Resolves issues over USE OF chainsaws to gather FIREWOOD

Staff Reports

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez, Vice President Myron Lizer, Attorney General Doreen N. McPaul, and Navajo Area BIA Director Bartholomew Stevens signed Executive Order No. 010-20 on Sept. 16, implementing Stage 1 Fire Restrictions on the Navajo Nation, which also resolves concerns over the use of chainsaws to gather firewood for the upcoming winter season.

The new Executive Order lifts some of the restrictions that were included in the previous Stage 2 Fire Restrictions, which went into effect in May during the height of fire dangers on the Navajo Nation. With ongoing wildfires in the...

Week ending Friday, September 11, 2020


Plastic Soils

New research finds that microplastic pollution is causing harm to the tiny creatures living in the ground.

Writing in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society, scientists say the assault is occurring in soil-dwelling mites, larvae and other creatures that are crucial to the fertility of the land. They play an important role in recycling carbon and nitrogen, and they break down organic material. Plots contaminated with microplastics saw a reduction of those creatures of between 15% and 62%, the scientists said.

Earthquakes

At least 34 people were injured when a magnitude 5.2 quake damaged homes in northeastern Iran’s...

Better protects hundreds of stream miles

The New Mexico Environment Department recently made significant improvements to the accuracy of mapped streams, resulting in better representation - and better protection - of hundreds of additional miles of streams in the state.

The higher-resolution GIS layer, built using National Hydrography Dataset Plus High Resolution data, captures more of the actual stream sinuosity (curves and bends) and extends higher into the watershed to better represent true stream length. With the higher resolution, New Mexico’s assessed stream length increased from 7,832 miles to 8,647 miles.

“Surface water resources are more precious here than most other...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—In a key hearing to consider pending legislation Sept. 16, Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., talked about how his legislation to designate portions of the Gila River as Wild and Scenic would permanently protect the river’s free-flowing segments, attract more visitors to southwestern, New Mexico and grow the outdoor recreation industry.

Heinrich championed efforts with local outdoor businesses, advocacy groups and Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., to draft and introduce the M. H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act.

Hearing witness Jamie Crockett, co-owner of Gila Backcountry Services, highlighted in her testimony how the legislation would bolster the local...