Produced water discharge plan faces opposition from legislators

Staff report More than two dozen New Mexico State legislators delivered a letter to the Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC) urging it to reconsider its plan to authorize pilot treatment projects discharging treated produced water to groundwater.  The 27 lawmakers who signed the letter are requesting a halt to these projects until scientifically based quality […]

Posted inGovernment, New Mexico Statewide News

Real ID law implementation sparks concerns, New Mexico Group advocates for immigrant rights

Staff report As the federal Real ID Act went into effect this week, concerns regarding privacy, discrimination and confusion have surfaced, particularly within immigrant communities, according to a press release from Somos Un Pueblo Unido, a New Mexico organization that “is actively working to protect the rights and dignity of undocumented immigrants in the face […]

Posted inEnvironment, Climate & Conservation, New Mexico Statewide News

Mora-San Miguel Electric Cooperative reflects on recent wildfires, plan for the future

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 […]

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 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 inNational News, New Mexico Statewide News, Syndicated

Trump military border charges sow confusion in federal courts

by Reyes Mata III, Maria Sacchetti, Dan Lamothe (c) 2025 , The Washington Post LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The swift expansion of the Trump administration’s new “national defense areas” on the southern border – enabling U.S. troops to detain migrants so that prosecutors can charge them with trespassing on military property – is sowing confusion […]

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, National News, New Mexico Statewide News, Syndicated

Park Service suspends air-quality monitoring at all national parks

Authors: Maxine Joselow Park Service suspends air-quality monitoring at all national parks The Trump administration has temporarily suspended an air-quality monitoring program at national parks across the country, according to an internal email obtained by The Washington Post and two people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the decision […]