CURRENT PRESS RELEASE
City Environmental Health Department Withdraws Motions to Disqualify Air Quality Control Board Members
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.” …
Past Press Releases
Eric Jantz Named Environmental Lawyer of the Year
Eric Jantz, Staff Attorney for the nonprofit New Mexico Environmental Law Center, is being honored by the Natural Resources, Energy and Environmental Law section of the New Mexico Bar Association as Lawyer of the Year. Eric has been with the Law Center for eighteen...
AND THE WINNER IS: LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY
The New Mexico Environmental Law Center bestowed its annual Toxic Turkey Award to Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) for nearly six decades of polluting the human and natural environment and continuous violations of basic principles of environmental justice. The...
EPA Repeal of Water Rule Threatens New Mexico’s Waters and Communities
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers repealed the 2015 Obama-era Rule that clarified the definition of "Waters of the US" (WOTUS). Waters that are included in WOTUS receive protection under the Clean Water Act. The settings for the...
McKinley Uranium Working Group Gains/Loses County Commission Support
On July 30, Percy Anderson and Janene Yazzie of the McKinley County Uranium Working Group, which has been seeking County Commission support for a Blue Ribbon Task Force to study the impacts of uranium mining in the County, appeared to get support from two of the three...
District Court Denies Augustin Plains Ranch Application – Again!
In a brief Memorandum, 7thJudicial District Court Judge Matthew Reynolds granted the Motions for Summary Judgment filed by the New Mexico Environmental Law Center for approximately 80 residents of the San Agustin Plains and by the Catron County Board of County...
Community Groups Send Notice of Intent to Sue Air Force
Today, the Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP), New Mexico Voices for Children, New Mexico State Senator Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, New Mexico State Senator Mimi Stewart, New Mexico State Representative G. Andres Romero, and three individual residents of the impacted...
Victory in Aquifer Science East Mountains Water Case
"Albuquerque District Court Judge Shannon Bacon denied the ground water pumping application of Aquifer Science, a Nevada-based water speculator, to appropriate 350 acre feet of ground water in the East Mountain area of Albuquerque. The Office of the State Engineer had...
Navajo Community Files Report with UN Human Rights Committee
The Law Center issued a press release announcing a report filed with the United Nations Human Rights Committee charging the United States with violating the human rights of minority and indigenous communities affected by decades of uranium mining and milling. The...
Commissioner Quezada Defends South Valley – Still Supports Santolina Development
At the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (ABCWUA) Board Meeting on December 4th, both County Commissioner Steven Michael Quezada and City Councilor Klarissa Peña spoke out about preserving South Valley agriculture. Councilor Peña said she “fears”...
Toxic Turkey Award Goes to Oil Conservation Division and Oil Conservation Commission
The New Mexico Environmental Law Center gave the annual Toxic Turkey Award to the Oil Conservation Division (OCD) and the Oil Conservation Commission (OCC) for their failure to adequately regulate the oil and gas industry. The Law Center gives the Toxic Turkey Award...
BIG WIN! State Engineer Rejects Third Augustin Plains Ranch Application
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, August 2, 2018 State Engineer Denies Augustin Plains Ranch Groundwater Application Application Deemed Speculative SANTA FE – The State Engineer has denied as speculative Augustin Plains Ranch’s most recent application for withdrawal...
Mining Commission Final Order for Mt Taylor “Zombie Mine” Permit
SANTA FE – The Mining Commission issued its Final Order on the Mt Taylor uranium mine operating permit, declaring that essentially anything a mining company does that “disturbs” the land is mining and that a mine operating permit does not require that actual ore...
Hearing Begins on Mt Taylor Permit Review
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, May 5, 2018 Community Groups Appeal Zombie Uranium Mine Mining Commission Public Hearing Monday May 7th SANTA FE, N.M. — On Monday, May 7th, the New Mexico Mining Commission will begin hearings on an appeal of the “Return to Active”...
Law Center Files Petition for Review of Mt Taylor Permit
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, February 28, 2018 Zombie Uranium Mine Begins to Stir Mining and Minerals Division Permit Violates State Mining Act SANTA FE, N.M. — The Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment (MASE) and Amigos Bravos filed a Petition for...
Court Upholds State Engineer, Hillsboro Residents in Water Rights Case
NEW MEXICO 3RD DISTRICT COURT UPHOLDS STATE ENGINEER, HILLSBORO RESIDENTS AND LADDER RANCH IN COPPER MINING WATER RIGHTS CASE In a victory for community residents, the New Mexico Third Judicial District Court dismissed almost 90% of the water rights...