State’s review could set precedent for first new uranium mine in 40 years, environmental lawyer says

By Patrick Lohmann
Source NM

January 15, 2025

The company seeking to build a new uranium mine near Mount Taylor announced a significant milestone this week, completing an operations plan that one environmental lawyer said indicates the company is serious about extracting the first load of uranium from the state in decades.  …

By Kent Paterson and Mercedes Mejia
KUNM
Espejos de Atzlan
August 4, 2025

SUNLAND REVISITED: PEOPLE, POWER AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ON THE US-MEXICO BORDER

Produced by Kent Paterson with Mercedes Mejia, this half-hour documentary examines historic and contemporary environmental and public health issues confronting the people of two southern New Mexico communities straddling the Mexican border: Sunland Park and Santa Teresa. Amid tremendous growth fueled by a burgeoning cross-border economy, residents grapple with drinking water quality, traffic issues and long-running concerns over a huge regional landfill. . …

By Jason Groves
Las Cruces Sun-News
July 31, 2025
After months of urging from the public, the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority voted to move its monthly board meetings to the evening to accommodate members of the public who want to attend. …

By Donovan Quintero
Navajo Times
July 24, 2025

By Donovan Quintero
Navajo Times
July 24, 2025

CHURCH ROCK, N.M.

The Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency is pursuing an ambitious strategy to clean up the toxic legacy of uranium mining, even as tribal leaders and community advocates continue to demand justice, protection of sacred lands and accountability for decades of environmental harm. …

By Leah March
Santa Fe/Las Cruces Reporter
Albuquerque Business First
June 26, 2025

In defiance of a near-total dependence on foreign uranium, the White House has turned to New Mexico’s reserves to reclaim U.S. energy security. Since May 14, the federal government has placed four New Mexico uranium mining projects on a national priority list, with three of them flagged for expedited permitting. …

Native American tribes face a legacy of health and environmental consequences

National Conference of State Legislatures

By Tansey Moore

June 11, 2025

As the United States increasingly looks to expand reliable baseload energy sources, nuclear power is emerging as an important part of the mix. This is especially true in states trying to meet growing energy demands driven largely by artificial intelligence and data centers. In many cases, states are setting their sights on small modular reactors, or SMRs, which have a smaller physical footprint compared with large reactors and can potentially come online sooner. …

Albuquerque Journal

By Algernon D’Ammassa

June 11, 2025

A vote by the Sunland Park City Council last week set the city on course to absorb the nonprofit water utility serving an estimated 19,466 individuals and industrial areas in Sunland Park and Santa Teresa. …

Cibola Citizen

By Diego Lopez

May 28, 2025

GRANTS, N.M. — A sweeping series of executive orders signed by President Donald Trump on May 23 aims to fast-track uranium mining across the United States, raising serious questions about the future of two long-dormant mines near Mount Taylor the White House sees as “priority projects.” …

Source NM

May 22, 2025

Recent federal activity suggests the Trump administration has two long-stalled uranium mines near New Mexico’s Mount Taylor on its radar.

Earlier this month, a federal infrastructure agency included Roca Honda and La Jara Mesa uranium mines on a new list of 20 projects nationally that advance “the President’s directive to take immediate action to facilitate domestic production of America’s vast mineral resources,” according to a statement from the council.. …

By Jason Groves

Las Cruces Sun News

May 13, 2025

The Santa Teresa Industrial Park arsenic treatment facility failed a voluntary arsenic test in April.

The facility, operated by the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority, was one of three CRRUA water treatment facilities tested. The Sunland Park and Santa Teresa Community facilities each tested below the Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminate level for arsenic of 10 parts per billion (ppb), according to a CRRUA news release. …

By Algernon D’Ammassa 

Albuquerque Journal

May 6, 2025

SUNLAND PARK — A beleaguered water utility serving nearly 20,000 people in Santa Teresa, Sunland Park and southern Doña Ana County reported progress Monday on correcting deficiencies in assuring safe drinking water cited by the New Mexico Environment Department. …

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15 second promo that is running all month long for Earth Month!

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Advocates worry contract could lead to truckloads of uranium from Mount Taylor to Utah
By Patrick Lohmann
Source NM
April 7, 2025

A provision in the secret, controversial agreement allowing a private company to transport uranium ore across the Arizona side of the Navajo Nation has New Mexico anti-nuclear advocates increasingly worried about the prospect of new mining activity near a mountain sacred to the Navajo people. …

Lauren Elizabeth Shults

El Paso Times

March 19, 2025

Friday, March 7, Sunland Park residents demanded the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority require water quality testing and arsenic testing when potential disruptions to water quality occur, implement a rate freeze for the next four years and provide free, third-party clean water when discolored water incidents happen, among other requests. …