Growth
TODAY'S TOP STORIES: Gustav has the gulf coast on edge
The biggest news this Labor Day weekend is Hurricane Gustav bearing down on the gulf coast. The storm is expected to cross the Louisiana coast mid-day today, to the west of New Orleans. As of this morning Gustav was downgraded to a Category 2 storm because its winds have slowed to 110 miles per hour, according to the New York Times.
The Albuquerque Journal reports today that New Mexico is preparing for gulf coast evacuees and has also sent the NM Disaster Medical Assistance Team to a Texas medical station.
Gustav has caused the Republican party to cancel much of its convention activities today. President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney canceled their planned speeches set for tonight, and the program for today was largely curtailed. It seems the Republican party will play the rest of the week by ear.
In other news, John Fleck has an excellent article about PNM’s future energy plans in this weekend's ABQ Journal.
Use a lot of water? Your bill is about to go up
Albuquerque’s top residential water consumers will soon pay more for that luxury after Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority closed a loophole in the water rates that allowed a small number of people to use an exorbitant amount of water. Additional changes may be coming that would charge water wasters even more, and pass the savings on to those who conserve.
NASCAR in TorC?
The Hot Springs Motorplex development in Truth or Consequences has been widely touted as a potential home away from home for both NASCAR and Roush Racing, but according to an investigation by the St. Petersburg Times, it's not likely to happen. Nonetheless, officials in New Mexico are giving the developer the benefit of the doubt.
Santa Fe makes list of 'Healthiest Hometowns'
These cities have made robust living—and active retirement—a priority. After reading why, you might want to move there too.
NM housing market surviving better than other states
While other states in the Southwest, namely Nevada, California and Arizona, are getting hit hard by the housing crisis, New Mexico has remained somewhat insulated. The recent statewide slump, however, is giving New Mexicans a taste of what other regions have been experiencing for the last few years. Overall, across the nation foreclosure rates were up 8 percent in July according to the most recent numbers.
Guv says State Fair will not move
Amid cheers and applause, Gov. Bill Richardson concluded a public hearing on the future of EXPO New Mexico Friday afternoon by stating unequivocally that "at least as long as I'm governor, the (State) Fair will not move" from the grounds. A second "definite" to come out of what he heard after about an hour and a half: "We have to be sure we replenish and upgrade the fair buildings that are here," the governor said. "The Legislature has been very good at doing this ... but we need to do better."
Report: Want to save a trillion gallons of water, American West? Here's how
Southwestern states could save more than 1 trillion gallons of water a year by cutting use in four key areas, a report released today by Environment New Mexico suggests.
According to the authors of "Using Water Wisely," the region might reduce water use by more than 5 million acre-feet per year — 1.8 trillion gallons by doing the following:
Help farmers make the switch to drip irrigation
Help homeowners embrace low-water landscaping
Reduce the use of coal and natural gas to make electricity
Provide conservation incentives to businesses
Drilling in the West
Oil production on western lands during the Bush administration is down 12 percent from the average during the Clinton era, according to an article in the New York Times August 3. Average production overall was 97.9 million barrels annually from 2001 to 2006, while production in the 1990's averaged 111.5 million barrels per year.
The Bush administration, though, has issued three times as many permits as Clinton did in the last six years of his administration. As it turns out, companies are going for natural gas instead of oil, with production of that commodity being 34 percent higher, at 2.4 million cubic feet annually, than the 1.8 billion it was during Clinton's administration.
State lawmakers talk tough on adjudicating water rights
State legislators meeting in Las Cruces this week are talking about springing loose millions of dollars in state funds to help untangle one of the state's thorniest issues: who is entitled to water and how much are they entitled to?
The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that state Sen. Mary Kay Papen, a Las Cruces Democrat, suggested at a meeting of the Water and Natural Resources Committee that the Legislature appropriate $10 million for the process of adjudicating water rights. And rather than wait, she suggested making the allocation during the special session that begins next week in Santa Fe.
Green crude may come to Las Cruces
Although Las Cruces is known for its desert landscape, a bio-fuel company may be looking to grow algae there. Sapphire Energy has found a way to extract what is known as "green crude" from the water plant. This green-colored crude is the chemical equivalent of sweet crude oil.
The company's Website calls it "the world's first renewable gasoline," and states:
Sapphire Energy has built a revolutionary platform that uses photosynthetic microorganisms to produce a renewable, high-value replacement for fossil fuel petroleum. This domestic crude oil requires only sunlight, CO2 and non-potable water – and can be produced at massive scale on non-arable land.
A very wet bargain
Albuquerque has a lot of water conservation to do in the next few years even after sucessful toilet rebates and educational campaigns. But the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority has shown little interest in another conservation method that has worked in Santa Fe, Alamogordo and other arid communities: The more you use, the more you pay.
State will challenge EPA's air quality permit for Desert Rock coal-fired plant
Gov. Bill Richardson and New Mexico Attorney General Gary King announced today that they will immediately file an appeal of the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency’s issuance of an air quality permit for the proposed Desert Rock coal-burning power plant. The plant would be built on the Navajo Nation about 25 miles southwest of Farmington.
The EPA in a press release today claimed that the plant would be one of the cleanest coal-fired power plants in the nation.
But in a joint press release countering those claims, Richardson and King, along with NM Environment Department Secretary Ron Curry, called the permit "ill-advised" and suggested that the EPA and Sithe Global of Houston cut a deal to evade judicial review of the power plant. They allege that the EPA violated the Clean Air Act in issuing the permit, and didn't require appropriate analysis of air requirements before issuing it.
Double ditch: MRGCD ditches ditch trail program
A three-year effort aimed at enhancing the pedestrian trail system on irrigation ditches in Albuquerque's north and south valleys died Monday night after supporters of the status quo galvanized opposition that underscored the plan's potential problems.
The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District board sided with opponents of the Ditches With Trails program and by unanimous vote severed its relationship with the group. Board member Janet Jarratt spoke for many on the board when she said she supported the concept behind the trail program but had strong reservations about a slew of details, including the board's loss of management control over its 300-mile-long network of irrigation ditches in Bernalillo County.
Said board member Jim Roberts of the trail system, "I like it the way it is."
Southern NM developer stands to make millions from controversial lease
You know those controversial leases the State Land Office has been routinely entering into over the past few years? Well, planning work under one was recently completed by Las Cruces developer Philip Philippou and the land is now up for sale. When you crunch the numbers based on the minimum acceptable bids for the parcels, Philippou stands to make several million dollars. The original appraised value of the land was $8,000 per acre, or $1,968,000 given the total of 246 acres up for sale. If the land office receives bids for each of the 13 parcels offered that Philippou did work on, the minimum required bid amounts will total $17,180,000, or $15.2 million over the original appraisal. Philippou will get a majo cut of that.
TODAY'S TOP STORIES: Ruidoso death attributed to flooding
The top story in New Mexico today comes from flood-ravaged Ruidoso, where one body has been recovered and hundreds of stranded residents and visitors were airlifted to safety late Monday and early today. Authorities recovered the body of a 20-year-man who apparently lost his footing while walking along the swollen Ruidoso River on Sunday and was swept away.
Journalists flocked to the area and gathered dozens of eyewitness accounts for The Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press, Las Cruces Sun-News, Clovis News Journal and Deming Headlight. For video of the mop-up operations, KOB-TV, KRQE-TV and KOAT-TV had crews on the scene.
TODAY'S TOP STORIES: Ruidoso gets nine inches of rain thanks to Dolly
The remnants of Hurricane Dolly have caused the Rio Ruidoso to overflow its banks, creating the worst flooding the town of Ruidoso has seen in 50 years. Fire Chief Tom Gavin says the public needs to stay away from the river, or they may find their lives in jeopardy. The Ruidoso News has video footage and pictures, plus reports that two people are missing.
A new international railroad crossing on the border with Mexico is being pursued by New Mexico officials, reports the Albuquerque Journal. This would create a bypass around the town of Juarez, allowing that city to remove the railroad tracks from their downtown area.
The Navajo Nation Council has banned smoking in shared public places, including outdoor events like rodeos and fairs. The measure was approved Friday at the end of its summer session, and President Joe Shirley Jr. now has 10 days to decide whether to sign or veto the decision.
Atrisco strikes brackish gold
A company drilling for natural gas on Albuquerque's West Side has struck another valuable commodity — water. Atrisco Oil & Gas drilled into an aquifer believed to be 50 square miles in size and at least 1,000 feet deep. The discovery of a large aquifer could make it easier to accommodate the anticipated growth of another 100,000 homes on the West Side in the next 20 years, said Atrisco CEO Peter Sanchez.
The big H2O transfer
The demand for water has driven up the value of Middle Rio Grande water rights more than tenfold in the last 20 years, and landowners are cashing out in what appear to be record numbers. But even as water transfers speed up, so has opposition from farmers and pueblos alike. In recent months the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has chimed in over concern for the endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow.
The hidden costs of a 'maquiladora'
Last week ground was broken on the outskirts of Ciudad Juarez in what is set to be Mexico's largest 'maquiladora'. The Taiwanese manufacturing giant Foxconn started construction in Jeronimo, Chihuaha on a facility that will eventually span 500 acres with more than 1.2 million square feet of structures and employ 30,000 people. Foxconn is one of the largest manufacturers of computer components and electronics worldwide.
NM Board of Finance postpones vote on new rules to clarify growth
The New Mexico Board of Finance voted unanimously today to postpone a vote until its September 16th meeting on a new rule to guide them when they consider creating a Tax Increment Development District.
Board of Finance Director Olivia Padilla-Jackson told the Independent the vote was postponed in order to give the Board time to review and consider the large number of comments received, which came from a wide range of non-profit organizations and for-profit development groups, as well as local city and county politicians.