Tim Keller seeks to make history, officially launches reelection bid for mayor - By Noah Alcala Bach, Albuquerque Journal
Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller has formally launched his reelection campaign, seeking to become the first mayor elected to three consecutive terms.
His announcement comes at a time when tensions are flaring with the City Council; voters have favored charter amendments that chip away at the strong mayor system, and crime and homelessness are top of mind for residents.
“I see what you see: the challenges with homelessness, with crime, with empty buildings, but I also see that we’re finally getting traction on some of these big challenges,” Keller said in a campaign ad released Thursday.
Homelessness — in line with the national trend — has increased since Keller was elected.
In 2017, the year before Keller took office, the annual Point in Time Count recorded 1,318 people experiencing homelessness in Albuquerque. In 2024, the same study counted 2,740 people sleeping on the streets in the city.
Since his election, Keller’s administration has focused on and spent millions on the Gateway network of shelters, which has a capacity of just over 800 beds and offers resources for medical and housing services.
Keller also touts that crime numbers are down in the advertisement.
Albuquerque Police Department crime stats indicate that property crime has steadily declined since Keller assumed office in 2018, whereas violent crime has experienced fluctuations.
In August, Keller confirmed his intention to run for a third term and told KOAT-TV that he was doing so to “finish key projects.”
He was not made available for comment Thursday.
The mayor filed with the city clerk on Thursday afternoon and will run a publicly financed campaign.
His formal announcement to pursue a third term comes after a year when the City Council made multiple attempts to change the city charter, including a change that would have no longer required a 50% majority for a candidate to win the mayoral election — Keller vetoed it.
But voters approved a pair of charter changes in November.
The changes boost the council's power to fire police and fire chiefs and requires the council and mayor's office to quickly fill seats on a committee that aims to address separation of powers issues.
Keller’s announcement also comes on the heels of a meeting when councilors overwhelmingly overturned a veto from him and sided on a 7-2 vote with the local firefighter's union to override staffing changes from the fire chief appointed by Keller.
The incumbent mayor will face former Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White, conservative radio show host Eddy Aragon, former Sandoval County Deputy County Manager Mayling Armijo, retired firefighter Eddie Varela and Patrick Sais, who garnered approximately 30 votes during the last mayoral election.
Additionally, Councilor Louie Sanchez — one of the most vocal critics of Keller and Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina — told news outlet City Desk that he is eyeing a run.
Keller was first elected in a runoff election in 2017 and easily held on to his seat in 2021. The only mayor in the city’s history to serve three terms was Martin J. Chávez from 1993 to 1997 and 2001 to 2009.
The Regular Local Election, which also includes the seats in City Council Districts 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9, is slated for Nov. 4.
Strategic Water Supply slides over to Senate - By Danielle Prokop, Source New Mexico
A formerly controversial bill aimed at addressing a future in which New Mexico’s limited water supplies become even more strained will soon have its first Senate committee hearing following House passage last week.
That passage came with no debate, following a significant overhaul in the face of considerable environmental opposition to the so-called Strategic Water Supply.
In a nutshell, the bill proposes a a $40 million program for removing the salt from less drinkable aquifers and $19 million to map how much water is available beneath the ground.
Rep. Susan Herrera (D-Embudo), who sponsored House Bill 137, said on the House Floor Friday that the bill is crucial for New Mexico as climate change shrinks the rivers and puts pressure on freshwater aquifers. New Mexico, she said, needs to develop additional sources of water to preserve fresh supplies for drinking and agriculture.
“There is no snow on the mountains,” Herrera said. “I continue to remind members of the House this is one of the greatest dangers confronting our state.”
In a 57-4 vote, the House passed HB137, which now moves to the Senate Conservation and Finance committees before heading to the Senate floor. Senate Conservation scheduled the first hearing for Saturday.
Lawmakers have overhauled the legislation since it was first introduced in the session’s opening days.
The Strategic Water Supply previously described a program to develop projects to treat not only brackish water, the salty water in deep aquifers belowground, but also oil and gas wastewater, often called produced water. A similar $500 million measure introduced in the 2024 session failed.
A coalition of indigenous, water and environmental nonprofit groups opposed to the project said the bill failed to address logistics of treating oil and gas wastewater and ignored the potential health and environmental risks.
Advocates shrunk down this session’s proposal, initially seeking $75 million for developing treatment projects and technologies for oil and gas wastewater and a five-cent-tax per-barrel to generate revenue for the program.
Legislators stripped all references to oil and gas wastewater in committees, along with a proposed per barrel fee for oil and gas companies to pay to generate program revenue.
The bill now limits development to brackish water, including $40 million for a fund for grants to local communities or contracts to develop brackish water treatment facilities.
The fast vote reflects the efforts to change the bill, according to Rebecca Roose, the infrastructure advisor for Gov. Michlle Lujan Grisham’s office, who has championed the project.
“We are running a bill that people really want to get behind, and we feel really encouraged by that,” Roose told Source NM.
Lingering objections to the bill remain.
Mariel Nanasi, the executive director of Santa Fe-based New Energy Economy, said the bill should require plants to use 100% renewable energy, given desalination plants’ high-energy use.
“Desalination plants funded by the state should not exacerbate climate change, they should help us address water scarcity without exacerbating that scarcity with polluting energy sources,” Nanasi said in a written statement.
Nanasi said additional concerns with the current bill include the prospect for disposing of the concentrated brine from removing salt from the water.
HB137 pulls resources away from other initiatives to address water issues, said Norm Gaume, a former water engineer and member of Water Advocates.
“My major objection is the House Budget shortchanged the Office of the State Engineer and Interstate Stream Commission,” Gaume said in a statement. “For example, HB2 includes $40 million for these brackish water initiatives and nothing to prevent the pending compact violation due to Middle Rio Grande water overuse.”
The bill also includes $4 million appropriation for New Mexico State University to develop additional treatment technology, and boosts the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources’ budget by $19 million to study and monitor aquifers, which have never been fully characterized by the state, meaning New Mexico’s exact water supplies are unknown.
“In the past, [the Bureau’s] recurring funding was $600,000 per year,” Herrera said on the floor Friday. “This sets a new stage for understanding water resources in our state, which I think is imperative to our future.”
All three appropriations made it into the state’s budget in House Bill 2. On the floor, Rep. Jack Chatfield (R-Mosquero) introduced an amendment, which the House unanimously approved, to increase public input options during the process.
Roose said with 12 days left in the session, this bill stands front and center for the administration.
“We hope that based on the amount of changes that we made to the bill in the House that we will not see a lot more changes or maybe not any changes in the Senate, but it’s one step at a time,” Roose said. ”We’re just needing to let the process play out and we’re definitely keeping a sense of urgency to make sure that we use the time left effectively.”
Prospects dim for behavioral health Medicaid waiver bill - Damon Scott, City Desk ABQ
Legislation designed to get the ball rolling on a state-sanctioned, but mostly federally-funded, behavioral health Medicaid waiver program for those at risk of institutionalization and jail appears to be in jeopardy.
Supporters of House Bill 70 want to establish the behavioral health waiver in a similar fashion as the current developmental disability waiver, which has been in place for decades and has thousands of enrollees. They say the waiver is an essential and long overdue step for thousands of New Mexicans who don’t qualify for the developmental disability waiver because their IQs are above 70, but still have severe behavioral health issues.
“It is the fastest and most effective intervention for changing the revolving door of incapacitated people clogging emergency rooms, hospital beds and sometimes jail cells — then casting them out onto the streets without essential treatment only to repeat the process,” Albuquerque attorney Peter Cubra said this week.
Cubra was the force behind crafting the Behavioral Health Medicaid Waiver legislation and building support for it in Santa Fe. He’s represented and advocated for those with disabilities for 40 years.
HB 70 would direct $1.1 million to the New Mexico Health Care Authority (HCA) to submit a behavioral health waiver application to the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for authorization to operate the program — one of the first steps in a yearslong process. In its fully realized form, the waiver would provide group or family home arrangements and 24/7 support and wraparound services for those with serious mental issues, substance use disorders and/or brain injuries.
While the bill has successfully made its way through House committees and is due for a vote on the House floor, Cubra said it doesn’t have the HCA’s support, which is key to its survival. Although Rep. Tara Lujan, D-Santa Fe, one of the bill’s sponsors, engineered a substitute bill with changes that tried to address some of the HCA’s concerns; the effort doesn’t appear to have been enough.
In a statement to City Desk ABQ on Tuesday, officials said the HCA does not support the bill.
“The intentions of the current bill are good, but it lacks actual feasibility, financial backing and a clear strategy for long-term implementation,” spokesperson Marina Piña said.
Piña said that the HCA does not oppose a $1 million appropriation in House Bill 2 that would fund a feasibility study for a proposed waiver program.
“I suspect that the Health Care Authority will continue to oppose the bill,” Cubra said. “They’re not sure they want to do it, and so they’ll probably continue to resist it.”
Meanwhile, the clock is ticking: The legislative session ends March 22.
“It is very concerning that we may run out of time because of the administration’s resistance,” Cubra said. “The bill’s in jeopardy at this time.”
Cubra said the resistance is primarily because the HCA perceives it doesn’t have enough staff to comply with federal Medicare and Medicaid requirements that would be necessary under the bill.
“So even though the bill was designed to enable [the HCA] to both contract for outside help and add additional staff, they still are hesitant to take on one more thing having to do with complying with Medicaid rules,” Cubra said. “I’m discouraged — I’m not conceding that we won’t get it done — but I think that now our chance is not great.”
Admitted gunman in shooting attacks on elected officials airs contempt for Solomon Peña - Olivier Uyttebrouck, Albuquerque Journal
The man who admitted to pulling the trigger in at least two shootings on the homes of elected officials told jurors Wednesday that he “hated” Solomon Peña, who prosecutors allege orchestrated the attacks.
Demetrio Trujillo, 42, continued his testimony Wednesday in Peña’s trial on federal charges alleging he instigated the shootings at the homes of four Democratic elected officials in December 2022 and January 2023.
Trujillo told jurors on Wednesday that Peña exploited his son, Jose Trujillo, 24, and that the elder Trujillo took actions to protect his son from Peña’s influence.
“He was just using my son,” Trujillo said of Peña. “He didn’t care. He was just using Jose.”
Peña gave money to Jose Trujillo’s mother and began frequenting the trailer where she and Jose Trujillo lived, he testified. Peña became a regular visitor to the trailer in the months before the November 2022 election.
“I hated that my son started hanging around him more,” Demetrio Trujillo said of Peña. “He didn’t give a s--- about my son and I hate him for that.”
Trujillo, who remains in federal custody, testified in shackles and handcuffs for a second day Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque.
The trial is scheduled to continue through March 21 before U.S. District Judge Kea W. Riggs.
Prosecutors allege Peña conspired with the Trujillos to target the homes of Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa, former commissioner Debbie O’Malley and two Democratic lawmakers, House Speaker Javier Martínez and state Sen. Linda Lopez.
Peña was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2023, alleging “Peña organized a shooting spree that targeted the homes of four elected officials and their families.”
Federal prosecutors allege that Peña was motivated by his November 2022 election loss to incumbent Democratic Rep. Miguel P. Garcia and his belief that Democratic officials had “rigged” the election.
He faces of total of 13 federal charges. Among them are multiple felony counts of using a firearm in the commission of a violent crime, including one count alleging he used and discharged a machine gun.
Peña faces a possible sentence of life in prison if convicted on all charges.
Demetrio Trujillo testified Tuesday that Peña paid him a total of $1,400 to fire gunshots at the homes of Barboa and Martínez.
Peña’s attorneys told jurors in opening statements that Demetrio and Jose Trujillo were solely responsible for the shootings at the homes of the four Democratic officials. Jose Trujillo is expected to testify later in the trial.
Peña “had nothing whatsoever to do” with the shootings, defense attorney Nicholas Hart said in opening statements.
Defense attorneys also contend that the Trujillos obtained favorable plea agreements in exchange for their testimony.
Both of the Trujillos pleaded guilty earlier this year to multiple federal charges and face sentences of up to life in prison. Neither man has been scheduled for a sentencing hearing.
Under questioning by Peña’s attorney Carter Harrison, Trujillo acknowledged that he could be sentenced to a minimum of 15 years in prison under his plea agreement.
Harrison also questioned Trujillo about his alleged affiliation with the prison gang Syndicato de Nuevo Mexico, or SNM. Harrison said FBI agents questioned Trujillo in 2022 about SNM’s “motives and capabilities” to carry out assassinations of federal agents and judges.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Peña objected that the insertion of SNM is “highly inflammatory.” The judge allowed limited questioning but warned Harrison to avoid “theatrics.”
With the jury absent from the courtroom, Trujillo said he had only limited association with the notorious prison gang and was punished for failing to carry out a killing at the request of SNM leaders.
“SNM is trying to kill me because I refused to carry out a hit,” he said. “So they green-lighted me.” Trujillo also said he has no interest in politics and knows nothing about plans to kill government officials.
Trujillo has also testified that he didn’t know the names or political status of the people whose homes he shot at in December 2022 and January 2023.
Albuquerque Indian Center closure leaves vulnerable scrambling - By Damon Scott, City Desk ABQ
In an area of the city where daily life is a struggle for hundreds who live on the street, the Albuquerque Indian Center (AIC) was a place to be fed, receive mail and find some respite. The relief it provided was brought to a halt Jan. 21 when the center, located at 105 Texas St. SE in the International District, closed due to financial issues.
But it didn’t take long for area residents and Native American organizations to begin forming plans for the site’s potential future. In the short term, the nearby First Nations Community HealthSource clinic organized meal distribution (about 250 were fed once a day at the AIC) and became a temporary location for mail distribution.
The ability to receive mail at a dedicated address or post office box is likely taken for granted by most, but for scores of people without a permanent address, the convenience is of great importance.
“We thought: ‘Oh, my God — that’s mail that people need for their Social Security benefits,’” Chenoa Bah with University of New Mexico Health Sciences said.
Bah said postal officials held the AIC’s mail while others worked to have it rerouted to First Nations.
“We think that about 4,000 pieces of mail have been returned to sender,” Laura Harris, executive director of Americans for Indian Opportunity (AIO), said. “There could be money in that mail, court dates, maybe somebody passed away.”
‘WE CAN DO A LOT BETTER’
Bah, Harris and other Native leaders say the AIC’s location is a vital one that needs to be preserved. It’s adjacent to the Bernalillo County-operated Tiny Home Village and was recently the site of a vigil recognizing homeless deaths in 2024, part of the annual Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day. Many filled the center in December, including city councilors and Mayor Tim Keller.
The AIC is also in an area of the International District where encampments filled with those who are struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues are common. Harris noted that many in the encampments are Native American, which represent 40% of the city’s homeless population but only 8.5% of the total population.
“It’s just a stark picture to see,” she said. “We think we could do a lot better and help people — not just feed them — but figure out ways to get more assistance to them and get them settled. This would be our ultimate goal.”
Harris is a member of the Native Leadership Collective (NLC) of Albuquerque, which formed in 2019 to give Native Americans a greater voice in city, county and Albuquerque Public Schools affairs. (About 10% of APS students are Native American). The collective currently includes 36 executive directors and CEOs of Native-led nonprofits and Indian-owned businesses that are all headquartered in Albuquerque.
Harris said NLC representatives have been in contact with the AIC’s executive director, Mary Garcia, and that a new board of directors is being assembled.
“Mostly they wanted somebody to come and save them financially,” Harris said. “We’ve done that before when they closed in 2016. They’ve just been having a great deal of difficulty fundraising and running their programs.”
Harris said whatever happens to the site, the community and Native coalitions will be included in decisions.
“We don’t know exactly how it’s all going to end up, but the community has rallied,” she said. “We want folks to know that they haven’t been forgotten and we’re trying to organize to figure out how we can keep that property in community hands.”
Harris can be contacted at lharris@aio.org.
Just two days left to file notices of loss for Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire - By Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico
Friday, March 14 marks the deadline to file an initial claim for damages from the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire, a huge wildfire started by the United States Forest Service nearly three years ago.
Congress has extended the original November 2024 deadline twice, but has not given any indication it will be extended again. Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire Claims Office officials are urging any last holdouts to apply for compensation before the deadline by filing what’s known as a “notice of loss.”
“If you know a friend, family member or neighbor who was impacted by the disaster and has not yet submitted a notice of loss, please encourage them to do so this week,” New Mexico Joint Recovery Office Director of Operations Jay Mitchell said in a statement. “The funds are available to help them rebuild, but they must take this first step before March 14.”
Congress awarded $5.45 billion to the Federal Emergency Management Agency with the goal of fully compensating people from the 534-square-mile wildfire that began as two botched prescribed burns on federal land. The wildfire in the Las Vegas and Mora area burned several hundreds of homes, and ushered in severe flooding that continues to cause damage.
The claims office offers compensation for homes and other property lost in the fire, as well as erosion and reforestation; smoke and ash cleaning; lost income and more. The office also provides flood insurance for structures for five years and conservation restoration plans for damage to land.
A federal judge late last year also ordered the office to pay people for so-called “noneconomic damages” from the fire, which could result in several hundred million dollars paid for the emotional harm of the blaze. The office could still appeal that ruling, however.
As of March 11, the office had paid more than 14,000 claims totaling nearly $2 billion, or about 36% of the total Congress awarded, according to the latest figures from the office. That leaves $3.45 billion, minus administrative costs, left for fire victims.
The amount awarded so far includes $1.53 billion awarded to individuals; $257 million for businesses; $104 million for governments and smaller amounts to tribal nations and nonprofits.
Those who wish to file an initial claim can do so online, by mail or email or in-person at one of three physical offices in and around the burn scar. Those offices will be open for extended hours, from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday to process claims.
Officials stressed that the process can take less than 20 minutes and that fire victims don’t need to have all of their documentation in order before applying.
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
Bernalillo County sheriff places another deputy on leave amid DWI corruption scandal - Matthew Reisen, Albuquerque Journal
The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office has identified another deputy possibly tied to a long-running DWI corruption scheme.
Deputy Jeffry Bartram was placed on paid leave Friday after Sheriff John Allen "received information" from the FBI on the criminal investigation, according to deputy Deanna Aragon, a BCSO spokesperson.
Aragon said Allen recently started his own internal probe into BCSO's involvement in one of the largest public corruption cases to hit the state, in which law enforcement was being paid to let DWI cases get dismissed.
"The sheriff is being methodical and aggressive in his approach and is continuing to work with the FBI on this active and ongoing investigation," Aragon said in an email Wednesday.
Bartram is the third BCSO employee tied to the scheme, in which defense attorney Thomas Clear III and his paralegal Ricardo "Rick" Mendez, according to their plea agreements, paid officers and deputies to miss hearings and make other missteps so that Clear's clients went free.
Last month, BCSO Undersheriff Johann Jareno resigned after being interviewed by the FBI in the case and deputy Jeff Hammerel pleaded guilty, admitting he took bribes from Mendez and Clear.
Bartram has not been charged criminally in the corruption case.
Bartram joined BCSO in February 2010 and worked on BCSO's DWI unit from July 2014 to August 2020, Aragon said.
Court records show that Bartram had 20 DWI cases with Clear as the defense attorney between 2015 and 2020. Of those, at least 13 were dismissed, many due to Bartram not making interviews or hearings and at least one because he didn't turn over evidence.
In November 2019, Mothers Against Drunk Driving awarded the BCSO DWI unit — which included Jareno and Bartram — as "DWI unit of the year."
At least three Albuquerque officers have taken guilty pleas in the case, which Clear said in a plea agreement went back three decades.
The FBI's investigation came to light in January 2024 when agents raided the homes of several officers, Mendez’s home and Clear’s law office.
Since then, one New Mexico State Police officer has been placed on leave and, following an internal probe by the Albuquerque Police Department, more than a dozen APD officers have been placed on leave, 10 of whom have since resigned, retired or been fired.
NM Senate confirms DeBlassie as state Health Secretary - By Nash Jones, KUNM News
The New Mexico Senate Wednesday unanimously confirmed Gina DeBlassie as the newest secretary of the state Department of Health.
DeBlassie has served in the role on an interim basis since November, when former Sec. Patrick Allen stepped down.
In 2022, the secretary became a health policy advisor to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. In a statement, the Governor’s Office credited DeBlassie’s leadership in that role as, “instrumental in the establishment of the Health Care Authority and the Rural Health Care Delivery Fund.”
Lujan Grisham went on to say that, “Secretary DeBlassie will ensure that public health components remain firmly embedded in our approach,” and that she “will transform how we deliver healthcare services to all New Mexicans."
Prior to working with the governor, DeBlassie worked as chief operating officer for InnovAge, which the Governor’s Office characterized as “a national all-inclusive care for the elderly provider program.” She also briefly served as interim secretary of the state’s Aging and Long-term Services Department.
Trump administration drops lawsuit against company accused of abusing children at migrant shelters - By Valerie Gonzalez, Associated Press
The Trump administration moved to drop a civil lawsuit Wednesday against the largest provider of housing for migrant children over allegations of sexual abuse and harassment of unaccompanied minors, saying it also would no longer use the provider.
The motion to dismiss the suit against Southwest Key Programs was filed after the federal government announced it had moved all unaccompanied children to other shelters.
The complaint, filed last year during the Biden administration, alleged a litany of offenses between 2015 and 2023 as Southwest Key Programs, which operates migrant shelters in Texas, Arizona and California, amassed nearly $3 billion in contracts from the Department of Health and Human Services.
The agency said it stopped sending unaccompanied children to the provider's facilities "out of continuing concerns relating to these placements," and said it would review grants going to the contractor. In view of the agency's action, the Department of Justice has dismissed its lawsuit against Southwest Key, HHS said in a statement.
The shelter provider said they were pleased with the decision to dismiss the case. "Southwest Key strongly denied the claims relating to child sexual abuse in our shelters, and there is no settlement or payment required," the statement Wednesday evening said.
"We always believed the facts would prove the allegations to be without merit. We thank the Government for its commitment to reviewing the whole record and dropping the case with prejudice," they added.
This week, Southwest Key Programs furloughed employees across the country. "Due to the unforeseen federal funding freeze and the stop placement order on our unaccompanied minor shelters and Home Study Post Release programs by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, we have made the difficult decision to furlough approximately 5,000 Southwest Key Programs' employees," the company said in a statement shared Tuesday.
According to allegations in the 2024 lawsuit, Southwest Key employees, including supervisors, raped, inappropriately touched or solicited sex and nude images of children beginning at least in 2015.
Among the accusations: One employee "repeatedly sexually abused" three girls ages 5, 8 and 11 at the Casa Franklin shelter in El Paso, Texas, with the 8-year-old telling investigators the worker "entered their bedrooms in the middle of the night to touch their 'private area.'"
The lawsuit also alleged that another employee, at a shelter in Mesa, Arizona, took a 15-year-old boy to a hotel and paid him to perform sexual acts for several days in 2020.
Children were warned not to report the alleged abuse and threatened with violence against themselves or their families if they did, according to the lawsuit. Victims testified that in some instances, other workers knew about the abuse but failed to report or concealed it, the complaint said.
"DOJ's lawsuit revealed horrific sexual abuse and inhumane treatment of children detained in Southwest Key shelters," said Leecia Welch, an attorney who represents unaccompanied children in a separate case. "It's shocking to me that the government now turns a blind eye to their own contractor's actions. I hope the impacted children will have other legal recourse and support in healing from their abuse."
The lawsuit may not be over. On Wednesday, the National Center for Youth Law asked the court not to dismiss the case and grant them an opportunity to formally intervene on behalf of those affected by the alleged abuse. If granted, they would have 30 days to file a motion in the lawsuit.
At least two employees have been indicted on criminal charges related to the allegations since 2020.
The civil lawsuit had sought a jury trial and monetary damages for the victims.
NM Land Commissioner Garcia Richard bans mineral mining in a portion of the Upper Pecos Watershed - By Source New Mexico
An executive order banning mineral mining on approximately 2,500 acres of state trust land in the Upper Pecos Watershed will remain in place through 2045 and takes effect immediately, New Mexico Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard announced on Wednesday.
“Some New Mexico landscapes are just too special to carve up with aggressive mineral development, and the Upper Pecos Watershed is one of those places,” Garcia Richard said in a statement. “Pueblos and traditional Hispanic communities have relied on the river and its watershed for everyday uses for centuries. It is as much a cultural landmark as it is a natural ecosystem. I view it as my duty to protect state lands that are part of such meaningful landscapes. The Upper Pecos Watershed continues to be threatened by mining companies and federal policies that put it in the crosshairs. As I’ve made clear today with this executive order, those companies will not be welcome on these state lands under my watch.”
Last December, the U.S. Department of Interior proposed withdrawing close to 164,000 acres in the Upper Pecos Watershed from mineral mining. President Donald Trump upon taking office issued an executive order prioritizing mineral mining on federal lands and opening the door to rescinding existing bans.
The Bureau of Land Management recently postponed a meeting on a 20-year withdrawal of the Upper Pecos Watershed from mining, but will be taking comments through March 17.
That order includes the possibility of updating the U.S. Geological Survey’s list of critical minerals to include uranium. As Source recently reported, Cibola Forest supervisors recently told staff in a meeting that long-stalled uranium mining projects in the area are now a priority.
The Upper Pecos Watershed, the State Land Office news release notes, has experienced deleterious impacts from past mining activities, including a 1991 runoff from the Tererro and El Molino mine sites that killed more than 90,000 fish in the Pecos River.
Moreover, Australian mining company New World Resources has proposed exploratory drilling in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, including at the old Terrero mine and nearby deposits.
Local and state officials, farmers and environmental activists lauded Garcia Richard’s order.
“The Upper Pecos Watershed is the lifeblood of our communities, sustaining our acequias, our farms, our wildlife, and our way of life, Ralph Vigil, local acequia parciante and farmer said in a statement. “We have already seen the devastating consequences of irresponsible mining in this region, and our watershed is still healing from past contamination. This moratorium is crucial in protecting our water, our lands, and our cultural heritage for generations to come.”