Deadline fast approaching for Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire victims - Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico
The deadline is this Friday, Dec. 20, to file an initial claim for damages from the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon fire.
Nearly $4 billion has been earmarked to compensate people for losses they suffered in the state’s largest-ever wildfire two and a half years ago.
The federal claims office is accepting initial claims, known as “notices of loss,” on its website and in-person at three public offices. It’s the first step for compensation, and additional details about losses can be submitted later, officials have stressed.
Congress in late 2022 approved $3.95 billion, with promises to “fully compensate” victims of the wildfire that began as two escaped prescribed burns ignited by the U.S. Forest Service. The two blazes later merged and went on to burn through a 534-square-mile area in northern New Mexico, destroying several hundred homes and upending life in small communities in and around Mora, Taos and Las Vegas, N.M.
The application period will close Friday, Dec. 20, after being open more than two years.
It is also possible that Congress could extend it again, but members of the state’s congressional delegation have urged New Mexicans to apply by Dec. 20 in case that doesn’t happen.
As of Dec. 6, the office had paid out $1.63 billion, or about 41% of the total awarded, in more than 12,200 claims. That includes $1.2 billion to individuals and households, $248 million in business claims, and $103 million to local governments.
The deadline arrives as Congress is considering a request for $1.5 billion in additional funding for the claims office, which is overseen by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. That would bring the total compensation awarded to $5.45 billion and is part of a nearly $100 billion request by President Joe Biden to fund nationwide disaster response amid ongoing expensive and destructive natural disasters across the country.
State and federal officials, along with members of Congress, have been reminding the public about the important deadline for months. Ali Rye, deputy director of the state’s emergency management department, urged those affected by the fire to file a claim and get what they’re owed.
“I cannot stress this enough,” she wrote in a recent letter published in the Las Vegas Optic. “Do. Not. Miss. This. Deadline.”
HOW TO SUBMIT A NOTICE OF LOSS:
Download a copy here.
Visit this website
Send it to this email address
Or mail it to this physical address:
P.O. Box 1329, Santa Fe, NM 87504
Or drop it off at any of these locations:
216 Mills Avenue, Las Vegas, NM 87701
1 Courthouse Drive, Mora, NM 87732
1711 Llano Street Suite E, Santa Fe, NM 87505
New Mexico urges people to get vaccinated for flu, COVID-19 and RSV — Austin Fischer, Source New Mexico
New Mexico health officials urged residents of the state Monday to get vaccinated for the flu, COVID-19 and RSV as people gather for winter holiday celebrations that can also spread infections.
“Getting vaccinated against these winter viruses is about protecting yourself and safeguarding those around you,” said Department of Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Miranda Durham said in a news release.
“Very high” amounts of COVID-19 were found in samples from New Mexico sewers, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Members of the public are left to rely on sewer data to understand how much COVID-19 is spreading in their communities because public health officials no longer provide individual testing like they did earlier in the pandemic.
New Mexico started testing sewage for COVID-19 in April 2022, and stopped providing easily available, community-wide, free diagnostic testing for COVID-19 at the end of that year, to the dismay of local advocates.
As of Dec. 9, only 12.4% of New Mexicans had received the COVID-19 vaccine updated to fight against the latest variants, according to state health department data. Vaccination rates were even lower among Black and Hispanic New Mexicans, and among people aged 39 and younger.
State health officials are directing people toward an online database of providers offering vaccines and vaccination events, and to a list of public health offices for people, including children, who do not have insurance to get a free vaccine.
New Mexico in March 2023 privatized COVID vaccines and treatments as part of the end of the Biden administration’s official response to the pandemic.
Since last fall, COVID has hospitalized six times more people in New Mexico than RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, and flu combined. Between September 2023 and Dec. 7, the latest health department data available, COVID has sent 436 New Mexicans to the hospital, while influenza has hospitalized 69 and RSV has hospitalized three.
“We cannot talk about COVID in the past tense,” World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said last week. “It’s still with us, it still causes acute disease and Long COVID, and it still kills.”
City Council set to have packed agenda for last meeting of the year — Elizabeth McCall, City Desk ABQ
Albuquerque city councilors will likely have an extensive agenda for their last meeting of the year, but are expected to consider several key bills, including proposals for tax increment financing, a new business licensing system, cooling requirements for rental properties and encampment regulations.
DOWNTOWN TIF
Two proposals to implement tax increment financing (TIF) for Downtown are on the agenda for the City Council’s Monday meeting. If passed by the council, the proposals would allow the Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency (MRA) to implement tax increment financing based on both property and gross receipts taxes.
Tax increment financing is a method that takes a portion of either property or gross receipts taxes and uses them toward improvement projects in a certain area.
Read more about the proposed initiatives and why MRA Director Terry Brunner says they will revitalize Downtown here.
BUSINESS LICENSING
A proposal to establish a new business licensing system is also up for a vote.
Mayor Tim Keller’s administration has proposed replacing the city’s business registration system with a licensing system to ensure businesses comply with local and state laws.
The bill originally received some backlash from councilors because it initially proposed a fee increase for business owners. Read more about how a City Council committee successfully revoked the requirement here.
COOLING REQUIREMENT
Councilors will consider another proposal that would require landlords to install cooling systems for tenants. Read more about the bill and how it was revived after a City Council committee shot it down here.
ENCAMPMENT MEASURES
Three measures aimed at setting more regulations for encampments and public spaces may also take the floor Monday night. Read more about the bills here.
New reports show how state laws, regulations have reduced greenhouse gas emissions — Hannah Grover, City Desk ABQ
New reports released this week show that greenhouse gas emissions in the state are reducing in response to laws and policies aimed at addressing climate change.
According to the New Mexico Environment Department, greenhouse gas emissions are projected to be 29% lower in 2025 than they were in 2005.
The Environment Department contracted with the Eastern Research Group and Energy and Environmental Economics (E3) to compile the reports.
Some of the laws and regulations that have been implemented to curb greenhouse gas emissions include the Energy Transition Act, methane waste rules, vehicle emissions standards and the clean transportation fuel standard.
The Energy Transition Act set a goal of 50% of the electricity coming from renewable sources by 2030. New Mexico has already surpassed that goal and 60% of the electricity is generated by renewable sources. The Energy Transition Act only applies to the investor-owned utilities and the rural electric cooperatives. It does not apply to government-owned utilities such as Los Alamos County’s electric utility and Farmington Electric Utility System.
The Energy Transition Act became law in response to the Public Service Company of New Mexico’s plan to close its San Juan Generating Station. The coal-fired power plant closed in 2022 but demolition is ongoing.
At the time the Energy Transition Act passed, there were three coal-fired power plants in New Mexico. Now there is a single coal-fired power plant — the Four Corners Power Plant — and it only operates seasonally. The Four Corners Power Plant is scheduled to close in 2031.
Meanwhile, the electricity once produced by the San Juan Generating Station has largely been replaced by renewable sources. The E3 report did not look at emissions from the Four Corners Power Plant because it is on Navajo Nation land and not under the state’s jurisdiction.
The methane waste and ozone precursor rules targeted the oil and gas industry. These rules and similar policies are projected to lead to 70% less methane emissions from the oil and gas sector in 2025 compared to the 2005 levels.
Police say teenage boy arrested in connection with fatal shootings of 4 family members in New Mexico — Associated Press
A 16-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the deaths of four family members in a rural area in New Mexico, authorities said Sunday.
State Police said the victims were found fatally shot at their Valencia County home early Saturday morning.
The name of the teenager was being withheld Sunday by The Associated Press because he's a juvenile.
Police spokesman Ray Wilson said the suspect was extremely intoxicated at the scene and was taken to a hospital for detoxification.
The teen will be booked into a juvenile detention center on four open counts of murder after being released from the hospital, according to Wilson, who said the office of the medical examiner is still trying to identify the victims.
Authorities said the boy called 911 around 3:30 a.m. Saturday and allegedly told a dispatcher that he had killed his entire family.
When county deputies arrived at the scene, they said the suspect walked out of the home with his hands in the air and surrendered without incident.
Deputies reported finding four people dead inside the home and a handgun on the kitchen table.
Wilson said the county sheriff's office handed the case over to the State Police for investigation of the quadruple homicide.
3 children die in overnight trailer home fire in Clovis, New Mexico — Associated Press
Three children have died in an overnight house fire south of Clovis. Five other people survived and were being treated at a Texas hospital, authorities said Sunday.
Curry County investigators said emergency crews were dispatched to the home about 2:30 a.m. Saturday and firefighters found a modified single-wide trailer home engulfed in flames.
They said three children — ages 3, 5 and 11 — were declared dead at the scene.
Clovis Fire Department officials said three adults and two other children escaped the residence before emergency personnel arrived.
They said the survivors were taken to a medical center in Lubbock for additional treatment.
Authorities said the county sheriff's office and New Mexico State Fire Marshall's Office are investigating the cause of the deadly blaze.
Clovis is located in eastern New Mexico.
New Mexico hires Idaho football coach Jason Eck to replace Bronco Mendenhall — Associated Press
New Mexico hired Idaho football coach Jason Eck on Saturday to replace Bronco Mendenhall, a day after Eck's Vandals dropped out of the FCS playoffs.
The 47-year-old Eck was 26-13 in three seasons at Idaho, leading the Vandals to playoff appearances each year. Idaho was 10-4 this season, falling 52-19 on Friday night at Big Sky rival Montana State in the FCS quarterfinals.
"I am truly humbled to be selected as the head coach of the New Mexico Lobos," Eck said. "I know that the university community, students, alumni, Lobo Nation and greater Albuquerque and New Mexico communities are eager for success and I cannot wait to give that to them."
Mendenhall left for Mountain West rival Utah State a week ago after going 5-7 overall and 3-4 in conference in his lone season at the school.
"I am thrilled to have Jason Eck as our next head football coach," New Mexico athletic director Fernando Lovo said. "Jason has led Idaho to tremendous success, turning around the program and building upon success year after year, through recruiting, teaching and a strong culture."
Eck spent six seasons as an assistant at South Dakota State — the last three as offensive coordinator — before taking over at Idaho. The former Wisconsin offensive lineman also has coached at Montana State, Minnesota State, Western Illinois, Hampton, Ball State and Winona State.
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NM Court of Appeals upholds ozone rules - Hannah Grover, New Mexico Political Report
A New Mexico appellate court upheld rules intended to reduce the ozone levels in oil and gas regions.
The New Mexico Court of Appeals ruled that the Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico failed to present sufficient evidence that the rule needs to be overturned.
Ozone is formed when volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides react with sunlight. It is also called smog and can lead to respiratory distress in vulnerable populations.
The 2022 rule would only apply to eight counties: Chaves, Doña Ana, Eddy, Lea, Rio Arriba, Sandoval, San Juan and Valencia. These are areas that are nearing the limits of federal ozone standards. The National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone is 70 parts per million and the eight counties are in areas that are exceeding 66 parts per million. Areas that are out of compliance with federal standards could lose access to highway funds if steps aren’t taken to reduce ozone levels, though such sanctions are rarely implemented. New Mexico officials are also required to adopt plans to address ozone levels.
The eight counties also are primarily located in either the San Juan Basin or the Permian Basin, which are economically dependent on oil and gas extraction.
The IPANM argued that the rules were arbitrary and capricious and that the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board—the regulatory branch of the New Mexico Environment Department—failed to assess whether the requirements will actually lead to reduced ozone levels.
The industry group claimed that the rule relied on flawed data that doesn’t distinguish between types of ozone precursors.
Additionally, IPANM argued that Chaves and Rio Arriba counties should not be included because the ozone levels are not as high in those parts of the state. But the NMED argues that those counties are in regions of the state where ozone levels exceed 95 percent of the federal threshold. The court upheld NMED’s argument in regards to both counties.
The IPANM further states that the definition of small business facility in the rule is unpredictable and that the regulation gives the NMED the ability to revoke a small business facilities exemption. The organization argued that revenue should not be used to determine the size of the business due to the fluctuations in the market, but the court disagreed with the assertion. The rule defines a small business facility as one that is “independently owned or operated by a company that is not a subsidiary or a division of another business” and that has no more than 10 employees at any time during the year. The rule further states that a small business facility’s gross annual revenue is less than $250,000.
The EIB considered IPANM’s concerns about the revenue prong prior to adopting the rule. Ultimately, the EIB wanted to ensure that companies are able to financially comply with the requirements of the new rules because, if the company is unable to pay for potential upgrades, it could choose instead to abandon the wells without performing any remediation work. New Mexico already has hundreds of abandoned wells that the state and federal government are now working to clean up. The board further argued that “sales and revenues are commonly used metrics to evaluate the impact that regulatory burdens may place on small, affected entities.”
IPANM Executive Director Jim Winchester issued a statement following the ruling. In the statement, Winchester said the organization disagrees with the ruling.
“As our arguments indicate, we support the goal of the rule to reduce emissions, but not with current provisions in the rule that overreach by wiping out a secondary market for marginal wells that may otherwise continue to safely produce oil and gas to the benefit of all New Mexicans,” he said. “While we are disappointed, we are reviewing our options moving forward with this case.”
These marginal wells, sometimes known as stripper wells, are a frequent source of contention. While they do not produce much oil or gas, they can have a disproportionate impact on emissions. But, because of the limited production, they are less economical and are more likely to shut down if upgrades are required to meet state regulations. A stripper well produces less than 15 barrels of oil equivalent, or less than 90,000 cubic feet of natural gas, daily.
The majority of the wells in the United States are considered stripper wells, though they only account for less than 10 percent of oil and gas production, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency.
Winchester said that the IPANM is reviewing the options for moving forward the case.
“Unfortunately, this rule and many other overzealous regulations being pushed out by New Mexico state regulators continue to disproportionately hurt independent operators,” he said. “The current state administration needs to stop its ‘death by a thousand cuts’ hostility to smaller, family-owned New Mexico-based operators.”
NM Cabinet Secretary Doucette stepping down at the end of the year — Daniel Montaño, KUNM News
The Governor’s Office Friday announced Robert Doucette, Cabinet Secretary for the General Services Department, will step down from his position at the close of the year.
Deputy Secretary Anna Silva will take over as acting Secretary in his stead, and will work with Doucette to ease the transition, according to the announcement.
Doucette has been heading the agency, which is responsible for supporting other state agencies with logistics like facilities management and operations, and construction, since February of 2023. Before that he worked in worker’s compensation.
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham thanked Doucette for his service over the years, and particularly for his “leadership and expertise.”
Silva herself has experience in management operations, strategic planning and legislative initiatives, and has been responsible for the department's $400 million budget.
According to the announcement, she has already “fostered collaboration across state agencies,” and is prepared to take the reins.
NMBLC denounces racist text messages — Daniel Montaño, KUNM News
The New Mexico Black Leadership Council released an open letter Friday denouncing a series of racist text messages being sent to Black Americans around the country, including here in New Mexico.
The council was joined by 31 other organizations and private citizens in signing the letter, and in their “commitment to stand for love and community against hate and racism.”
Beginning on Wednesday, Black Americans began receiving text messages from numbers spoofed to look local, informing recipients they were “selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation."
The council called the texts an attempt to undermine national unity that was doomed to fail, and that Americans ultimately “expect and demand fairness, justice and respect.”
The text messages were sent to Black people of all ages, including middle and high-schoolers, and sometimes would name the recipient.
Federal officials are working to determine the origin of the messages, and encourage people to report threatening texts to police and the FBI.
Police say teenage boy arrested in connection with fatal shootings of 4 family members in New Mexico - Associated Press
A 16-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the deaths of four family members in a rural area in New Mexico, authorities said Sunday.
State Police said the victims were found fatally shot at their Valencia County home early Saturday morning.
The name of the teenager was being withheld Sunday by The Associated Press because he's a juvenile.
Police spokesman Ray Wilson said the suspect was extremely intoxicated at the scene and was taken to a hospital for detoxification.
The teen will be booked into a juvenile detention center on four open counts of murder after being released from the hospital, according to Wilson, who said the office of the medical examiner is still trying to identify the victims.
Authorities said the boy called 911 around 3:30 a.m. Saturday and allegedly told a dispatcher that he had killed his entire family.
When county deputies arrived at the scene, they said the suspect walked out of the home with his hands in the air and surrendered without incident.
Deputies reported finding four people dead inside the home and a handgun on the kitchen table.
Wilson said the county sheriff's office handed the case over to the State Police for investigation of the quadruple homicide.
3 children die in overnight trailer home fire in Clovis, New Mexico - Associated Press
Three children have died in an overnight house fire south of Clovis. Five other people survived and were being treated at a Texas hospital, authorities said Sunday.
Curry County investigators said emergency crews were dispatched to the home about 2:30 a.m. Saturday and firefighters found a modified single-wide trailer home engulfed in flames.
They said three children — ages 3, 5 and 11 — were declared dead at the scene.
Clovis Fire Department officials said three adults and two other children escaped the residence before emergency personnel arrived.
They said the survivors were taken to a medical center in Lubbock for additional treatment.
Authorities said the county sheriff's office and New Mexico State Fire Marshall's Office are investigating the cause of the deadly blaze.
Clovis is located in eastern New Mexico.
A Biden proclamation will establish a national monument for the 1st US female Cabinet secretary - Associated Press
President Joe Biden will sign a proclamation Monday establishing a national monument honoring the late FDR-era Labor Secretary Frances Perkins, the first woman appointed to serve in a presidential Cabinet and a driving force behind the New Deal, according to the White House.
Biden is expected to visit the Labor Department on Monday to make the announcement and sign the proclamation that will establish the monument in Newcastle, Maine, the White House said.
As labor secretary, Perkins helped President Franklin D. Roosevelt formulate policies behind the 1930s New Deal and create safeguards in the national economy following the Great Depression.
During her 12 years as Roosevelt's labor secretary, she was credited with helping establish the Social Security Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the National Labor Relations Act that established workers' rights to organize, and collective bargaining.
"Frances Perkins accepted the position as the first female Cabinet member only after President Franklin D. Roosevelt agreed to support her goals to improve working conditions for all people," Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement. "She worked tirelessly to see them to fruition, and she set a standard of excellence that is a beacon for all of us who serve."
Perkins and her family had deep roots in Newcastle, where she was buried after her death in 1965.. The monument would be established on her family homestead and managed by the National Park Service.
Biden is expected to be joined at the signing by Haaland, acting Labor Secretary Julie Su and other Cabinet members, as well as labor and women's rights leaders.
The proclamation comes with just over five weeks left in Biden's presidency and as he seeks to burnish his legacy as a champion of women's and labor rights.
Haaland toured the Frances Perkins homestead in August and met community leaders to discuss the historic site.
Haaland on Monday also announced five new national historic landmarks recognizing women's history: the Charleston Cigar Factory in Charleston, South Carolina; the Furies Collective, and Lucy Diggs Slowe and Mary Burrill House, both in Washington, Azurest South in Petersburg, Virginia; and the Peter Hurd and Henriette Wyeth House and Studios in San Patricio, New Mexico.