Rio Grande Sierran Volume 57, Issue 2 News of the Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter: New Mexico & West Texas April/May/June 2019 Landmark laws Clean-energy measure puts New Mexico atop nation: Page 8 What passed, what Yip yip, Hurray! New Mexico Governor vetoes didn’t in a new era outlaws coyote-killing contests funding for Gila for N.M. politics How N.M. wildlife bills fared: Page 7 River diversion Legislation summary: Page 9 Win for river: Page 10 Photo by Derrick Toledo Supporters celebrate at the March 22 signing ceremony for the Energy Transition Act, which creates an equitable transition to 100% carbon-free electricity in New Mexico. Dutch Salmon, Federal bill protects 1945-2019 N.M. monuments The conservationist and Sen. Martin Heinrich writes about Gila River champion the 13 new wilderness areas in New co-founded the Gila Mexico resulting from the recently Conservation Coalition. passed public-lands law. Page 10 Page 6 Photo courtesy Allyson Siwik Photo courtesy Lisa Mandelkern EXPLORE, ENJOY AND PROTECT THE PLANET More inside: Rio Grande Chapter Non-Profit Org. Global Warming Express takes on plastic Sierra Club U.S. Postage Participants in kids’ program testify to take Albuquerque beyond 1807 Second St., Unit 45 PAID plastic and lead sit-ins at the Roundhouse. Page 3. Santa Fe, NM 87505 Albuquerque, NM Permit No. 612 Air-quality results from Counselor Navajo chapter residents surrounded by oil and gas drilling. Page 12. What ‘Dirty Water Rule’ means for you Proposed rule impacts 96% of N.M. surface waters. Page 6 More: Southern New Mexico: Page 10. Central New Mexico Group: Pages 3, 5. Northern New Mexico: Pages 12-13. Pajarito Group: 14. Hikes: Pages 15-16 Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter Contacts riograndesierraclub.org facebook.com/nmsierraclub Twitter: @riograndesierra instagram.com/riograndesierraclub Executive Committee 864-0209, [email protected] Bag-Free Team: Jody Benson, Personnel Chair: John Buchser. Brintha Nathan, bookkeeper, 505- [email protected], 505-662-4782 Members: David Coss, Laurence David Coss, chair, 310-0595, [email protected] Organ Mountains Desert Peaks: [email protected] Gibson, Ken Hughes, Fred Houdek Vice treasurer: Connie Huffmire Howie Dash, [email protected]. Mary Hotvedt, vice chair Political Committee: Chair: Richard Western New Mexico [email protected] Conservation Issues Barish, [email protected]. Robert Tohe, Our Wild America Conservation Chair: Karl Laurence Gibson, secretary, Members: Susan Martin; Pajarito: senior organizing representative, 928- Braithwaite, 505-850-3369, karl@ 915-309-5419, [email protected] Jody Benson; Central Group: Richard 774-6103, [email protected] braith.net Ray Shortridge, treasurer, 505-604- Barish; Southern Group: Kurt Ander- Sierra Club National Energy/Climate Change: 3908, [email protected] 2101 Webster St., Suite 1300, Oak- Chair: Karl Braithwaite son; El Paso Group: Laurence Gibson; Susan Martin, 505-670-3279, land, CA, 94612. 415-977-5500 Water: Chair: John Buchser, 505-820- Northern New Mexico Group: Tom [email protected] Local Groups 0201, [email protected] Gorman; David Coss; Mary Hotvedt; John Buchser, jbuchser@ Dairy: Dan Lorimier, dlorimier1948@ Patricia Cardona. Central New Mexico Group, 2215 comcast.net, 505-820-0201 gmail.com Political Compliance Officer: Rich- Eric Patterson, 575-776-2833, Lead Ave. SE, Albuquerque, 87106 Public Lands: Chair: Tom Gorman, ard Barish, 505-232-3013, [email protected] Chair: Fred Houdek, fjhoudek@gmail. 505-438-3932, [email protected] [email protected] Karl Braithwaite, 505-850-3369, com, 630-809-4234. Nuclear-Waste Storage: John [email protected] El Paso Group, P.O. Box 9191, El Buchser, Patricia Cardona, Richard Sierra Student Coalition: El Paso: Paso, TX 79995, Chair: Laurence Shannon Romeling, 575-758-3874, Barish, Don Hancock Neysa Hardin, [email protected]; Gibson, [email protected], 915-309- [email protected] Wildlife: Chair: Mary Katherine Ray, Albuquerque/UNM: Keely Scheffler, 5419. Fred Houdek, Central New Mexico 575-772-5655, [email protected] Northern New Mexico Group, [email protected], 303-217-1943 Four Corners: Miya King-Flaherty, Group representative: fjhoudek@ 1807 Second St., Unit 45, Santa Fe, [email protected] Coalitions/Working Groups gmail.com, 630-809-4234 NM 87505, 505-983-2703, Chair: Methane: Camilla Feibelman, Tom Gorman, Northern New Mexico Teresa Seamster, ctc.seamster@gmail. America Votes: Richard Barish Group representative: 505-438-3932, com, 505-466-8964. [email protected] Chaco Coalition: Miya King-Flaherty, [email protected] Pajarito Group, 520 Navajo Road, Mining, Sand & Gravel: Allyson Robert Tohe, Teresa Seamster Siwik, [email protected] Jody Benson, Pajarito Group rep- Los Alamos, NM, 87544. Chair: Jody Coalition for Clean Affordable Zero Waste: Northern New Mexico resentative, [email protected], Benson, [email protected]. Energy: Karl Braithwaite 505-662-4782 Southern New Mexico Group, P.O. Group: Joe Eigner, 505-570-0583, [email protected]. Central NM Doña Ana County: Howie Dash Kurt Anderson, Southern New Mex- Box 735, Mesilla, NM, 88046; Chair: Group: Carol Chamberland, Environmental Alliance of New ico Group representative, 575-646- Howie Dash, [email protected]. [email protected], 505-341- Mexico: Patricia Cardona, Melinda 1032, [email protected] Outings 1027 Smith, Brittany Fallon El Paso Group representative: Open Chapter outings chair: Odile de La Activism Teams Friends of the Rio Grande del Beaujardiere, [email protected], 505- Communications Team: Chair: Da- Norte: Eric Patterson Offices and Staff 433-4692 Albuquerque office vid Coss. Members: Laurence Gibson, Valles Caldera: Teresa Seamster Central New Mexico: Terry Owen, John Buchser, Shannon Romeling 2215 Lead Ave. SE, Albuquerque, [email protected], 505-553-1664 Rio Puerco Management 87106, 505-243-7767 Rio Grande Sierran Editori- Committee: Tom Gorman El Paso: Laurence Gibson, lgibson@ al Board: Laurence Gibson, Ken Camilla Feibelman, Rio Grande Turquoise Trail Regional Alliance: utep.edu Hughes, Mary Katherine Ray, Jody Chapter director, 505-715-8388 or Northern New Mexico: Alan Benson, David Coss, Shannon Rome- Denise Fort [email protected] Shapiro, [email protected] ling Nuclear-waste storage: John Miya King-Flaherty, Our Wild New Southern New Mexico: Howie Sierran Editor: Mona Blaber, 505- Buchser, [email protected], 505- Mexico organizing representative, Dash, [email protected] 660-5905, [email protected] 505-243-7767, 820-0201 Inspiring Connections Outdoors: Web Editor: Ellen Loehman, [email protected] Chihuahuan Desert Border Coali- Santa Fe: Raymond Greenwell, [email protected], 505-328-2954 Cecilia Chávez Beltrán, Span- tion: Kurt Anderson, [email protected] [email protected], 516-312-5751 Elections: ish-language outings, cecilia.chavez. El Paso: Ted Mertig, 915-852-3011, Nominating: National Representatives [email protected], 505-243-7767 [email protected] Finance: Ray Shortridge, chair, 505- Council of Club Leaders Delegate: Brittany Fallon, brittany.fallon@ Military Outdoors Program: 604-3908; Members: Brintha Nathan, Shannon Romeling sierraclub.org, conservation and legis- Terry Owen, [email protected], Jim Baker, Claire McKnight, Connie lative organizer, 505-243-7767 Building Healthy Communities (505) 301-4349 Huffmire Derrick Toledo, derrick.toledo@si- Spanish-language outings: Ce- Fundraising: Louise Jensen Team Facilitator: Ken Hughes, 505- erraclub.org, clean-energy osrganizer, cilia Chávez Beltrán, cecilia.chavez. Members: John Buchser, David Coss, 316-2278, [email protected] [email protected] 505-243-7767, Jim Baker Sierra Club Wildlands and Wilder- Northern New Mexico Office Action Teams Legal: Richard Barish, 505-232-3013, ness BLM Subteam: Tom Gorman, 1807 Second Street, Unit 45 Bosque Action Team: Richard [email protected] Miya King-Flaherty Santa Fe, NM 87505 • 505-983-2703 Barish, [email protected], Legislative: Co-chairs: Patricia Rio Grande Water Fund: Teresa Mona Blaber, communications 505-232-3013. Cardona, 505-469-3230, patriciacar- director, 505-660-5905, monablaber@ Bosquitos: Sarita Streng, saritas- [email protected]; Melinda Smith, Seamster gmail.com [email protected], 505-243-1173 [email protected], 505-515-7284 Cover banner photo by Mary Claire McKnight, PAC treasurer, 646- Otero Mesa Action Team: Open Membership: David Coss Katherine Ray Join the Rio Poetry corner ‘Rio Grande Sierran’ publication information Grande Chapter What gods are these You can join the Sierra Club now for The Rio Grande Sierran is published Contributions are welcome. Send to Who paint this land four times a year, in January, April, riogrande.chapter@ only $15! Just go to With mystic hues of pinks and gold riograndesierraclub.org/join or send a July and October, by the Rio Grande sierraclub.org. Submissions by Rio Who lend their strength to all the $15 check with your name, address and Chapter of the Sierra Club as a benefit Grande Chapter members will take the code 1700 in the memo line to for members in New Mexico and precedence. Articles chosen to be rocks Sierra Club West Texas. The opinions expressed published are subject to editing. And unless a sky of passions Attn: Member Services in signed articles in the Sierran are Letters to the editor may be up to Behold this land where peace must 2101 Webster St., #1300 the opinions of the writers and not 400 words, subject to editing, and are reign necessarily those of the Sierra Club. printed