Heat of the Moment; New Mexico’s rising temperatures put everyone at risk — but especially people without homes – Danielle Prokop, Source New Mexico
High heat can impact anyone’s health, but new research shows people experiencing homelessness face increased risk.
Dr. Taylor Weckstein, a graduate of Harvard medical school, last year worked for several weeks in residency at the Indian Health Services in Shiprock, New Mexico. Her work included outreach trips in triple-degree weather. She saw people experience burns from concrete, severe dehydration and heat stroke, and the experience stayed with her.
“After seeing the suffering of some of the patients, I thought it would be really important to try and have data to look at these really stark health implications,” Weckstein told Source.
On June 9, the Journal of the American Medical Association published research Weckstein co-authored based on national emergency room visitation data in 2021 and 2022, which found homeless people visited emergency rooms for heat illness or injury at a rate 27 times higher than other people. While Weckstein expected homeless individuals to face greater exposure rates, the stark disparity surprised her.
“Heat stroke and heat-related-illness are preventable conditions and it’s pretty tragic that all those individuals are exposed to such dangerous levels of heat because there’s a lack of affordable housing,” Weckstein said. “As we’re trying to combat climate change, we need to consider which populations are most affected and how we can advocate for human-centered policies to protect those who are at greatest risk.”
Weckstein said further research is needed to better understand the scope of the issue and possibly break it out into regional trends.
“If anything, this research probably was an undercount of the magnitude of the problem,” Weckstein said, noting researchers only tracked heat-illness specific codes, and didn’t capture how extreme heat worsens kidney or heart conditions.
The study comes as New Mexico braces for a hot weekend — and rising temperatures in the years to come.
WE HAVE TO BE PROACTIVE, RATHER THAN REACTIVE
Dangerously hot temperatures forecasted in the coming days have nonprofit advocates and providers bracing for “life or death” impacts to unhoused people in New Mexico’s largest cities. Advocates said governments at all levels need policies, funding and data to better address the threat.
According to the National Weather Service Heat Risk Map, Albuquerque this weekend could hit triple-digit temperatures for the first time this year, and Las Cruces highs are projected to reach 103 and 104 degrees for several days, with nighttime temperatures hovering at 70 degrees — making it harder for the body to cool off.
Local New Mexico officials said they’re monitoring for heat threats and ready to take action during extreme heat.
But it’s the overall hotter temperatures as a result of climate change that pose a continued threat, not just triple-digit days, said Nathaniel Matthews-Trigg, a board member for nonprofit Healthy Climate New Mexico.
“In New Mexico when the temperature reaches 90 degrees, we see emergency visits increase for heat, so really, any time you’re getting into the 90s, there is a risk,” Matthews-Trigg said.
Rio Rancho, Albuquerque and Las Cruces recently topped a USA Today analysis of cities with the largest increase of high-heat days — 90 degrees and upward — since 1985: 39, 36 and 31 more such days, respectively.
Matthews-Trigg said rising heat threats, particularly for unsheltered people with substance use disorders and mental illness, mean that cities need to do more to offer cooler spaces, water and support.
“All of those organizations that are working with those most vulnerable, we need to bring them in on the conversation and really intentionally plan,” he said. “We can’t just leave it for the emergency to occur and then we do something; we have to be proactive, rather than reactive.”
LIFE OR DEATH IMPLICATIONS
Local officials in Albuquerque and Las Cruces told Source they are monitoring the heat risk situation this weekend, but as of Wednesday did not plan to extend cooling center hours, unless a power outage or further needs arise.
Doña Ana Assistant County Manager Steven Lopez said recent temperatures have not reached a threshold of 105 degrees on the heat index, also known as the “feels like” temperature. The county requires those high temperatures for several days to provide additional cooling sites, he said.
Outreach teams, which deliver water, hygiene kits, food and other supplies will be out late on Friday to “help people get stocked up” for the weekend, according to Nicole Martinez, the executive director with Mesilla Valley Community of Hope in Las Cruces.
Community of Hope operates an outdoor tent-shelter area, adding more shaded areas and misters. Martinez described a couple of close calls, with people overheating in the courtyard.
“It seems like we’re constantly assessing for heat exposure,” she said.
In Albuquerque, which the USA Today report described as “one of the hottest places in the country,” city officials emphasized long-term goals to address heat, such as planting more trees to increase shade and the ordinance requiring landlords to ensure rental units have cooling systems.
Services for homeless residents include increased outreach with delivery of water and supplies, along with increased referrals and transportation to city and nonprofit-run shelters, said Matthew Whelan, the deputy chief administrative officer at the city.
“When there’s extreme weather, it is always a concern for everyone in the city, but absolutely folks that are experiencing homelessness or at the top of that list,” said City of Albuquerque spokesperson Staci Drangmeister. “The city has moved away from opening up temporary cooling centers, as we have built out some more permanent infrastructure to support people and keep people out of the elements.”
Access to the Gateway Center, located on the far Westside, presents a hurdle for people spread throughout the city, said Rachel Biggs, chief strategy officer for Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless, a nonprofit that offers health care for unhoused people.
“I think there’s still a need beyond what the shelter is able to provide,” Biggs said. “Especially during these really challenging times when it’s very hot, it has life or death implications for people living on the street.”
Biggs said Albuquerque could learn from Arizona’s responses to extreme heat and homelessness. She pointed to that state’s strategy of prepositioning supplies before heat events. More water, towels and multiple cool-down areas required additional funding and resources, but the strategy contributed to lower heat deaths in Arizona last year for the first time in decades. Better responses for heat impacts such as education on heat safety, along with distributing sunscreen, water and protective clothing, help triage, but fail to address the root problem.
“We have the solution,” Biggs said. “It’s housing. If we all come together at all levels of government working together to provide access to affordable housing for everyone that needs it, we will see an impact on our health systems, on mortality.”
Federal agency “ghosts” City of Las Cruces on heat pump project funds – Danielle Prokop, Source New Mexico
Las Cruces is moving forward with a project to cool the city’s hottest homes, but on a much smaller scale, city officials said, after the federal government pulled funds with little official communication.
“I don’t want to say canceled because formally no one has told us that,” said City of Las Cruces Sustainability Officer Jenney Hernandez. “But no one has also told us or talked to us since announcing that they have been — so to speak — on pause.”
Since 2022, the city was committed for $1.5 million in state and U.S. Department of Energy grants to install the heat pumps with a plan to outfit between 130 to 150 homes in two years.
Between funding received from the New Mexico Legislature and some leftover federal funds and vouchers, the program has about $700,000, Hernandez said, nearly half of what the city had secured initially.
“Now that all of this happened, it just means we have to reduce the initial amounts of home we anticipated to serve,” Hernandez said. “Quite honestly, we’re limping a lot at this point.”
The cooling program is only becoming more urgent as increasing heat threatens Las Cruces residents’ health.“It’s a life threat for people experiencing high temperatures in their homes, with no other options for cooling,” she said.
In 2020, Las Cruces mapped the urban heat island effect by measuring the heat-trapping power of concrete and asphalt and the cooling impact of shaded green spaces. Las Cruces found the effect made low-income neighborhoods as much as 14 degrees hotter than higher-income neighborhoods, making it feel like 112 degrees when the air temperature measured 107 degrees.
These neighborhoods include some of the city’s oldest homes with many low-income families or seniors.
“You have a very sensitive population residing in these homes that have to deal with almost three months straight of triple-degree weather,” Hernandez said. “If you’re lucky, a swamp cooler in triple-degree weather and humidity will cool your house to about 90 degrees, which, after several consecutive days, is really detrimental to your health.”
Based on those findings, the city developed a plan to bring cooling into low-income neighborhoods by installing all-electric heat pumps. Despite the name, the heat pump also offers efficient cooling of outside or underground air. Heat pumps work in more conditions than swamp coolers and may be cheaper than air conditioning over time, Hernandez said, noting incentives for such pumps through both the federal Inflation Reduction Act and state programs.
In January, when about to sign one grant contract for $400,000, the city received an email from the grant contractors that said “The DOE team has asked us to reschedule all sessions for the rest of the month,” and which canceled all meetings booked into April.
A second DOE grant, which Las Cruces first won in 2022, and was anticipating securing another $400,000 from in March, was “postponed,” according to an email from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Hernandez said federal agencies have told the city the funding is under review, but has no answers for a timeline or if funding opportunities will be restored.
“Our office of Sustainability has — I don’t want to say lost — but is being ghosted on the money that has been awarded,” Hernandez said.
Source NM emailed requests for comment on Wednesday to the U.S. Department of Energy, but had not received a response by publication time.
The city is committing to selecting 30 pilot homes in the first year, and anticipates adding another 40 in the second year, much smaller than the initial scope. Hernandez said she’s seeking additional funding from outside grant sources, but doesn’t know if the program can continue beyond the first two years.“
I don’t know if there will be a third and fourth year,” she said. “And if there is, the amounts the residents will have to pay out of pocket will be much more substantial than we ever wanted, because we don’t have the money to help any more.”
Meta, XGS Energy announce plans to build geothermal site in New Mexico – Hannah García, Albuquerque Journal
XGS Energy and Meta Platforms Inc. announced Thursday plans to build a geothermal site in northwestern New Mexico, aiming to jumpstart the state's geothermal industry as tech companies seek new energy sources for data centers and artificial intelligence growth.
The announcement is the next step in New Mexico's development of renewable energy sources like wind, solar and hydrogen. It also comes the same day that Project InnerSpace, a Geothermal advocacy group, released a 238-page report, "The Future of Geothermal in New Mexico," touting the state’s potential for geothermal development.
Research from Goldman Sachs earlier this year projected there would be a 165% demand growth for data center power by 2030, according to the report. This makes New Mexico a good fit, with its 163 gigawatts of geothermal development potential, the report added.
"This is an area where geothermal has never been contemplated before, and again, speaks to the value that our technology in particular unlocks," XGS CEO Josh Prueher said in an interview with the Journal. "It's close to Albuquerque, Santa Fe, supporting economic development, data center load growth there."
As the AI race heats up, so too has energy consumption. Open AI has invested in solar power, battery and carbon capture technologies. Both Google and Microsoft are investing in nuclear energy. Global power needs will double by 2030, largely driven by AI, according to the International Energy Agency.
XGS and Meta plan to develop the site in two phases and aim to complete the project by 2030, though they could finish it as early as 2028. Meta and XGS declined to comment on specifics, including construction costs and an exact location.
If built, the plant would support 150 megawatts of geothermal energy, drawn from heat produced in the Earth's interior and captured by power plants or heat pumps. It would also become the second geothermal power plant in New Mexico, joining the Lightning Dock in Hidalgo County.
XGS estimates the project will support up to 3,000 trade workers on site at peak construction and create up to 100 long-term operational roles once completed. An official with the Governor’s Office said millions of dollars in state incentives are on the table for the proposed geothermal plant.
XGS' technology, which the company said enables geothermal power production with zero operating water use, will connect to the Public Service Company of New Mexico's electric grid and support Meta's data center operations in Los Lunas.
The company in the news release didn't say if the site would power any of Meta's other data centers across the country, or if they planned to build more centers outside of Los Lunas.
"Any future development will be based on business needs. We are not announcing anything additional this week," Meta spokesperson Ashley Settle wrote in an email.
Meta has made various investments in powering its data centers as the company looks to gain a foothold in the artificial intelligence race. News outlets reported this week that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is looking to finalize a $15 billion investment in Scale AI.
Meta is also growing its AI presence in New Mexico. The company plans to expand its Los Lunas location with two new buildings that would house "next-generation data center facilities to support current products and enable future generations of AI hardware," according to the Valencia County News-Bulletin, a sister publication of the Journal, citing an industrial revenue bond resolution approved by the Los Lunas Village Council earlier this year.
Data centers are part of Meta's global infrastructure that power its technologies and services like Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Messenger, Meta Quest and WhatsApp.
Urvi Parekh, Meta's head of global energy, said part of the tech company's desire is to support the continued growth and resilience of electric grids through clean, firm power. Geothermal energy fits that bill.
Geothermal energy aimed at supporting data centers is a new development for Meta, who last year announced a partnership with Sage Geosystems at a U.S. Department of Energy geothermal workshop.
Jackson Grimes, Project InnerSpace director of global engagement, said the group's research into New Mexico’s geothermal potential began in 2023. The report explains how a combination of subsurface heat abundance, oil and gas expertise and political support positions the state to rapidly expand geothermal development.
There are no limitations to what geothermal energy can power, Grimes said, from climate control for vaccine production to providing neighborhoods with electricity.
"Solar and wind are fantastic, definitely part of the future of energy, but the problem is the sun only shines so often and the wind only blows so much," said Grimes, who edited the geothermal report released Thursday. "Geothermal, once you start the system, you’re going to have 90% capacity factor and efficiency for the entire time the project is running."
NM uranium mine proposals receive Trump priority designation — Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico
A federal council recently placed two proposed uranium mines in New Mexico on a select list of mining projects nationwide to receive streamlined federal permitting consideration, a designation the project’s owner says results from President Donald Trump’s push to accelerate nuclear energy production.
The Jara Mesa and Crownpoint-Churchrock mine projects are now two of six mining projects nationwide to get what’s known as the “FAST-41” designation, established under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act.
The designation means the projects will receive “focused, hands-on permitting support” that aims to improve coordination and efficiency among federal agencies, according to the federal Permitting Council. The council notes, however, the designation doesn’t change any law or regulation, environmental or otherwise, required for federal permitting.
As a result of the change, three of six mining projects nationwide to receive the designation are in New Mexico, as the Grants Precision project was added in early May. The other three projects on the list are in Arizona, California and Colorado.
The permitting website shows both projects were added to the list May 30, and, last week, Laramide Resources, the company trying to build the mine in McKinley County, touted the mines’ inclusion as part of Trump’s domestic energy agenda.
“As momentum builds around a new era for nuclear power, it is important to recognize that uranium is the fundamental starting point of the entire fuel cycle,” Laramide CEO Marc Henderson said in a June 2 news release.
The statement cited a May 23 Trump executive order supporting the acceleration of nuclear development in the United States.
In addition to the FAST-41 designation, the Jara Mesa is one of two proposed uranium in the Mount Taylor Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest that forest leaders have deemed “priority projects,” as Source New Mexico reported in March.
The Jara Mesa mine’s proximity to Mount Taylor, a sacred mountain to the Navajo Nation and several pueblos in New Mexico, is one reason anti-nuclear opponents have forcefully pushed back against the mine for more than a decade. They also cite the legacy of the uranium mining industry in New Mexico, which has left decades of radioactive and cancer-causing waste in its wake.
In addition to the Jara Mesa Mine, the Crownpoint-Church Rock mine was also added to the FAST-41 list in late May. Laramide Resources touted the project as “one of the largest undeveloped uranium deposits in the U.S.,” which “has the potential to play a central role in securing a domestic supply of this critical mineral.”
A regulator with the state’s Mining and Minerals Division recently told Source New Mexico that, even though the federal government is seeking to streamline its approval of the uranium projects, the state will take its time for a review. He also said no project can legally move forward without a state permit, even though the mines lie largely on federal land.
An environmental lawyer in New Mexico also told Source that the Trump administration’s efforts to gut federal environmental impact reviews is likely illegal and would be subject to litigation if he tried to cut them in New Mexico.
The Laramide statement says while the FAST-41 designation helps its goal of breaking ground in what would be the first new uranium mine in New Mexico in more than 50 years, “continued policy support will be essential to overcome the longstanding regulatory and permitting challenges that have constrained U.S. uranium production.”
The other uranium mine proposal near Mount Taylor, known as Roca Honda, does not appear on the FAST-41 list. But it is on a list of “transparency” projects, one of about 20 selected by the federal Permitting Council to improve the public’s understanding of how the projects are progressing.
Because of the designations, the public gleans a clearer sense of when the federal permits might be granted: For La Jara Mesa, permitting is expected to be approved in March 2028; for Roca Honda, it’s November of 2027.
The permitting website does not provide an estimate of when Crownpoint-Churchrock mine might receive a federal permit.
The United States Forest Service oversees the La Jara Mesa project, whilehe Nuclear Regulatory Commission is listed as the agency overseeing the Crownpoint-Churchrock and Grants Precision project.
Rio Rancho hospital violated workers’ rights, judge rules — Austin Fisher, Source New Mexico
Management at a hospital in Rio Rancho violated workers’ labor rights by refusing to bargain over a series of layoffs in 2023, a state district court judge ruled this week.
Second Judicial District Court Judge Elaine Lujan issued a ruling on Tuesday upholding an earlier order by the state Public Employee Labor Relations Board, which found that the University of New Mexico Sandoval Regional Medical Center breached its legal duty to bargain with the union who represents workers there.
Through a prohibited practices complaint in May 2023, the United Health Professionals of New Mexico alleged the hospital had begun laying off more than a dozen workers.
That October, the Board’s hearing officer concluded that management broke the law by refusing to bargain over the layoffs, failing to respond to requests for information about the layoffs and implementing unilateral changes to some workers’ duties.
The Board in February 2024 adopted the hearing officer’s recommendations, and the hospital appealed the decision to Lujan, whose decision this week sided with PELRB.
“This ruling should shut the door on the hospital’s campaign to avoid bargaining in good faith and silence its workers,” UHPNM President and physical therapy Regina McGinnis said in a statement on Wednesday. “Its refusal to follow basic legal obligations under labor law is not only unethical but dangerous for workers and the patients they serve.”
UNM Health System Communications Director Chris Ramirez told Source NM on Wednesday that UNM Hospital respects the ruling.
“Since acquiring UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center in 2024, UNM Hospital has bargained with and entered into collective bargaining agreements with two labor organizations, including most recently UHPNM,” Ramirez said in a statement. “UNM Hospital is committed to working with its labor partners to ensure that it fulfills its mandate to the community by providing high-quality patient care. UNM Hospital looks forward to continuing this dialogue with its labor partners.”
According to a news release, UHPNM is currently reviewing the Public Employee Labor Relations Board’s remedy “to determine whether the employer has complied or whether further legal action is required,” and noted ongoing “serious concerns” about the hospital’s compliance given its past behavior.
“This is a public hospital, funded by public dollars, and there must be public accountability,” McGinnis said. “Health care workers deserve more than empty apologies and legal delays. They deserve respect and a lawful seat at the table.”