by NMELC | Dec 15, 2023 | NMELC in the News
December 15, 2023
By Kent Paterson, CounterPunch
Promoting a tourism mystique, the marketers of Albuquerque, New Mexico, peddle images of clean skies, diverse culture and delicious cuisine. The icons encompass soaring hot air balloons, majestic Sandia Mountain vistas and the ubiquitous chile pepper, red or green. But if current political trends hold, the postcard visitors send grandma might depict more spewing emissions, sickly skies and gagging residents.
At least that’s the implication of recent actions by the Albuquerque City Council that sacked the current members of the joint Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Air Quality Control Board (JAQCB) and blocked a proposed Health, Environment and Equity Impacts rule (HEEI) aimed at protecting low-income communities of color in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County from further, disproportionate air pollution impacts, including the cumulative effects of pollution. …
by NMELC | Dec 12, 2023 | News, Press Releases
Questions Remain Over What Impact New Revised Rule Will Have
ALBUQUERQUE, NM—A historic public hearing in front of the Joint ABQ-Bernalillo County Air Quality Control Board concluded last night, Monday, December 11th, at which the Board heard evidence and requests from the Mountain View Coalition, Pro-Se Parties, Dr. Sofia Martinez and Manuel Criollo represented by the UNM Natural Resources Law Clinic, and Pueblo of Isleta, along with countless community partners to address decades of environmental racism….
by NMELC | Dec 5, 2023 | News, Press Releases
Despite the horrific decisions by the Albuquerque City Council last night to override both Mayoral vetoes of the Dan Lewis bills to abolish the current Joint ABQ-Bernalillo County Air Quality Control Board and to establish a moratorium on board action through...
by NMELC | Nov 22, 2023 | News, Press Releases
November 22, 2023
Press Release
Vetoes Mean Mountain View Coalition’s Cumulative Impacts Regulation Can Proceed to Dec. 4th Public Hearing
ALBUQUERQUE, NM—Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller vetoed two controversial bills today that would have purged the Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Joint Air Quality Control Board and established a moratorium on action until February.
The Mayor cited a lack of cooperation with Bernalillo County, a lack of consultation with the Office of the Mayor, and that the bills were premature and an attempt to pre-empt the Air Quality Control Board’s upcoming public hearing on the Mountain View Coalition’s community-driven and historic Health, Environment & Equity Impacts regulation scheduled to begin in 12 days. …
by NMELC | Nov 10, 2023 | News, Press Releases
November 10, 2023
Press Release
Mayor Has 10 Days to Veto Controversial Ordinance
ALBUQUERQUE, NM—On Wednesday night, November 8th, after hours of debate and dozens of comments from community members, the Albuquerque City Council voted 5-4 to approve abolishing the current Joint Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Air Quality Control Board.
Councilors Dan Lewis, Brook Bassan, Louie Sanchez, Renee Grout and Trudy Jones voted for Lewis’ two bills to abolish the current board and to establish a moratorium on taking any action to address quality of life issues. Councilors Tammy Fiebellkorn, Pat Davis, Ike Benton and Klarissa Peña voted against both bills.
by NMELC | Nov 6, 2023 | NMELC in the News
November 6, 2023
By V. B. Price, Mercury Messenger
A landmark environmental justice regulation proposed in Albuquerque — undoubtedly the most important of its kind in generations — has so frightened the business community here that it has gone to preposterous and disgusting lengths to undermine and destroy it.
Westside City Councilor and conservative Republican Dan Lewis, a petroleum businessman and pastor, introduced two bills in mid-October that would not only undermine the health of impoverished communities in Bernalillo County but would also deepen the county’s abysmal air quality record. The American Lung Association puts us in the top 25 most polluted metro areas in nation. …