New Mexico school districts face a costly fuel crunch - Natalie Robbins, Albuquerque Journal
As oil prices skyrocket, some New Mexico school districts are seeking emergency state funding to fuel school buses.
Diesel prices topped record highs this month — the average price per gallon in New Mexico hit a high of $6.36 on Sept. 18, and days later, the national average reached an all-time record of $6.53 per gallon, according to AAA.
The average price per gallon for diesel in New Mexico Monday was $6.20 per gallon, nearly double the average price per gallon of $3.13 a year ago.
Sky-high fuel prices are proving to be a burden for private and public customers alike, including the state’s biggest school district, Albuquerque Public Schools, which operates 175 diesel-powered buses, APS spokesperson Martin Salazar said.
For more information on this story, visit the Albuquerque Journal website.
New Mexico forester lifts statewide fire restrictions after recent rains - Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico
New Mexico State Forester Laura McCarthy announced Monday that she is rescinding fire restrictions on state lands after recent rainfall statewide alleviated risk of wildfire ignition and spread.
Late-season monsoons in recent weeks mean that New Mexico has seen more than twice as much rain as average in September. Forecasters arepredicting even more rainfall, along with potential flooding, throughout most of the state Monday through late Tuesday.
The amount of rainfall prompted McCarthy to rescind restrictions on campfires, pile burns and other ignitions on state lands, she said in a statement Monday. Those restrictions had been in place since April.
“While fire restrictions are lifting, the public should continue to be vigilant about preventing human-caused wildfires, especially when conducting fall agricultural burns and at hunting camps,” McCarthy said.
The restrictions prohibited smoking, campfires and fireworks excepted in certain circumstances, as well as prescribed burns, methane flaring by oil and gas operators and other types of potentially hazardous activity.
Officials with the New Mexico State Forestry Division noted in the announcement Monday that year-to-date precipitation remains much below average in New Mexico, following record-low snowpack this winter and intense drought this summer.
New Mexico also experienced an above-average number of wildfire starts in 2026, which state officials attributed to dry lightning in the state’s eastern plains and ongoing drought.
Since Jan. 1, according to state Forestry Division data, New Mexico has seen more than 1,700 wildfire ignitions that have burned nearly 190,000 acres across the state.
Department of Energy selects Taos electric co-op for $38M to update key transmission line - John Miller, Albuquerque Journal
The U.S. Department of Energy this month announced Kit Carson Electric Cooperative as one of four small utilities across the country set to receive millions in federal funding to modernize its rural electrical grid.
Part of DOE’s $1.9 billion SPARK initiative, the department selected KCEC to receive up to $38.1 million to update its main transmission line between Taos and Questa, where a green hydrogen plant proposed by the co-op has drawn a legal challenge and ongoing community debate.
The energy department earmarked a total of $86.8 million in total funding for three public utilities in the state, including Kit Carson Electric, Public Service Company of New Mexico and Farmers’ Electric Cooperative of New Mexico, which was also designated as a “small utility.”
Final amounts to be awarded will be announced in October.
For more information on this story, visit the Albuquerque Journal website.
New study tracks radon pollution in New Mexico oil country, highlights flares – Santa Fe New Mexican
A recent study has found significant levels of air pollution, including radon, in the Permian Basin region of Eastern New Mexico and West Texas.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that the study identifies oil and gas production as the source of the pollution. That’s been established before, but the newest report measured compounds like nitrous oxide and radon, which is a radioactive natural gas that’s been linked to lung cancer.
The Permian Basin provides for almost half of domestic crude oil production and about one-fifth of natural gas production.
Much of the recent increase in Permian Basin oil and gas production has happened on the New Mexico side of the basin, which is in the state’s southeastern corner. Eddy and Lea counties have contributed significantly to a 52 percent increase in total oil and gas production over the past five years.
Rain, flooding coming to New Mexico – Mark Haslett, KUNM
Heavy rainfall and a chance for flooding has hit New Mexico.
The National Weather Service predicts 2 to 5 inches of rainfall this week through Friday across most of the state.
A flood watch is in effect for the entire state. Soils across much of the region are already saturated, following last week’s heavy rains.
The National Weather Service predicts the heaviest rains should fall on the northeastern part of the state. And, southeastern New Mexico could have some strong or possibly severe thunderstorms on Tuesday.
