July 9, 2021
City Environmental Health Department Withdraws Motions to Disqualify Air Quality Control Board Members
July 14 Hearing Cancelled
Mountain View Coalition Credits Community Mobilization Efforts for Raising Voices Against Environmental Injustice
ALBUQUERQUE, NM—The City of Albuquerque Environmental Health Department (EHD) abruptly withdrew four motions to disqualify Air Quality Control Board (AQCB) members from a case by Mountain View residents to reverse the air pollution permit for a hot mix asphalt batch plant proposed by New Mexico Terminal Services (NMTS).
Attorneys for the EHD had requested three members of the AQCB to be disqualified for bias; attorneys for the groups making up the Mountain View coalition—Mountain View Neighborhood Association, Mountain View Community Action, and Friends of Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge—were prepared to argue in the July 14th hearing next week in front of the AQCB that the bias claims were baseless and that there is no evidence to support the city’s disqualification requests.
The coalition and their attorneys believe this entire effort to get board members to be kicked off the NMTS case has been a huge distraction and a tremendous waste of taxpayer money.
Members of the Mountain View Coalition are represented by the New Mexico Environmental Law Center. NMELC Staff Attorney Eric Jantz said, “We are pleased the Environmental Health Department withdrew their motions. Now the board can get back to the job it was appointed to do.” And staff attorney Maslyn Locke added, “The board’s job is to prevent and clean up air pollution. EHD tried to hobble the board’s ability to do that, and now we are looking forward to presenting, alongside the community, at a hearing in front of the full board.” …