EPA withdraws proposed regs for in-situ uranium mining EPA safety rules Kathy Helms, Special Correspondent Gallup Independent October 23, 2018 GRANTS — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Friday formally withdrew the proposed rulemaking for tailings from in-situ...

Attorney: Water decision correct By John Larson, Staff Writer El Defensor Chieftain Aug 27, 2018 The State Engineer made the right decision in denying Augustin Plains Ranch a permit to pump water from the San Agustin Plains to municipalities and businesses in the Rio...

On August 1st, the State Engineer denied Augustin Plains Ranch's application to withdraw more than 17 billion gallons of groundwater annually from its property near Datil, NM. The State Engineer accepted two motions for summary judgement, one from our clients and one...

MASE, Amigos Bravos to appeal Mount Taylor Mine decision By Kathy Helms, Special correspondent Gallup Independent August 3, 2018 SANTA FE — The Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment and Amigos Bravos said Thursday they will appeal a decision by the New Mexico...

Mount Taylor Mine decision appeal possible By Kathy Helms, Special correspondent Gallup Independent July 18, 2018 SANTA FE — Will Amigos Bravos and the Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment appeal a New Mexico Mining Commission decision supporting a return to...

Uranium mining’s past colors Mount Taylor Mine’s future By Kathy Helms Santa Fe New Mexican 28 May 2018 GALLUP — Christine Lowery of Paguate Village was 4 years old when uranium mining began at Anaconda Mineral Company’s Jackpile-Paguate Mine. She has seen the effects...

Panel upholds Mount Taylor Mine active status decision By Kathy Helms, Special correspondent Gallup Independent May 18, 2018 SANTA FE — Mount Taylor Mine will remain in active status, the New Mexico Mining Commission ruled this week. The Commission handed Amigos...

Environmentalists seek to halt return of Mount Taylor mine Santa Fe New Mexican The Associated Press March 19, 2018 GRANTS - Environmentalists are seeking to keep an idle uranium mine in western New Mexico from becoming active again, saying the designation will allow...

The Law Center is not mentioned in this story, but the issue is central to our argument - which the Mining and Minerals Division and the Mining Commission refuse to allow us to make - that the Mt Taylor mine has no viable path to uranium production and should shut...

Last month, the Bernalillo County Commission approved Santolina’s Level B Master Plan - despite no support from constituents, no agreement from the Bernalillo County Water Authority and no evidence that the development will result in no-net expense to Bernalillo...

The County Planning Commission and county staff had recommended approval, although opponents of the project appealed the planning commission’s decision. That appeal was denied on the same 3-2 vote. Jaimie Park, an attorney with the New Mexico Environmental Law Center, who argued on behalf of SouthWest Organizing Project and other Santolina opponents, said the developer […]

The NMELC is an advocate for all that makes New Mexico a wonderful place to live: healthy communities, a well-functioning environment, social and environmental justice…Our organization, the Augustin Plains Challenge, is determined to make sure that decision-makers know that a lot matters besides lining corporate investors’ pockets. This project jeopardizes the viability of a thriving […]

“Administrator Pruitt is committed to leading the EPA in a more effective, more focused, less costly way as we partner with states to fulfill the agency’s core mission,” an agency spokesman said. Pruitt has made it clear he wants to delegate more responsibilities to state and local governments for enforcement and cleanup. But Eric Jantz, […]

Now in its third iteration, the application is pending before the New Mexico Office of the State Engineer, which administers the state’s water resources. In July, the state agency canceled a pre-hearing meeting. But last week, it released the application’s scheduling order, which includes information about the project and the process, as well as upcoming […]

In the end commission newcomer, Democrat Steven Michael Quezada sided with the county’s two Republican commissioners in favor of letting the development proceed without a water agreement in place. New Mexico Environmental Law Center attorney Jamie Park argued against letting the project go forward without a water agreement. “We were not surprised,” Park said. “We […]