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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 Publication information for the Sierran Donate — it’s easy! he Rio Grande Sierran is address will be printed as a source of When you contribute to the Rio published four times a year, Volunteer needed more information, unless the contribu- Grande Chapter, your entire dona- in January, April, July and Our online Sierran volunteer tor specifies otherwise. Submissions tion stays here in TOctober, by the Rio Grande Chapter New Mexico and Ishwari, who emails Sierrans to must be received by the 10th of the of the Sierra Club as a benefit for all those who don’t want the hard month prior to publication. West Texas to protect members living in New Mexico and copy, is moving on. This job only Editorial practices as developed and our air, land, water West Texas. takes a short time out of your adopted by the Rio Grande Chapter and wildlife. Use the Rio Grande Chapter offices are schedule once every three months, will be used in production of the Rio Q-code app on your smartphone to scan our code here, or at 142 Truman NE, Albuquerque, but it’s an important task! If you’d Grande Sierran. send your check to: NM, 87108. For extra copies, e-mail like to help by taking over for Contents of the Group pages are [email protected]. Ishwari, please contact monabla- Brintha Nathan, bookkeeper the responsibility of the editor for that The opinions expressed in [email protected] 1724 Callejon Emilia Group and any policies that are in signed articles in the Rio Grande Santa Fe, NM 87501. place from that Group.