OP/ED

Op-Ed: The Saltwater Dilemma: Innovation At The Heart Of The American Southwest

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By ZACARIAH L. HILDENBRAND, Ph.D. and KEVIN A. SCHUG, Ph.D.
Medusa Analytical

In the arid heart of Southeastern New Mexico, something remarkable is happening. Eddy and Lea counties—once quiet corners of the American Southwest—are now producing over a million barrels of oil per day, outpacing entire nations like Venezuela and Oman. But this boom comes with a byproduct that’s stirring both controversy and innovation: produced water.

This salty, chemical-laden fluid is a result of hydraulic fracturing, where water, sand, and additives are injected deep underground to release oil and gas Read More

Op Ed: Petroleum Integral In Educational Supplies

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By MISSI CURRIER
CEO
New Mexico Oil and Gas Association

Welcome back to school, New Mexico! With families getting back to their school routines, the usual checklist comes out: notebooks, pencils, backpacks, lunchboxes. As we stock up on school supplies, it’s easy to overlook the science and energy behind the scenes. From powering classrooms to producing the materials we rely on, oil and gas quietly support nearly every aspect of our educational system—making schools more accessible, comfortable, and functional for students and teachers alike.

That backpack your child slings over his or Read More

Op-Ed: Which Side Are You On?

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By ANDI KRON
Los Alamos

I recently reunited with an Israeli friend who was visiting the Lab on official business. It had been 2 1/5 years since I last saw him in Israel. “How are things going in Israel?” I asked with trepidation. “We are traumatized,” he answered. His brother is a surgeon and has been on reserve duty for months as a medic in Gaza. His wife is a lecturer in universities and lost several students in the massacre of October 7, 2023. Her parents live in the south where Hamas terrorists infiltrated and killed residents of their community. He needs police protection when he travels to Europe Read More

Shin: Questions Regarding County Sale Of 20th Street And A8A Properties

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By LISA SHIN
Los Alamos

Tomorrow, on Aug. 26, 2025, the Purchase, Sale, and Development Agreements for the 20th Street Redevelopment and the Mixed-Income Workforce Housing on the A-8-A Parcel will be on the Council agenda.

As many already know, I am closely watching redevelopment in Los Alamos. There are both positive and negative consequences on small business owners like myself. All citizens should be concerned about the impact of high-density housing on existing utilities, our environment, open spaces, traffic, pollution, and crime.

Please attend to make your voices heard, or email Read More

Los Alamos Facing Financial Challenge We Can’t Ignore

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By ALLAN SAENZ
Los Alamos

Los Alamos is facing a financial challenge we can’t ignore. From conversations with leaders across multiple organizations, it’s clear that times have changed. Many groups are struggling with fewer volunteers, fewer donors, and changing behaviors in how people give and shop. The Los Alamos Arts Council and Fuller Lodge Art Center are facing serious financial problems. The Senior Centers are looking at a funding gap of more than $200,000, driven in part by reductions in federal and state funding.

This is not an isolated case. Groups like 100 Men Who Care and 100+ Women Read More

Op-Ed: Los Alamos Our Arts Need Help!

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By BECCA JONES
Los Alamos

Code Red in Los Alamos: our town’s arts heartbeat is at risk.

The Los Alamos Arts Council and Fuller Lodge Art Center are facing a $10,000 year-end deficit, and they need our support now to remain thriving community anchors.

Why this matters…

These spaces offer essential, affordable access to the arts for all ages:

  • After-school programs for elementary students, a safe and welcoming environment where kids can explore creativity; giving kids a “third place”;
  • Adult art classes that build skills, foster community connections, and help neighbors reconnect with
Read More

Rule Of Law Advances A Civil And Engaged Democracy

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New Mexico Supreme Court Chief Justice David K. Thomson, Courtesy/NMSC

By Chief Justice David K. Thomson
New Mexico Supreme Court

I am pleased to announce the New Mexico Supreme Court’s fifth annual “Rule of Law” program. The goal of the program is to educate middle school, high school, and college students on the judiciary’s role in our democracy and how the rule of law secures a just and civil society. This year we will hold oral argument at the Henderson Fine Arts Center at San Juan College in Farmington on Aug. 28, at 1 p.m.

Normally, I write an op-ed in advance of the program to discuss the importance Read More

Pawlak: In For A Penny

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By JOHN PAWLAK
Advisory Board Member
UNM-Los Alamos

Okay, first of all, this letter has nothing to do with a penny. Absolutely nothing. Now, that being said, let’s talk about the penny. Due to the increasing price of copper and production, it costs four cents to mint/distribute a penny. Leave it to our government to lose money by making money, eh? 2025 will be the last year in which we mint the penny. Will this change the meaning of “A penny for your thoughts”?

OK, I didn’t want to talk about the death of the US penny, but rather about something more personal, your death. But let’s be honest, saying “Let’s Read More

Gessing: New Mexico And The Film Industry Recession

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By PAUL GESSING
Executive Director
Rio Grande Foundation

Since the days of Bill Richardson’s Administration, the Rio Grande Foundation has opposed New Mexico’s generous film subsidies. Back in Richardson’s day, the primary subsidy was a 25 percent “refundable” tax credit, meaning that anyone filming in New Mexico received up to 25 percent of what they spent to film in the Land of Enchantment (courtesy of New Mexico’s taxpayers).

Gov. Susana Martinez attempted to rein in the subsidy program. Along with the Legislature, she placed a $50 million annual spending cap on film subsidies. When Lujan Read More

Op-Ed: New Mexico’s Energy Industry Is Leading the Way on Climate Progress

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By MISSI CURRIER
President & CEO of New Mexico Oil & Gas Association

Throughout New Mexico’s oil and gas basins, a transition continues—one that is reshaping the narrative around energy production and environmental stewardship. Late last year, analysis from S&P Global Commodity Insights revealed that methane emissions in the Permian Basin have declined so significantly that the reduction is equivalent to the annual carbon emissions avoided by every electric vehicle in the United States. This is not just a milestone—it’s transformation and innovation.

Just last month, Read More