Officially, the Rio Grande gauge at the Central Avenue crossing in Albuquerque’s Barelas neighborhood says the state’s most important river has water. But dog walkers and kids seen making mud castles in the center of the main channel (this is not safe, by the way), Wednesday afternoon may beg to differ. At 3 p.m. Thursday […]
Environment, Climate & Conservation
Landmark New Mexico oil pollution lawsuit appealed to state Supreme Court
A coalition of Indigenous, frontline, youth and environmental organizations, alongside community members, appealed to the New Mexico Supreme Court Tuesday to hear their landmark lawsuit, which challenges the state’s alleged failure to protect public health and the environment from oil and gas pollution, as mandated by the New Mexico Constitution. The appeal follows a state […]
Albuquerque prepared for monsoon season with enhanced pump station security
As Albuquerque enters its monsoon season, the city has upgraded its 15 pump stations. These improvements, a joint effort between the City of Albuquerque and the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Authority, aim to prevent flooding and ensure the efficient transfer of large volumes of water to the Rio Grande during heavy storms. Over the past […]
Multiple fires spark Bosque crackdown
City officials are asking residents to help prevent fires in the Bosque after a string of suspected arsons triggered expanded patrols, new surveillance tools and a crackdown ahead of the Fourth of July. At a press conference at Tingley Beach, Mayor Tim Keller said multiple fires over the past week were human-caused, including one tied […]
Fire restrictions go into place Thursday
The Cibola National Forest and Grasslands announced this week that the Mountainair and Sandia ranger districts will enter stage II fire restrictions on Thursday, which will last through August. The announcement comes as the area experiences extreme drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Extreme drought conditions include increased fire risks as well as […]
Plastic may be warming the planet more than we thought
By Nicolás Rivers — Scientists have long known that making plastic warms the planet. But plastic may be heating the Earth even more than we realized, according to a report released Wednesday. The Plastics & Climate Project, a nonprofit research group that studies how plastic contributes to climate change, analyzed hundreds of published research papers […]
EPA plans to weaken rule curbing forever chemicals in drinking water
By Amudalat Ajasa — The Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday that it plansto rescind and reconsider limits on four “forever chemicals” under a landmark drinking water standard implemented last year by President Joe Biden. The drinking water rules were adopted as part of the Biden administration’s efforts to limit public exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl […]
Haaland meets with land grant communities in East Mountains to discuss the protection of resources
By Kevin Hendricks Former U.S. Secretary of the Interior and current New Mexico gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland recently met with Land Grant communities in the East Mountains to discuss the protection of land rights, water and cultural traditions. During the meeting, Haaland stressed her commitment to safeguarding vital funding for rural infrastructure, wildfire resources, and […]
Water Utility Authority urges conservation amid drought
By Hannah Grover Even though the Albuquerque area received rain last week, the drought conditions continue in New Mexico and water managers are urging residents to conserve. The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, which provides drinking water to most of Bernalillo County residents with the exception of the East Mountains area, is facing limited […]
Albuquerque area water safe to drink
By Hannah Grover The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority released its annual consumer confidence report last week. The report details the water quality in 2024, including levels of heavy metals, bacteria and turbidity. Utility customers will receive the report in the mail. The report shows that the water it provides customers is safe to […]