By Hannah Grover Les Montoya, general manager of the Mora-San Miguel Electric Cooperative, reflected on the utility’s experience during the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire of 2022 and discussed wildfire preparedness initiatives on Thursday during a workshop discussion. The workshop was part of a series hosted by the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission. The Hermits Peak/Calf […]
Hannah Grover, nm.news
Hannah Grover is a senior reporter covering local news and New Mexico's energy transition.
Posted inEnvironment, Climate & Conservation, New Mexico Statewide News
Feds say there’s a ‘serious defect’ in listing the lesser prairie chicken as endangered
By Hannah Grover The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior asked a federal district court to send the listing of the lesser prairie chicken under the Endangered Species Act back to the agencies as they plan to vacate the listing. Industry groups, including the Permian Basin Petroleum Association as […]
Posted inEdgewood, Healthcare
Edgewood Town Commission rejects attempt to repeal anti-abortion ordinance
By Hannah Grover An attempt by Edgewood Commissioner Filandro Anaya to repeal an anti-abortion ordinance the Town Commission passed in 2023 failed at the commission’s April 22 meeting. Anaya made the motion to start the public hearing process to remove the ordinance from the books, but none of the other commissioners seconded the motion. That […]
Posted inEnvironment, Climate & Conservation, New Mexico Statewide News
Forest Service official says agency will need help from state, community partners
By Hannah Grover U.S. Forest Service Acting Associate Chief Chris French said his agency will need assistance from state and community partners amid budget cuts and staff departures. French answered questions during a U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry this week during a hearing on the Fix Our Forests Act. The Fix Our […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., New Mexico Statewide News
Vasquez, Zinke launch public lands caucus amid push to sell off parcels
By Hannah Grover U.S. Reps. Gabe Vasquez, a New Mexico Democrat, and Ryan Zinke, a Republican from Montana, launched a new effort known as the Public Lands Caucus on Wednesday. This effort comes on the heels of the House Natural Resources Committee adopting amendments Tuesday evening to the budget bill that would lead to the […]
Posted inEnergy Transition, New Mexico Statewide News
Utility says it needs rate hike to meet New Mexico’s 40% renewables goal
By Hannah Grover A utility serving customers in southern New Mexico is asking state regulators to approve a small increase to a rate rider that will support bringing new renewable resources online. El Paso Electric filed a plan with the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission on Friday outlining how it will reach the state-required 40% […]
Posted inEnvironment, Climate & Conservation, Estancia
Estancia’s water situation is improving, but conservation is still needed
By Hannah Grover When the Town of Estancia sent out a notice asking residents to conserve water, there was approximately 18 feet in its storage tank and about 3 feet in the Torrance County Detention Center’s storage tank. Now Mayor Nathan Dial said the town has 38 feet of water in its storage tank and […]
Posted inEast Mountains, Environment, Climate & Conservation
Home hardening techniques to protect your residence from fire
By Hannah Grover With more than half of New Mexico experiencing extreme drought conditions, officials throughout the state are concerned about this year’s fire season. Bernalillo County and its partners hosted a wildfire preparedness town hall on Thursday at the Los Vecinos Community Center in Tijeras. While the federal funding cuts and reductions in staff […]
Posted inEnvironment, Climate & Conservation, Estancia
Estancia residents asked to conserve water amid well issues
By Hannah Grover The Town of Estancia is asking residents to conserve water because the well is not producing enough to meet demands. Estancia posted a notice on social media and its website this week, alerting residents to the situation and asking them to conserve water. The Town Board of Trustees met with community members […]
Posted inEdgewood, Housing & Homelessness
‘The kind of housing we need:’ Multi-family housing development is in the works
By Hannah Grover A new multi-family housing development may be coming to Edgewood as developers work to make housing more accessible to a wider range of people. The property owner — Tanner Sprinkle — plans on building town homes on the parcels. The development could house around 46 people, according to Sprinkle, who provided that […]