A New Mexico agency has stepped up vigilance of the state's limited water resources.

On Tuesday, the New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission approved a designation to protect more than 250 miles in five watersheds, including the Rio Grande. A coalition of state groups including anglers, local governments, acequia members and conservation groups were seeking the "Outstanding National Resource Waters" designation.

Ralph Vigil, northern organizer for the nonprofit New Mexico Wild, said the classification will protect traditional community water uses and safeguard waterways from the degradation new uses often inflict.

"I think that we, as people living in this time, need to take the necessary steps," Vigil asserted. "Because I believe we're living in a tipping point where either we do it or we're going to get to a point that it's so far gone that there's no such thing as clean water anymore."

The designation protects traditional community water uses and safeguard waterways from degradation from mining, development and transportation, waste disposal, recreational overuse and the effects of climate change. It will also help sustain outdoor activities such as fishing, hunting, hiking and camping.

Nick Streit, executive director of Friends of Rio Grande del Norte National Monument and co-owner of the Taos Fly Shop, explained the value of protecting the resource.

"My father started the business back in 1980 and I've been running it with my wife for the last 20 years and it's our sole income," Streit explained. "Protecting the water is also protecting kind-of our livelihood."

Vigil, an organic farmer, said clean rivers and streams are vital to New Mexico's agricultural economy, which depends on clean water to grow healthy crops.

"As we move forward with uncertainty as far as what might happen to our protections for clean water throughout the state this whole ONRW designation will help ensure that more of our streams within our state are protected," Vigil emphasized.

Some conservationists worry the incoming Trump administration will repeal clean water legislation approved by President Joe Biden, including an order for utilities to start ridding the nation's drinking water of forever chemicals known as PFAS, which are linked to cancer and other health risks.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Environmental and wildlife conservation in Montana took hits during this year's state legislative session, including vetoes from the governor on bills that received bipartisan support.

Among bills Gov. Greg Gianforte vetoed was House Bill 477, which would have phased out some single-use Styrofoam food containers in favor of those made from Montana agricultural byproducts.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. Marilyn Marler, D-Missoula, called it "discouraging" when such a bipartisan effort is vetoed.

"Because it seems to me he did not listen to a wide variety of people, even in his own party," she said. "I think that with this particular bill, it just didn't send the right message about what our values are."

Tourism and recreation are important and growing industries in the state, and as Marler put it, "People don't come here to see trash."

Constituents can see how their lawmakers voted on conservation this session on the Montana Conservation Voters 2025 legislative scorecard.

Marler also voiced concern about weakening the Montana Environmental Policy Act, which was designed to uphold Montanans' constitutional right to a clean environment. While there was a win for habitat funding, Marler added she is seeing continued privatization of wildlife.

"It was not a great session for conservation and it was not a great session for Montana hunters," she explained. "It is becoming very hard to keep commercialization of wildlife off the books."

In renewable energy news, Gianforte vetoed the Montana Solar Shares Act, which would allow Montanans to buy shares in an energy-generating solar array. But a veto override poll for lawmakers is currently underway by mail.


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Conservationists are celebrating the protection of five miles of river frontage along the White Salmon River. The 174-acre site was purchased by The Conservation Fund more than a decade after the removal of Condit Dam. The dam was breached in 2011, draining the former Northwestern Lake. The lakebed makes up much of the acquisition.

Gates Watson, vice president of The Conservation Fund, said the removal restored a 44-mile free-flowing river.

"The dam's presence had an impact on the migration route for fish, including regional salmon populations, and disrupted Yakama Nation's right to fish and gather and hunt along this land, and with this transition that will be restored," he explained.

The land was purchased from PacifiCorp, which operated the hydroelectric dam. The site is located in the ancestral territory of the Yakama Nation. The acquisition will be managed by The Conservation Fund temporarily, before being acquired by Yakama Nation on a permanent basis.

Planning for the long-term restoration brought together PacifiCorp, Yakama Nation, The Conservation Fund and an owners association whose cabins sat near the shores of Northwestern Lake. Cabin owners had been leasing land from PacifiCorp. Site surveys were conducted to establish individual lots so owners could acquire the land under their buildings.

Watson said site planning also included a conservation easement and more.

"The vision for the completed White Salmon Corridor project is five miles of connected riparian habitat and a foot trail along the White Salmon River that is owned and managed by Yakima Nation, restoring opportunities for tribal members to access the river and fish," he continued.

The river is a breeding habitat for steelhead, Chinook and coho salmon, and researchers have found juvenile fish are returning in strong numbers.

A 100-megawatt solar project in rural Polk County set to begin operating this year has a unique focus on investments in youth.

Developers said the Apple River Solar Project will be able to power about 26,000 homes and offset CO2 emissions by nearly 130,000 metric tons, the equivalent of taking about 31,000 cars off the road each year.

Jeff Ringblom, chief development officer for the renewable energy company Geronimo Power, formerly National Grid Renewables, said the project will provide economic benefits to the community and a monetary donation to the Amery and Clayton school districts totaling $500,000.

"We've always been founded under the pretense of being what we call 'farmer friendly,'" Ringblom explained. "But that really encompasses the entire community and all of the stakeholders that are engaged. So we try to give back to the communities in which we operate in."

Both school districts are located in rural areas of the state. The funds will be distributed to them over the first 20 years of the project's operation. Ringblom noted they estimate the project will bring in about $36 million in the same time period, including about $10 million in new tax revenue.

The Boldt Company is constructing the utility-scale solar facility.

Mark Osten, vice president of energy project and business development for Boldt, said they recruited about 40 apprentices to work on the project, 20 of which are carpenters. He noted Boldt has been active in sponsoring apprentices, starting at the high school level, to train and expose them to trade work, which he said is so important to future projects.

"There's such a shortage of skilled trades in the country these days because so many kids have been going to college, the trades have been suffering," Osten pointed out. "Now we're in this build phase around the country and we don't have the people."

Osten added the project has also created about 150 construction jobs and is the first utility-scale solar project in the state led by a Wisconsin-based union contractor.

"One of my personal missions is really to try to get union contractors from the state of Wisconsin to build Wisconsin," Osten emphasized. "The other contractors that have built utility scale have all come from out of state, and our position is, 'Well, why aren't Wisconsin contractors building these things?'"

The Apple River Solar project will supply power to Xcel Energy for its customers across the Upper Midwest.