. Committee with this popular n Folks with editorial expe- Northern New rience — someone to take Co-chairs: Norma McCallan, over the production end who 505-471-0005, Mexico standby can deal with our printer on [email protected], and Teresa Seamster, 505-466- By Norma McCallan the many details of format, 8964, [email protected] Northern New Mexico style, paper, etc. Alas, our Vice chair: Tom Gorman, Group co-chair wonderful production point 505-438-3932, gormantd@gmail. person for the last several e are commenc- com ing work on the editions, Bill Baxter, died Treasurer: Jim Baker, 505-473- 8th edition of our Teresa Seamster recently after a long battle 0457, [email protected] W Many a dog-eared, sun-faded copy of ‘Day Hikes’ with kidney problems. best-selling hiking guide, first : 505-780-5122, published in 1981! can be found in Northern New Mexico backpacks. Please contact Aku, Alice Cox [email protected] It is a serious undertak- ing task! Our small editorial check out existing hikes in the 505-577-2594, akusantafe@ [email protected] ing to produce a new edition committee could use more current edition; gmail.com or Alan Shapiro, Paul Paryski, since we are all volun- help in the following areas: n More draft submissions 505-424-9242, nm5s@yahoo. Sandrine Gaillard, sandrine.gail- teers, but a very reward- n More folks to sign up to of new hikes. But nothing com, for more details! [email protected] Royal Drews, 505-699-8713, [email protected] Potluck — Shane Woolbright, 405-323- reserve your 2569, [email protected] Conservation spot now! Chair: Norma McCallan Our annual Northern New Public lands: Norma McCallan, Mexico Group Summer Tom Gorman and Teresa Solstice Potluck is Saturday, Seamster June 20, on the beautiful Water: John Buchser, 505/820- patio at the Commons on 0201, [email protected] West Alameda from 6:30 to Wildlife: Teresa Seamster 8:30 p.m. Zero Waste: Jessie Emerson We have a limit of 50 Energy Team: Shane Woolbright, people for this event so reser- 505-474-2870, mesoinc@hotmail. vations are required. com; Elliot Stern, 505-989-9486, Please RSVP to Alice Cox, [email protected] 505-780-5122, auntiealice @ cybermesa.com. Other Each guest, please bring responsibilities a covered dish for eight — main dishes, breads, salads, Chapter Representative: Tom vegetables or desserts, and Gorman indicate which when you Membership: Alice Cox reply. Drinks and snacks will Volunteers: Open Jessie Emerson be provided. Sharon Guerrero, pictured here at our table at Santa Fe Community College, Office: Jerry Knapczyk A special event may be is the new co-chair of the Zero Waste team. Sharon was the director of the Outings co-chairs: Tobin Oruch, held just before the Potluck Santa Fe Public Schools after-school program and was active in the Santa Fe 505-820-2844, [email protected], at 5 p.m. that all members area for many years in education and outreach to end drug abuse. and Alan Shapiro, 505-424-9242, will be invited to. Look for an [email protected] announcement on this event in June! Phone Support: Bebs Taylor, Zero Waste team 983-9129 Group, chapter Political: Susan Martin, 505-988- meetings The Zero Waste committee Schools, Sierra Club Pajarito Santa Fe, 5:30-7:30 p.m. 5206, [email protected] Friday, April 24. Northern Group Executive of the Northern New Mexico Group, Eldorado group and Publicity: Open Committee meetings are Sierra Club Group is active other community organiza- Recycling tips Book Sales: Janet Peacock and will be working hard to tions in New Mexico. 505-988-8929, sfdayhikes@ every first Tuesday of the Here are four things that we implement its goals for 2015: n Tabling events and tours: gmail.com. month at 7 p.m., 1807 can do to reduce waste: n Replace Santa Fe’s Earth Day, BrRRT recycling Sales backup: Ann Anthony, Second St., Suite 45, in 1. Stop buying single-use ecological footprint through center, Master Gardener [email protected], 795-7472. Santa Fe. Conservation items educational outreach; event, Recycling Day at meetings are every month on 2. Buy toilet paper made of Book mailings: Gail Bryant, n People will understand SFCC, Water Festival on the third Tuesday at 7 p.m. recycled paper 505-757-6654. the role zero waste plays in March 22 at Museo Cultural at 1807 Second St., Suite 45. 3. The paper core of toilet Nominating Committee: Open. climate change and human and others. The Rio Grande paper can be added to the Youth involvement: Paige Pinnell, health; Zero Waste team-building: Chapter summer Executive compost pile 505-988-2733 n Committee meeting will Collaborate with city, monthly meetings and special 4. Office-supply compa- be held in Santa Fe from county, schools and neighbors. events. nies take back printer ink Regional Contacts 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 6 The initiatives will be imple- We’ll host a Beer ’n’ Wine cartridges, and you build up Las Vegas: Joann Sprenger, and 9 a.m.-noon June 7 mented through the following social with snacks, item swap cash credit. 505-454-0551, gisprenger@ at the Commons on the activities: (bring donation items in good Please contact Co-chairs cybermesa.com n Alameda, 2300 W. Alameda. Education and outreach condition), games and prizes. Jessie Emerson at osoherbal- Farmington: Art Jaquez, 505-360- All members are invited in coordination with Santa Adam Schlachter of the Solid [email protected] or Sharon 0176, [email protected] to attend. Contact John Fe Solid Waste Management Waste Action Committee Guerrero at floogiebaloot@ Taos: Eric Patterson, 575-776- Buchser, jbuchser@comcast. Agency, Santa Fe Community will be the speaker at The yahoo.com for more informa- 2833 [email protected] net, for more information. College, Santa Fe Public Commons, 2300 W. Alameda, tion or to join our team. 12 Rio Grande Sierran April/May/June 2015 Northern New Mexico Group Transition at Valles Caldera By Tom Ribe of Caldera Action he Valles Caldera National Preserve is beginning its Sierra ­TClub-supported transition from experimental National Trust to the National Park Service following the December passage of Senate Executive Director Michael Bill 285. Brune helped celebrate The transition will largely Norma McCallan’s 40 years be complete next July, and the of Sierra Club volunteerism. Park Service will manage the Valles Caldera as a preserve, with a budget close to what National Congress has been appropri- ating to the trust. Over the last 15 years, the National Park Service board in Valles Caldera staff has devel- A grand reopening party for Valles Caldera is planned for July, and there will oped an outstanding science be extensive volunteer opportunities to remove fences, help field researchers program that will continue. and assist with watershed restoration projects. Santa Fe This research and monitor- River watershed. Known involves mechanical thin- This summer will be an ing program attracted over Each year in February the The as the “Southwest Jemez ning of small-diameter trees, exciting time at the Valles $3 million in outside research Sierra Club’s national Board of Mountains Collaborative prescribed fire, obliterat- Caldera. A grand reopening at VCNP last year and has Director’s and the Sierra Club increased our understand- Forest Landscape Restoration ing old roads and restoring party is planned for July, and Foundation Board meet outside of ing of climate change in the Project,” the U.S. Forest streams and riparian areas. there will be extensive volun- San Francisco. southern Rockies. Service and Valles Caldera The work also includes Jemez teer opportunities to remove This year they met in Santa Fe Some of the research is staff are working on treating Pueblo land and the pueblo’s fences, help field researchers, — on the weekend of the biggest focused on an ecological more than 156,000 acres that forestry crews. Nationally, and assist with watershed snowstorm of the season. The meet- restoration project that encom- had been overgrazed, logged, this project is one of eight, restoration projects. ing, at Hotel Santa Fe, coincided passes much of the preserve and fire-suppressed since treating 1.5 million acres of Please contact with Renewable Energy Day at the and a large area of the Santa around 1880. ecologically degraded lands in [email protected] Roundhouse, which afforded several hundred participants a chance to Fe National Forest in the Jemez The restoration work nine states. for more information. hear from Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune. The board members spent much A special place, protected after 40 years of their time carrying out a strategic planning process, while the Foundation By Eric Patterson Obama. board discussed digital strategies, Water Sentinels — Many people deserve lessons learned from September’s Rios de Taos our thanks for making this Climate March and from local staff inally! happen. All the citizens, lead- Camilla Feibelman and Robert Tohe F Forty-two years ago my ers, businesses, organizations. about our work in New Mexico. friends Al and Judy hiked with Those people that formed Members of both boards attended me into a roadless area of the Coalition are especially a dinner event at the home of Jim the Carson National Forest, deserving of our gratitude: and Suzanne Gollin, longtime camped overnight, and Roberta Salazar, Stuart Wilde, friends of Michael Brune from returned home to write to the John Olivas, Peggy Nelson, his years at Rainforest Action Forest Service. We recom- Norma McCallan, and Tom Network. Chapter leaders also mended that this roadless Gorman, to name just a few. attended a dinner with board area near Taos Ski Valley They saw what was needed members the following evening and be considered for wilderness and organized so many people presented their work highlighting designation.This place was and organizations who had the Chapter’s Action Team model breathtakingly beautiful. The Eric Patterson wanted this wilderness to and honoring Chapter Vice Chair mountainsides were alive with Sen. Martin Heinrich at the celebration of the happen, focused them, and Norma McCallan for 40 years of designation of Columbine-Hondo as a Wilderness. June flowers while the shaded brought them together. And volunteer service to the Sierra Club. Community members worked together for years to valleys were still covered with people working together can permanently protect the area. deep snow. really get things done! A lot has happened since ness designation, not much congressional action was long I fish in the Rio Hondo and Successful Sierra then. The Forest Service did had really happened until overdue. Sens. Udall and the Red River in water that indeed designate the area just a few years ago when Heinrich and Congressman comes from the Columbine- Club and Beer as the Columbine-Hondo the Columbine-Hondo Luján and former Sen. Jeff Hondo Wilderness. I get the Wilderness Study Area, mean- Wilderness Coalition was Bingaman were very enthusi- water to grow organic fruit and Some 35 to ing that it would be consid- formed, including Sierrans astic. They and the members vegetables at Stony Acre Farm 40 members and ered for possible wilderness Norma McCallan and Tom of their staff visited here in Valdez from the Columbine- friends enjoyed an designation, permanently Gorman. This group actively with the Columbine-Hondo Hondo Wilderness. My wife upbeat evening at protected from development. solicited the support of Wilderness Coalition and and I hike in the Columbine- the cozy Commons It remained a “study area” for citizens, businesses, acequia pledged their support. After Hondo Wilderness. And this in Santa Fe in decades. associations, tribal leaders, the needed bill was introduced summer when my grandchil- February, socializing and discuss- Forty years is a long time for land grants, farmers, ranch- in Congress, it died without dren from Chicago come to ing with our guests state Rep. Carl people to make up their mind ers, hunters, fishermen, action several times. Finally, in visit, they will be able to hike Trujillo and Sierra Club lobbyist about something. government officials and 2014, the Columbine-Hondo in the same mountains that Dan Lorimier the environmental bills Although various people everyone else who would Wilderness Act was included their grandfather did 42 years at this legislative session and what over the years have proposed listen. They took the letters as part of a major spending ago, in the Columbine-Hondo we as citizens could do to help move the congressional action of support to members of bill, which was passed and Wilderness. the good bills forward and defeat the needed to finalize the wilder- Congress and suggested that signed into law by President Finally! very bad ones. April/May/June 2015 Rio Grande Sierran 13 El Paso Group El Paso, naturally El Paso Group Executive Committee member Jim Tolbert writes a great local blog at elpasonaturally.com. Here are excerpts from a few recemt posts: The Asphalt- Industrial Machine I missed something the other day. I was so happy to see that the connectivity project for the Franklin Mountains State Park (the access and animal corridor to Tom Mays) was still a “GO” that I overlooked the rest of the report. The rest can be summarized easily: miles and miles and miles of concrete and asphalt. Project after project widens freeways and highways and spurs. Project after project eats up more land. There is no mention Photo by Rick LoBello by the Texas Department of Despite efforts from officials on both sides of the border, there is still no Big Bend International Park. Transportation of mixed-used roads. There is no mention of narrowing roads and reducing speed limits to make livable, walk- able places, promote communities Sealing the deal and neighborhoods and health. Please read a Better Cities & Towns blog post by Robert Steuteville: They paved paradise, put up a parking lot . . . “Big on Big Bend Asphalt” has compromised our health, safety, and welfare — but By Rick LoBello we can defeat it if we try. El Paso Group He’s right. ig Bend International Park is one of the best-kept secrets in Torchlight set to North America. Since 1932, the National Park Service, drill test well BDepartment of the Interior, Presidents In spite of plummeting oil Roosevelt and Truman, Mexican President prices, fracking may be coming Manual Avila Camacho, members of the soon next to El Paso in Hudspeth U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, County. Torchlight Energy Rotary International and the National Resources is set to drill a test Parks Conservation Association have been well on March 28. They must unable to seal the deal in creating the commence drilling as a term of largest symbol of international peace ever their lease with the University of planned in the Western Hemisphere. Texas that owns the land. In time Lands on both sides of the border have it could mean drilling 2,500 frack- been protected in the U.S. and Mexico, but ing wells, marring the sensitvie today there is no Big Bend International Diablo Plateau. Park. Is an international park needed? Definitely yes; the park is only half there. It El Paso Group was never completed as originally planned. The giant park would help both Executive countries better address key issues such Committee both sides of the Rio Grande forms one as protection of the largest tract of Forgotten Frontiers LLC (forgottenfron- elpasosierraclub.org Chihuahuan Desert wilderness in North great international park.” tiers.com), an independent group of Laurence Gibson, Chair America, water and air quality, control On July 29, 2009, Congressman Ciro researchers and media specialists, uncov- 309-5419 laurenceagibson@ of invasive species, and management of Rodriguez of Texas introduced House ers 30 years of lost history and the true gmail wildland fire. The park would become Resolution 695 — “supporting an story behind efforts to create what the Jim Tolbert, Vice-Chair a permanent monument and symbol international park between Big Bend New York Times in 1936 called the last great 525-7364 diegotolbert@gmail. of peace between the U.S. and Mexico, National Park in the United States and wilderness of Texas. The website’s infor- com one that would celebrate the friendship the protected areas of the Coahuila and mation, combined with the timeline on Ann Falknor, Secretary between the two countries and be a meet- Chihuahua States across the border in the Friends of the Proposed Big Bend-Rio 833-9162 afalknor@sbcglobal. ing ground where people of both countries Mexico.” In 2013 at a meeting with El Bravo International Park site at iloveparks. netv and citizens from all parts of the world Paso County Judge Veronica Escobar, com/peaceparks, reveals over 83 years of Kathy Sunday, Treasurer could come together to learn about one Sen. John Cronyn’s staff offered a glimmer U.S./Mexico conservation history. 5849301 [email protected] another’s culture while better understand- of hope of getting the senator’s support. I have always believed that if the inter- Rick LoBello, 474-1456v ing the natural world that they all share. That same year I met with Congressman national park was in place today, so many [email protected] President Franklin D. Roosevelt said it Beto O’Rourke and his staff, and he is of the problems we have on the U.S.- Liz Walsh, 342-7630 ewalsh@ best in a letter to Mexican Camacho on willing to help in any way he can. What Mexico border with the border wall, illegal utep.edu Oct. 24, 1944: “I do not believe that this this effort needs is a national organization immigration, wildlife conservation, and John Walton, 539-5797 undertaking in the Big Bend (the establish- with political strength like the Sierra Club socioeconomic problems would not be [email protected] ment of a national park) will be complete to make it a priority. as intense. Now is the time for one great until the entire park area in this region on A new website recently launched by international park to finally be established. 14 Rio Grande Sierran April/May/June 2015 Hikes and Events, continued from Page 16 the Rio Grande and the newly cleaned- up Buckman-area landscape. Norma McCallan, 505-471-0005. Sunday, April 26: Tour Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, Doña Ana Mountains. Explore East side of the Doña Ana Mountains, the smallest piece of the new Monument but one of the most spectacular. Moderate-difficulty hike on both off-trail and on-trail segments looking for great views. No more than 4 miles, 800-foot elevation gain. Sturdy hiking shoes, lots of water. Paul Pierce, 505 670-7653. May Saturday, May 2: Easy hike to Glorieta Ghost Town, about 7 miles and 950-foot gain. Marcia Skillman, (505) 699-3008, marciaskillman@ hotmail.com. Saturday May 2: GPS class — Introduction to field use of a hand-held GPS; will cover basic navigation tech- niques, including use of trip computer, waypoints, saving routes and other navigation tools. Maximum participants 10; GPS units will be provided. Meet at 10 a.m. at Open Space Visitor Center parking lot, 6500 Coors Blvd. To reserve space, email John: gjuanito@hotmail. Aku Oppenheimer com. Provide email, cell and home Hikers make their way through Diablo Canyon on a sunny March day. phone. Total distance 3.8 miles around a loop, About 4 miles, 1,300-foot elevation gain, Sunday, May 3: Easy hike along Get into outings: can be interrupted at any time for 90-mile RT drive, Michael Goldey, (505) the route of the old Chile Line Railroad shorter distance. Stay for picnic after 820-7302, [email protected]. from Embudo station. About 5 miles. Tobin Oruch, Outings co-chair the walk. Odile de la Beaujardiere, Wednesday, June 10: Moderate/ Alan Shapiro, (505) 424-9242 Nm5s@ for the Northern New Mexico [email protected], 505 433 4692, strenuous hike with a reasonably yahoo.com Group, has an excellent weekly provide email and cell and home phone. fast pace. We’ll meet in town at 5 p.m., Sunday May 3: Walk between e-mail on outings, Sierra Trail Mix. Saturday, May 30: Easy to carpool if necessary, and be off the trail the narrow tall canyon walls It provides information on moderate loop hike with steep by dark (8:45 p.m.). Maybe Big T/Carl’s of Monticello Box and down the outings plus useful outdoor infor- sections from Aspen Vista up to Carl’s Meadow loop, but maximum of 6 miles Alamosa Creek fed by the historic mation such as trail conditions. Meadow, up to the ski lift and around and 1,100-foot gain. Two-three dogs Warm Springs. The trees will be leafing Send an email to Listserv@lists. back down to the road. Looks like about OK. Tobin Oruch, (505) 690-6253, out and spring migrating birds will be sierraclub.org with any subject and 3.5 miles and 1,100 feet of gain. Lisa [email protected]. in among them. Wear shoes or rubber a message that says SUBSCRIBE Bowdey, (505) 699-2953. Saturday, June 13-Monday, June boots that can get fully soaked (not RIO-NORTH-OUTINGS. Saturday, May 30: Moderate to 15: Colorado high without the newly sandals; the gravel at stream bottom is strenuous hike to Deception Peak legal stuff. Redcloud 14,034 feet and too sharp.). The water is shallow; there [email protected]. 12,320 feet via Ravens Ridge. About Sunshine 14,001 feet. About 12 miles is no avoiding wet feet. Bring binocu- Wednesday, May 13: Second- 6 miles with 2,000-foot elevation gain. with 4,800-foot elevation gain. Travel lars, camera, sunscreen and lunch for Wednesday evening hike experiment Dogs OK. Royal Drews 505-699-8713 to via Lake City with possible return via a stroll down the stream about 2 miles continues. Moderate/strenuous hike Saturday, May 30: Strenuous Silverton. Royal Drews (505) 699-8713. and then 2 miles back out. Have dry with a reasonably fast pace. We’ll meet hike to Caballo Peak, pending the Saturday, June 13: Easy hike shoes and socks for the drive home. in town at 5 p.m. and be off the trail outcome of a determined scouting to the eagle traps in Bandelier Meet in Winston across from the by dark (8:20 p.m.). Maybe Big T/FR excursion, or similar destination along National Monument backcountry. store on Highway 52. High-clearance About 4.5 miles round-trip offtrail as we 102 loop, but maximum of 6 miles and the Valles Caldera rim. Strenuous vehicles needed to reach the trail head. locate two old Indian eagle traps. Alan 1,100-foot gain. Two-three dogs OK. in either case, especially if through Space limited. Mary Katherine Ray at areas burned by the Las Conchas fire. Shapiro, (505) 424-9242 Nm5s@yahoo. Tobin Oruch, (505) 690-6253, tobin. 575-772-5655. Michael Di Rosa, mddbbm@gmail, com. [email protected]. Saturday, May 9: Easy hike 505-667-0095 (weekdays), 505-231- Saturday, June 20: 9-11 a.m. Saturday, May 16: Strenuous around White Rock, 6.5 miles with 9629 (evenings). Santa Fe River Cleanup. Meet at Starting great views, petroglyphs and a lava tube. hike to North Sandia Peak. Closson Street Footbridge by 9 a.m. at Tunnel Spring trailhead, we will hike Alan Shapiro, (505) 424-9242 Nm5s@ June Bring work gloves. Rubber boots help- yahoo.com. to North Sandia Peak via the Del Orno Saturday, June 6: Strenuous ful if recent rains. Leader will supply Saturday May 9: South Peak Trail (Tr. 130B) and North Crest Trail hike to South Sandia Peak. 9-mile trash bags. Contact leader if attend- strenuous hike up Embudito trail. (Tr. 130). Our return will be via the 10K round-trip route via the CCC trail ing. Kathleen Davis, (505) 795-3286, Last part to summit steep and rocky. Trail (Tr. 200), Osha Loop Trail (Tr. makes it shorter, but steeper. Beautiful [email protected] Total distance 11 miles, elevation gain 201), and Osha Spring Trail (Tr. 247). high meadows and great views. Alan Sunday, June 21, Moderate/ 4,000 feet. Odile de la Beaujardiere, We will need to set up a short car shuttle Shapiro, (505) 424-9242 Nm5s@yahoo. strenuous hike from Jacks Creek [email protected], 505-433-4692. before starting the hike. Early start. Two com to Dockweiler, 10 miles, 1,600-foot Provide email, cell and home phone. or three dogs OK. About 14 miles and Saturday June 6: Strenuous four- gain, with car-shuttle. Daisy Levine, Saturday, May 9: Moderate hike 4,000-foot elevation gain. Larry, lorenz. peak hike. Starting at Big Tesuque (505) 466-8338. on Frijoles Rim Trail in Bandelier, 9 [email protected], (505) 913-0589. Campground, we will hike to Tesuque Saturday, June 27: Strenuous miles, 1,200-foot gain. Good views and Saturday, May 16: 9-11 a.m. Peak, continue on to Deception, Lake, hike to North Truchas Peak by archaeological sites. Bring NPS pass if Santa Fe River Cleanup. Meet at and Penitente. Return via Puerto way of Rio San Leonardo and Lakes, you have one. Daisy Levine, 505-466- Closson Street Footbridge by 9 a.m. Nambe and the Winsor trail. Early a walk in greenery and blooming 8338. Bring work gloves. Rubber boots help- start. Two or three dogs OK. About columbines before ascending “Sheep’s Sunday, May 10: Moderate hike ful if recent rains. Leader will supply 15 miles and 3,700-foot elevation gain. Head” ridge for a view of Hades below. to Otowi Mesa near Los Alamos, 5 trash bags. Contact leader if attend- Larry, [email protected], (505) About 11 miles total with a net climb to 6 miles along mesa top, narrow at ing. Kathleen Davis, (505) 795-3286, 913-0589. of 4,000-plus feet, mostly off trail with times. Some rock scrambling. 500 feet [email protected]. Sunday, June 7: Moderate hike scree scrambling. Michael Di Rosa, of elevation gain. Great 360-degree Sunday, May 17: Elena Gallegos to Cerro Grande overlooking the mddbbm@gmail, 505-667-0095 (week- views. Michael Goldey, (505) 820-7302, easy walk in Elena Gallegos Park. Valdes Caldera outside Los Alamos. days), (505) 231-9629 (evenings). April/May/June 2015 Rio Grande Sierran 15 Dave Gabel A half-dozen people joined outings leader Tobin Oruch for a cross-country romp to Nambé Lake in March. The Rio Grande Chapter offers outings of all levels — easy, moderate and strenuous — and lists difficulty level in the descriptions. Check out the great variety of free, expert-led adventures available on Pages 15 and 16! Hikes & Events for April-May-June April (bring park pass if you have welcome. Quiet time for medi- one). Marcia Skillman, (505) tation at top. Optional Box Saturday, April 4: 699-3008, marciaskillman@ Remember Canyon spur adds 2-3 miles. Moderate hike on Black Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter outings are free Royal Drews, (505) 699-8713. Mesa near Ojo Caliente, hotmail.com. and open to the public. Level of difficulty is listed in hike about 8 miles, 800-foot eleva- Saturday, April 11: GPS Sunday, April 19: Tour descriptions. All mileages are round-trip. Participants must tion gain, mostly offtrail with class — Introduction to field Organ Mountains Desert sign a liability waiver. Bring water, lunch, sturdy hiking boots a scramble on loose rock and use of a hand-held GPS, class Peaks National Monument, or shoes and clothing suitable for the weather. boulders to the mesa top. Great will cover basic navigation Soledad/Bar Canyon. Easy to Leader reserves right to turn away anyone whose experi- scenery and petroglyphs. Daisy techniques including use of the moderate three-mile loop in ence or equipment appears unsuitable. Leader may alter the Organ Mountains. The Bar Levine, (505) 466-8338. trip computer, using waypoints, destination or cancel trip due to weather, unfavorable conditions, Canyon Trail includes scenic Sunday, April 5: saving routes and other naviga- or insufficient number of participants. Unaccompanied minors vistas of the central Organ Moderate bike/hike to tion tools. Maximum partici- need written permission from a parent or guardian. Ask leader Mountains and the southern Cerro Colorado peak above pants 10; GPS units will be for form. Dogs permitted only if so noted in write-up. Mesilla Valley. Howie Dash, Ojo Caliente. About 9-mile provided. No dogs. Meet 10 Always contact leader before the outing to confirm 575-652-7550, howiedash@aol. round-trip with about half by a.m. at Open Space Visitor Center, 6500 Coors Blvd., participation and details. Please see riograndesierraclub. com. mountain bike on 4-wheel- org/outings for the most up-to-date information and new hikes. drive road. The hike’s last parking lot.To reserve space, Saturday, April 25: To receive Tobin Oruch’s weekly e-mail with updated half-mile is off-trail and steep. email John: gjuanito@hotmail. Strenuous loop hike to outings information, send an email to [email protected]. and Stone Alan Shapiro, (505) 424-9242 com. Provide email as well as Yapashi Pueblo org with any subject and a message that says SUBSCRIBE Lions in Bandelier. Starting [email protected]. cell and home phone. RIO-NORTH-OUTINGS. at the visitors center, we will Wednesday, April 8: Sunday, April 12: take the usual route to Yapashi Moderate/strenuous Moderate hike up Tetilla and Stone Lions, but return evening hike. We’ll meet Peak via a short route of provide email, cell and home 9-11 a.m. Santa Fe River via the Upper Alamo Canyon in town at 5 p.m., carpool if 3 miles, some steep and all phone. Cleanup. Meet at Closson trail crossing and the Frijoles necessary, and be off the trail by off-trail. Alan Shapiro, (505) Saturday, April 18: Street Footbridge by 9 a.m. Rim trail. Early start. About 15 dark (7:50 p.m.) with a reason- 424-9242 [email protected]. Strenuous loop hike in Bring work gloves. Rubber miles and 2,300-foot elevation ably fast pace. If Atalaya, Sunday April 12: Ojito the Caja del Rio, including boots helpful if recent rains. gain. Larry, lorenz.hughes@ would be 7 miles and 1,700- — Explore the hoodoos in the Montoso Peak, Montoso Mar, Leader will supply trash bags. gmail.com, (505) 913-0589 foot gain. Two-three dogs OK. new Ojito wilderness. Total and a several-mile stretch along Contact leader if attending.

Tobin Oruch, (505) 690-6253, miles 5.5. Part of the hike is the Rio Grande. Route covers Greg Lower, 505-699-6893 or Sunday, April 26: Work [email protected]. off-trail, up or down steep 12 miles and an elevation gain [email protected] trip cleaning up brushy vegetation along the short Saturday, April 11: slopes over short segments. of 2,000 feet, many off-trail Sunday, April 19: Easy to section of the old Chile Easy/moderate hike in Dogs OK (2 total). Meet at sections, some rock scrambling. moderate hike to Kitchen Line Railroad at the foot of Bandelier to ruins on mesa, 9 in Albuquerque or 10:15 Michael Di Rosa, mddbbm@ Mesa at Ghost Ranch. About Buckman Road with Alan maybe 5 miles and 500-foot at the trail head. Odile de gmail, 505-667-0095 (week- 4.5 miles with 600-foot eleva- Hamilton. Enjoy the views of gain, some off-trail, start- la Beaujardiere, Odile.dlb@ days), 505-231-9629 (evenings). tion gain and short slot scram- ing from Visitors Center outlook.com, 505-433-4692, Saturday, April 18, ble. Slot-climbing canines Continued on Page 15 16 Rio Grande Sierran April/May/June 2015