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The 2019 Energy Transition Act was passed with the goal of cementing New Mexico's place as a leader in the clean energy transition. (hrui/AdobeStock)

NM's Just Transition: No community left behind, everyone shares benefits

New Mexico is taking a page from Colorado's Office of Just Transition to support communities affected by climate change. The office aims to support …

Policies proposed in Project 2025 would undermine already enacted environmental and climate policies related to fossil-fuel production, climate action and environmental justice. (newmexico.org)

Project 2025 alarms NM's teachers, human rights advocates, conservationists

From education to the environment and immigration, proposals in the "Project 2025" document alarm many New Mexicans promoting a more equal society…

Extreme heat, a direct result of the rise in the Earth's temperature, kills more people in the U.S. than flooding and hurricanes combined. (StillIAmWorking/Adobe Stock, AI enhanced)

Fires, floods, heat: NM August 'town halls' focus on climate change

A summer of fires, floods and extreme heat have prompted a series of climate change town halls in New Mexico this month, ahead of the 2025 …

Ponderosa pines in New Mexico's Zuni Mountains can measure 60 inches wide and live 300 to 600 years. (Courtesy Zander Evans)

Importance of NM's old-growth forests amid climate change cited

Climate change is forcing hard conversations about the importance of old-growth forests but in New Mexico, many say future generations must know the …

Researchers have long noted a correlation between scorching outdoor temperatures and violent crime. (ytutye/Adobe Stock)

NM advocacy group: more climate change infrastructure needed

A New Mexico advocacy group is reminding lawmakers the state must revise its approach to extreme heat, air pollution and the oil and gas industry if …

A proposal by a far-right think tank would increase funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall, should Republicans retake the White House in November. (Jeff/Adobe Stock)

NM voters get lowdown on far right's 'Project 2025'

A sweeping conservative plan to shape a possible second Donald Trump presidency is making headlines, even as the GOP candidate claims to know little …

Diminishing snowpack in northern New Mexico due to climate change will shorten the season for skiing and other forms of winter tourism and recreation, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. (RaisaNastukova/AdobeStock)

Boosting ‘Hope’ about climate-change among NM's next generation

New Mexico teachers educating young people about climate change don't want them to feel hopeless - and they've developed an educational curriculum to …

Recent wildfires and subsequent flooding have made some low-income households in New Mexicans eligible for federal disaster food assistance. (AdobeStock/goodmanphoto)

NM wildfires prompt precautions, new food assistance

New Mexicans affected by recent wildfires and subsequent flooding may be eligible for Disaster Supplemental Nutritional Program benefits. The …

A New Mexico wildfire has killed two people, burned at least 200 homes and forced the evacuation of 5,000 residents in the mountain town of Ruidoso. (wiki)

FBI to take closer look at NM's uncontained South Fork, Salt wildfires

The FBI has joined New Mexico's local, state, federal and tribal partners to investigate the cause of two drought-fueled wildfires that have yet to …

The World Health Organization says globally, one in two people can be considered

America's 'Radical Elders' continue their work for fairness, justice

Members of the group Radical Elders are participating in a Chicago tech conference this weekend to explain the impact of technology on older Americans…

La Organizaci�n Mundial de la Salud afirma que, en todo el mundo, una de cada dos personas puede considerarse

'Radical Elders' siguen trabajando por la equidad y la justicia

Miembros del grupo "Radical Elders" participan este fin de semana en una conferencia tecnológica en Chicago para explicar el impacto de la tecnol…

New Mexico is among states with the most diverse species of animals, including the African oryx, or gemsbok. (NationalParkService)

Advocates: Communities, wildlife benefitting from clean energy investments

Wildlife advocates say the current transition to clean energy will not only protect people in New Mexico communities, but also will have a huge …

Nuevo M�xico se encuentra entre los estados con las especies de animales m�s diversas, incluido el oryx africano o gemsbok. (NationalParkService)

Comunidades y vida silvestre se benefician de inversiones en energía limpia

Los defensores de la vida silvestre dicen que la transición actual hacia la energía limpia no solo protegerá a las personas en las comu…

New Mexico has received two and a half times the amount of federal money awarded last year to fortify wildfire defenses. (photo BLM)

NM among states with longer, more intense fire weather seasons

Areas of northern New Mexico now see 60 more annual fire days than 50 years ago, creating longer, more intense fire seasons. A report from Climate …

It is estimated 30% to 40% of the world's population now has some form of allergy, everything from hay fever to eczema and asthma. (auremar/AdobeStock)

Ignoring effects from New Mexico's seasonal allergies could lead to asthma

Toughing it out during spring allergy season is not in your best interest if you want to avoid asthma later in life. New Mexico has plenty of grass …

New Mexico is the second sunniest state in the nation after Arizona, creating maximum opportunities for solar development. (KristinaBlokhin/AdobeStock)

NM tribal communities benefit from EPA's "Solar For All" program

New federal funding aims to revolutionize solar energy access within New Mexico's Native American communities and benefit the state overall. The …

New Mexico has yet to adopt setback rules governing oil and gas wells near schools and other educational institutions. (Courtesy Becca Grady)

NM officials press for setbacks amid pushback from oil and gas industry

New Mexico members of the group Elected Officials to Protect America are renewing their call for rules regulating how close fossil fuel companies can …

The Bureau of Land Management's newly issued Public Lands Rule is designed to safeguard cultural resources such as New Mexico's Chaco Culture National Park. (Photo courtesy SallyPaez)

BLM's 'Public Lands Rule' could reform conservation, access in NM

Balancing the needs of the many with those who have traditionally reaped benefits from public lands is behind a new rule issued Thursday by the Bureau…

The Land of Enchantment has plenty of sunshine and some of the best solar incentives in the U.S. (Kristina Blokhin/Adobe Stock)

Personal energy electrification plans offered at NM Earth Day event

Saving New Mexico residents money as they adapt to climate change is the goal behind an Earth Day event in Albuquerque Sunday. The Rio Grande …

In 2014, an instrument aboard the International Space Station spotted the largest methane cloud ever measured above New Mexico's San Juan Basin. (NASA.gov)

Environmental nonprofit launches satellite to detect methane leaks

The first satellite launched by a nonprofit organization is now circling the globe, getting ready to deliver data on methane pollution from oil and …

In New Mexico, three-quarters of new survey respondents said they do not want protections rolled back on national monuments. (National Park Service)

Poll: Voters in NM, other Western states consistently support conservation

A new poll showed New Mexico voters expressed a deep affection for lands, water and wildlife and want policies offering greater protections. The 14…

A bill before the New Mexico Legislature would halt approval of new drilling permits within a mile of school facilities starting in July. (Photo courtesy of Consumer Watchdog)

A trio of NM bills could rein in lucrative oil, gas industry

A trio of bills to curb oil and gas pollution is under consideration by New Mexico lawmakers. New Mexico is the country's second-largest oil …

The rate of New Mexico high school students not graduating on time was down from 33% a decade ago to 23% in 2019-2020. (Julie/Adobe Stock)

Report: New Mexico's child well-being slowly improving

Child well-being in New Mexico appears to be slowly improving with a marked decline in child poverty. Data from New Mexico Voices for Children found …

Hydrogen use is expected to grow sixfold from today's levels to meet 10% of total energy consumption by 2050, according to the International Energy Agency. (malp/Adobe Stock)

Navajo Nation hydrogen project raises red flags in New Mexico

Hydrogen power is touted as a game-changer in curbing climate change. But in New Mexico, those who feel exploited by the fossil fuel industry have …

Latinos account for 47% of agricultural field workers and 46% of construction laborers in the U.S. and face extreme summer heat threats due to climate change. (JackF/Adobe Stock)

Report: How climate change threatens Latinos' health and heritage

As climate change makes extreme weather events more common globally, Latinos often face the most significant effects to their health, safety…

New Mexico's largest energy company has expanded its fleet of electric vehicles. (Courtesy: Public News Service-New Mexico)

NM's new rules for clean cars, trucks include EV purchase incentives

New Mexico's air quality is not the worst in the nation but it could be better, and the recent adoption of new standards for clean cars and trucks …

The pi�on jay follows the bounty of nuts from the pi�on pine, which only produce riches of nuts every seven to 10 years. (Hulshofpictures/Adobe Stock)

NM's bird watchers commence annual count of feathered friends

Volunteers will fan out across New Mexico starting today to help the Audubon Society add to more than 120 years' worth of data about bird populations…

Historically the swale paintbrush grew in at least a dozen locations but has only been spotted in one since 1985. (courtesy MarkEgger/Flickr)

A New Mexico endangered species outside the cultural norm

It might not make hearts skip a beat like the sight of a Monarch butterfly or gray wolf, but biologists say a rare flowering New Mexico plant …

Farmers and ranchers steward about 44% of the United States' landmass. (ZoranZeremski/Adobe Stock)

Delayed Farm Bill could affect millions of Americans

The Farm Bill, typically renegotiated every five years will likely be extended to six years this time around, as Congress seems months away from …

A new report from the Environmental Protection Agency found 58% of methane emissions from landfills come from food waste. (kpn1968/AdobeStock)

Continued food waste in U.S. alarms states with high food scarcity

A new government report highlighted the urgent need to keep food waste out of landfills, noting 30% to 40% of food produced in the U.S. is never …

New Mexico is among 15 U.S. states known to have mountain lions, with an estimated population of 3,500. (JasonKlassi/mountainlion.org)

NM Game Commission to decide hunting limits for mountain lion, bear

The number of mountain lions killed by New Mexico hunters in recent years has fallen below what the state allows, but wildlife advocates think a …

New Mexico's planned electric vehicle infrastructure would allow motorists to charge a vehicle in 30 to 45 minutes for about $20. (AdobeStock/serperm73)

NM Seeks Public Input on Zero-Emission Vehicle Standards

New Mexico wants more residents to drive electric vehicles, and is hosting a series of meetings to explain its advanced clean cars and trucks rules…

New Mexico is projected to face a glaring

NM Youth Protest Over Climate-Change Accountability

Today's young people will struggle most with the affects of climate change, and a New Mexico youth group brings its concerns to the streets of …

The National Weather Service says a heat index at or above 90 degrees poses a significant health risk. (nmsd.k12.nm.us)

Study: NM Needs New Policies to Protect Children from Extreme Heat

New Mexico must do more to protect children and other vulnerable residents from extreme heat, according to a new report from the advocacy …

It's estimated that 200 million Americans are drinking water contaminated with PFAS, according to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. (Rachel Conn)

NM Activists Secure Hearing on 'Forever Chemicals' Used in Extraction

Environmental groups and concerned citizens scored a victory in New Mexico on Thursday that could lead to better regulation of PFAS, also known as …

July is the hottest month of the year for the U.S. as a whole. The warmest day for every location in the lower 48 states is typically July 26, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (NewAfrica/Adobe Stock)

NM Health Experts Warn of Heat-Related Illness Risk

The temperatures in New Mexico and across the Southwest already have been brutal this summer, and experts are issuing warnings about heat-related …

Federal data show nearly 4,000 of the oil and gas drilling permits issued by the Biden administration are on public lands overseen by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's New Mexico office. (Photo courtesy WildEarthGuardians)

NM Advocates: Climate Crisis Demands End to Feds' Fossil-Fuel Leasing

The Bureau of Land Management has auctioned off another 10,000 acres of New Mexico public lands to the oil and gas industry, despite a local rally …

The American Geosciences Institute says the enormous size of the oil and gas industry results in huge volumes of oil and produced water, which lead to thousands of spills every year. (Photo courtesy of WildEarth Guardians)

NM Environmentalists: New Rules, Same Spills at State's Oilfields

Environmentalists and citizens in New Mexico believe the state agency charged with overseeing oil and gas activity is not doing enough to enforce rule…

In the last week of July 2022, a five-mile stretch of the Rio Grande in Albuquerque, N.M., ran dry for the first time in 40 years. (GregMeland/AdobeStock)

Rio Grande River Water Usage Accountability Heats Up

A conservation group which has fought to know how water from the Rio Grande is being used by a regional irrigation district in New Mexico will continu…

New Mexico's newly created permanent conservation fund is modeled after a trust established by the Wyoming Legislature in 2005. (RustyDodson/Adobe Stock)

New Mexico Creates First-Ever $100M Conservation Fund

New Mexico is using some of its surplus budget funds, primarily from oil and gas revenues, to establish the state's first-ever source of recurring …

Despite climate change, water-rights transfers and development, approximately 750 centuries-old acequias still operate in New Mexico. (MayaPena/lasacequias.org)

NM's Historic Acequias Featured in New Documentary Film

The annual cleaning of acequias in northern New Mexico gets underway in earnest next week, just as a filmmaker debuts a documentary about their past…

In 2022, a stretch of the Rio Grande flowing through Albuquerque ran dry for the first time in 40 years. (LeoYorkPhotos/AdobeStock)

NM Lawmakers Urged to Allocate More Money to Purchase Water

New Mexico lawmakers are considering a bill this session to fully fund the Strategic Water Reserve, a management tool deemed critical as the state …

New Mexico is considered one of the U.S. states most vulnerable to climate-change impacts that threaten physical health, the economy and people's way of life. (mmg1design/AdobeStock)

NM Resiliency Bill Aims to Help People Prepare for Climate Change

Worsening environmental conditions because of extreme weather and climate change are cited as why proactive legislation is needed by the New Mexico Le…

Wasted natural gas from methane venting, flaring and leaks on public lands would meet the needs of 2.2 million people - or nearly all households in New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah and Wyoming, according to the Environmental Defense Fund. (Tom/Adobe Stock)

Ball in EPA's Court for Supplemental Oil and Gas Rules

Citizens, states and environmental groups from New Mexico and across the nation have weighed in on tougher rules to govern pollution from the oil and …

The Colorado River, which once flowed to the sea in Mexico, has been chronically overused, and combined with climate change, the river system now is in crisis as reservoirs dry up. (John/AdobeStock)

Poll: Westerners Remain Strongly Supportive of Conservation Issues

Climate change, pollution, effects from oil and gas drilling and a strong concern for protecting drinking water are just some of the issues New …

Water scarcity in the U.S. Southwest, augmented by drought, climate change, and increased competition for the resource creates uncertainty for those who grow chile peppers in the Rio Grande Valley. (Susan Vineyard/Adobe)

Hot Conference Topic: NM First State With Official Aroma, Chile Peppers?

Can a state have an official aroma? That topic will on attendees' minds when the annual New Mexico Chile Conference is held in Las Cruces today…

Currently, New Mexico is one of the few Western states without a dedicated land and water conservation funding. (Don/AdobeStock)

NM Legislature Considers Dedicated Funding for Land, Water Conservation

As New Mexico recovers from its worst wildfire in history, lawmakers are considering a proposal to create the "Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund" to …

Exposure to methane from oil and gas wells is known to cause health problems, including asthma, along with higher rates of leukemia, lymphoma and cancer. (Cavan/Adobe Stock)

Stronger Federal Methane Rules Would Benefit NM Residents, But When?

New Mexico residents have two weeks to submit written comments to the Environmental Protection Agency about its proposal to implement stronger standar…

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NM: Climate Change