CURRENT PRESS RELEASE
EPA Conducts On-site Inspection of CRRUA
Thursday, February 13, 2025
Inspection Follows Meetings with & Requests by Community Members
SUNLAND PARK, NM—On February 4, 2025, representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted an on-site inspection of the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority (CRRUA). The EPA inspected CRRUA’s four arsenic treatment facilities, water wells and reviewed CRRUA’s operations and maintenance records.
The site-visit and inspection come only a few months after Sunland Park and Santa Teresa community members, Empowerment Congress of Doña Ana County, and the New Mexico Environmental Law Center met with EPA Region 6 and its Water Enforcement Branch in October 2024 to share concerns around CRRUA’s ongoing Safe Drinking Water Act violations. …
Read full release.
Past Press Releases
EPA Launches Investigation of ABQ City Council for Possible Civil Rights Violations
Friday, January 17, 2025
Decision is a Response to Complaint Filed by the Mountain View Coalition & NMELC
ALBUQUERQUE, NM—The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that it is launching an investigation into the City of Albuquerque and the Albuquerque City Council to determine whether it discriminated against a low-income community of color—Mountain View—when it passed two bills purging and putting a moratorium on action taken by the Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Air Quality Control Board in December 2023. …
EPA Signs Action Memo to Move Uranium Mine Waste from Churchrock to Red Rock Landfill
January 7, 2025
MASE Supports EPA Decision that will Protect Uranium Impacted Communities
Navajo people living with uranium mine wastes in the Churchrock area since the late 1960s today praised a decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) that will pave the way for disposal of more than 1 million cubic yards of wastes at a regional landfill property where it can be safely stored forever. …
NMELC Names ABQ City Council President Dan Lewis & Other Councilors Toxic Polluters of the Year for 2024
Announcement Revealed During Annual Environmental Justice Awards Event
December 13, 2024
Albuquerque, NM—The New Mexico Environmental Law Center (NMELC) announced the winners of its Annual Environmental Justice Awards for 2024. The winners were celebrated during NMELC’s Annual EJ Awards event held on Thursday, December 12th at the Harwood Art Center in downtown Albuquerque. The five awards given out include the tongue-in-cheek “award” for Toxic Polluter, which was “awarded” to Dan Lewis, Klarissa Peña, Louie Sanchez and Brook Bassan. NMELC staff presented a mock “certificate” to the Toxic Polluter of the Year for harming the environment and the health of New Mexicans.
New Report Reveals LANL Tritium Venting Could Have Triple the Radiation Exposure to Infants Compared to Adults
NEW REPORT REVEALS LANL TRITIUM VENTING COULD HAVE TRIPLE THE RADIATION EXPOSURE TO INFANTS COMPARED TO ADULTS
Native-Led Nonprofit Tewa Women United Commissioned Two Reports
to Study Impacts. Finding: LANL Omitted Dose Calculations to
Infants & Children in Their Compliance Application
ESPANOLA, NM — The Native-led nonprofit organization Tewa Women United (TWU), based in Española, New Mexico, has released two independent scientific technical reports assessing the implications and adherence to regulations concerning Los Alamos National Laboratory’s (LANL) proposal to release tritium into the open atmosphere from four Flanged Tritium Waste Containers (FTWCs) located in Area G (TA-54), near White Rock, New Mexico.
Southern NM Residents Demand Accountability from State Officials About Unhealthy Drinking Water
Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Residents Ask What Actions State will Take to Address Water Crisis
SUNLAND PARK, NM—On Monday, September 16, 2024, the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) and the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) held a public town hall in Sunland Park, New Mexico, about the ongoing water crisis and service issues by the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority (CRRUA).
ERG Report: Community Evaluation & Recommendations
Monday, September 16, 2024
COMMUNITY EVALUATION & PUBLIC COMMENT On the Comprehensive Performance Evaluation of the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority Four Arsenic Treatment Facilities
Based on the Comprehensive Performance Evaluation, Final Results and Report Prepared by the Eastern Research Group
…
Read full report.
San Agustin Plains Aquifer Protected by Judge’s Final Order
Thursday, August 29, 2024
Order Confirms Another Water Win for NM
Reserve, NM —On Friday, August 23, Judge Roscoe Woods of the 7th Judicial District entered a final order that the New Mexico State Engineer was correct in denying an application to mine and hoard tens of thousands of gallons per year of San Agustin Plains groundwater.
The water transfer application was submitted by Augustin Plains Ranch (APR) LLC, a New York-based company owned by Italian billionaire Bruno Modena. This is yet another water win for New Mexico. …
New Mexico State Auditor Reveals It Is Investigating Camino Real Regional Utility Authority
Wednesday, August 28, 2024
CRRUA Being Investigated for Potential “Fraud, Waste & Abuse”
SUNLAND PARK, NM—On Monday, August 19, 2024, the New Mexico Office of the State Auditor (OSA) responded to Sunland Park and Santa Teresa community members’ request for an investigation into the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority (CRRUA) for any and all violations of environmental protection laws; consumer protection laws; the New Mexico Open Meetings Act; and waste, fraud, and abuse of state and federal funds.. …
Governor Makes Big Promises to Clean Up Water in Southern NM–Will She Deliver?
Thursday, August 15, 2024
Residents of Sunland Park & Santa Teresa Call on Governor to Follow-Through on Her Public Commitments at Last Month’s Town Hall in Las Cruces to Fix Contaminated Water Issues
SUNLAND PARK, NM—On Thursday, July 25, during a public town hall in Las Cruces, New Mexico, Governor Michelle Lujan-Grisham publicly committed to hold a public meeting in Sunland Park to hear, address, and respond to public concerns surrounding the ongoing water quality and service issues by the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority (CRRUA). The Governor also publicly promised to “get the water cleaned and restored.” . …
Residents Ask Dept. of Justice & State Auditor to Investigate CRRUA
Thursday, August 15, 2024
SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO WATER UTILITY IN HOT WATER AGAIN
Residents Ask Dept. of Justice & State Auditor to Investigate CRRUA as Tap Water Turns Yellow Yet Again
SUNLAND PARK, NM—On Friday, August 2, the New Mexico Environmental Law Center, on behalf of community members in Sunland Park and Santa Teresa, submitted a request to the New Mexico Department of Justice (DOJ) and the New Mexico Office of the State Auditor to investigate the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority (CRRUA) for violations of environmental protection laws; consumer protection laws; waste, fraud, or abuse of state and federal funds; and violations of the New Mexico Open Meetings Act.
Read the 24-page official request here. …
Community Request for NM DOJ & State Auditor Investigation of CRRUA
August 2, 2024 Via email to: Raul Torrez, Attorney General New Mexico Department of Justice 201 3rd Street NW, Suite 900 Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102 rtorrez@nmag.gov Joseph M. Maestas, State Auditor Office of the State Auditor 2540 Camino Edward Ortiz, Suite A Santa...
Mountain View Coalition Files Federal Civil Rights Complaint Against City of ABQ
Monday, June 3, 2024
MOUNTAIN VIEW RESIDENTS FILE FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLAINT AGAINST CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE FOR INTERFERING WITH HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT & EQUITY IMPACTS (HEEI) HEARING
Mountain View Coalition Alleges City Blatantly & Deliberately Discriminated Against a Community of Color
ALBUQUERQUE, NM—During tonight’s Albuquerque City Council meeting, several Mountain View residents charged City Council with racial discrimination, announcing that on Friday, May 31, 2024, the Mountain View Coalition—made up of Mountain View Neighborhood Association, Mountain View Community Action and Friends of Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge—represented by the New Mexico Environmental Law Center, filed a federal Civil Rights Complaint against the City of Albuquerque and Albuquerque City Council with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, alleging discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin, in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. …
Water Win for Southern New Mexico! Court Ruling Protects San Augustin Plains Groundwater from Out-of-State Water Grab
Thursday, April 11, 2024
Water Win for Southern New Mexico!
Court Ruling Protects San Augustin Plains Groundwater from Out-of-State Water Grab
Reserve, NM —On Friday, April 5, Judge Roscoe Woods of the 7th Judicial District ruled from the bench that the New Mexico State Engineer was correct in denying Augustin Plains Ranch (APR) LLC’s application to mine and hoard tens of thousands of acre feet of water per year of San Augustin Plains groundwater. …
NMELC Receives $2 Million Grant from Yield Giving Open Call
NMELC is One of 10 Nonprofits in the State to be Selected
For Immediate Release
Thursday, March 21, 2024
ALBUQUERQUE—Mackenzie Scott’s charity, Yield Giving, announced this week that New Mexico Environmental Law Center was selected among thousands of organizations across the nation to receive a gift of $2 million from the Yield Giving Open Call. …
IACHR Grants Thematic Hearing on Impacts to Indigenous Peoples’ Human Rights from Uranium Exploitation
IACHR HOSTS HISTORIC HEARING ON IMPACTS TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ HUMAN RIGHTS FROM URANIUM EXPLOITATION
Hearing to be Held in Washington, D.C.
On Weds, Feb. 28th at 11am EST/9am MST …