Environment

New Mexico, Colorado Delegations Urge President To Direct Federal Resources To Gold King Mine Response

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SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― Members of the New Mexico and Colorado congressional delegations are urging President Barack Obama to direct any and all appropriate federal resources to help respond to damage from the Gold King Mine spill that occurred last week in the Animas River.
 
Communities in both states along the affected rivers are working quickly to minimize the short-term and long-term public health and economic challenges caused by the tragic spill.
 
Recovering from the spill will take a full and coordinated approach from the Environmental Protection
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LANL: Young, Jupiter-like Planet Discovered

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Jupiter-like planet. Couresy/LANL

LANL News:

A team of researchers has discovered a Jupiter-like planet within a young system that could provide a new understanding of how planets formed around the sun.

The new planet, called 51 Eridani b, is the first exoplanet discovered by the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI), a new instrument operated by an international collaboration headed by Bruce Macintosh, a professor of physics in the Kavli Institute at Stanford University. It is a million times fainter than its star and shows the strongest methane signature ever detected on an alien planet, which should Read More

Ban Lifted On Water Supply Connection To Animas And San Juan Rivers And Public’s Recreational Use

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NMED NEWS:

  • Governor Susana Martinez’ Long-Term Impact Review Team in Place

FARMINGTON – New Mexico Environment Department Secretary Ryan Flynn, Game and Fish Department Director Alexa Sandoval and Health Department Secretary Retta Ward Saturday lifted the ban on San Juan County’s drinking water systems’ supply connection to the Animas and San Juan Rivers and on the public’s recreational use of the rivers.

The ban is lifted with certain prudent health practices, following the Aug. 5 Gold King Mine Spill.

“Because the waters of the Animas and San Juan Rivers are now meeting all applicable Read More

Governor Announces Long-Term Impact Review Team to Monitor EPA-Caused Spill In Animas River

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Effects of the massive 3 million gallon waste spill in the Animas River flowing through Aztec last week. Photo by Randy Foster

STATE News:

FARMINGTON — Today, Gov. Susana Martinez announced the creation of a multiagency, long-term impact review team to monitor the effects of the massive 3 million gallon waste spill in the Animas River that EPA officials have admitted to causing.

After touring the spill by helicopter for the second time in less than a week, the Governor made the announcement with cabinet secretaries and directors of the New Mexico Departments of Agriculture, Environment, Game Read More

Conditions Are Perfect For UNM-LA Mushroom Hike

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Boletes mushrooms. Courtesy/UNM-LA

UNM-LA News:

The recent rains have made local mountainsides green, wildflowers dot the mesa tops, and the wild mushrooms abundant if one knows where to look.

That’s why UNM-LA Community Education is excited to offer a mushroom hike 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22. Experienced mushroom forager Thomas Peña is leading the hike.

“This year’s precipitation is going to be a real boon for the mushrooms,” Peña said. “Normally, the area where we hike is quite green and lush, but this should be a banner year.”

This one-day outing will have students hiking in the beautiful Read More

Wildflower Walk With Chick Keller Aug. 17

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Los Alamos wildflower. Courtesy/PEEC

PEEC News:

With the continued rain, we’ve been having lately, beautiful wildflowers abound. Join PEEC’s Jemez Mountain Herbarium curator, Chick Keller, for a Wildflower Walk at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 17 to discover what some of them are and where they can be found.

This will be an easy walk to identify some of the wildflowers that can be found in and around Los Alamos. The group will meet at the Nature Center at 2600 Canyon Road, and the group will carpool to the trail that Keller will select based on what is blooming at the time. The walk is free and there Read More

Experts Present ‘Coyotes In Our Midst’ At Nature Center

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A coyote spotted in Corrales. Photo by Project Coyote

PEEC News:

From deserts to mountains, coyotes are one of the most adaptable species in New Mexico. However, not everyone welcomes the resilience of this local predator.

To learn more about this canine, meet New Mexico Project Coyote representative, Judy Paulsen, and Project Coyote Science Advisory Board Wildlife Biologist Dave Parsons, as they speak at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18 at the Los Alamos Nature Center, about the challenges and opportunities coyotes provide to both urban and rural communities.

This presentation reveals the fascinating Read More

PEEC Amateur Naturalist: Visualizing Nature With Art

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Maple leaf. Courtesy photo
 
Maple leaf painting by Cathy Hillegas. Courtesy image
 
 
PEEC Amateur Naturalist
By ROBERT DRYJA
 
Visualizing Nature with Art
 
The natural world can be visualized with a digital technology in a variety of ways.
 
A digital photograph may have its contrast, spectrum, or color saturation manipulated to create a more interesting image or emphasize some characteristic. The maple leaf photograph is an example of this.
 
The leaf is lit from behind in order to emphasize the rib pattern in it. The contrast also has been increased
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Luján Meets With EPA Administrator McCarthy

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U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján

STATE News:

FARMINGTON – U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District released the following statement today after participating in meetings and briefings with EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy over the past two days on the Gold King Mine spill. 

Luján met with McCarthy in Durango, Colo., and Farmington. Earlier in the week he spoke with McCarty on the importance of visiting New Mexico. Luján, along with New Mexico Senators Udall and Heinrich, also sent a letter to McCarthy to express their concerns with EPA’s response.

EPA Administrator Read More

PNM Has New Plan For San Juan Generating Station

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SIERRA CLUB News:

  • New Plan Includes Clean Energy Credits and Offers Opportunity to Revisit Future of SJGS in 2018

ALBUQUERQUE – Today the Public Service Company of New Mexico released a new plan for the future of the San Juan Generating Station as part of their ongoing negotiations with the Public Regulation Commission.

 

In response, Nellis Kennedy-Howard, Senior Campaign Representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign, released the following statement:

 

“PNM’s new plan for the San Juan Generating Station offers an opportunity for PNM to commit to retiring Read More