63 Enforcement Cases Now Triaged and in the Progress Pipeline

Santa Fe – On July 20, the New Mexico Environment Department’s Air Quality Bureau announced substantial progress toward reducing a backlog of air quality violations in New Mexico.

“While remaining up-to-date with the current oversight of air quality permittees, the Air Quality Bureau as a whole, and its enforcement section in particular, have pushed through a backlog of enforcement issues—63 to be exact,” New Mexico Environment Secretary Ryan Flynn said. “Under new leadership in the enforcement section, the previously dormant and backlogged enforcement cases, dating as far back as 2006, are now triaged and each...

Group discussed effects of lead in soils, EPA’s gladstone treatment facility, and spring runoff

Santa Fe – New Mexico’s Gold King Mine Spill Citizens’ Advisory Committee, based out of San Juan County, met July 25 at the San Juan Community College Student Center-SUNS Room.

Bruce Yurdin, program manager with the New Mexico Environment Department’s Surface Water Quality Bureau provided an update on the Long-Term Impact Review Teams’ acquisition of x-ray floresence technology for the testing of lead in soils and the current status of sediment in the Animas/San Juan watershed. Yurdin also discussed the Environment Department’s observations at the Environmental Protection...

MENTMORE – President Russell Begaye gave the welcome address and provided a status update before the New Mexico Indian Affairs Committee July 19. The New Mexico Indian Affairs Committee Co-Chairs Representative Sharon Clahchischilliage and Sen. John Pinto both in attendance along with other members of the Committee.

Committee member Rep. Patricia Lundstrom, D-Gallup, has question for President Begaye after the welcome address and status update on Transportation, which was the agenda topic for this session.

Although, transportation was the topic Lundstrom provided additional information regarding the New Mexico States’ Gold King Mine clean up initiatives. Within the update...

Wild Thing Championship Bullriding revenue provides loving help for local youth

Imagine this: You turn 11 years old and are cut off from the last person you could have distantly called family. You are alone and you feel like no one wants you. No positive future seems to await you after school — that is, if you can finish it by yourself.

Eventually, opportunities to experiment with drugs and other risky behavior, and to enlist the help of gangs for safety become daily occurrences.

This story is a story with no fairy tale ending for many of New Mexico’s youths. However, local community members and 65 volunteers from other states have partnered together to provide these young...