On August 24, 2024 the 400-foot stacks at the coal-fired San Juan Generating Station in Waterflow, New Mexico were demolished, bringing permanent closure to a facility notorious for being part of the largest single point source of pollution in the…
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Advocates have been working for years to facilitate a transition to clean energy, ending coal’s polluting legacy and the region’s economic over-dependence on fossil fuels Overflight and drone footage of the site and demolition are available for media (see below)…
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On July 16, 2024, San Juan Citizens Alliance (SJCA) participated in flights over the Four Corners Region through Ecoflight, continuing a 15-year partnership documenting energy transition and economic diversification through aerial vantage points.
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In the wake of coal plant and coal mine retirements in northwestern New Mexico, our community stands at a pivotal moment. The impacts of these closures have reverberated through every aspect of our lives, prompting us to reassess and prepare…
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La Plata Electric Association has seen a lot of change over the past several months. From receiving its buy-out calculation and voting to exit its contract with Tri-State, filing suit against Tri-State, issuing a pass-through rate increase, to a major…
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A cherished landscape gained a measure of new protection this month when Interior Secretary Deb Haaland signed an order creating a 10-mile buffer zone around Chaco Culture National Historical Park that precludes future oil and gas leasing. The decision culminates…
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Whitewater boating season offers a metaphor for our local energy supply. We’re in the calm pool edging closer and closer to the lip of the rapid, before plunging into frothy waves below. That’s the position La Plata Electric Association finds…
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The Four Corners region is on the cusp of a rapid transformation from coal to renewable energy. The massive coal-fired San Juan Generating Station near Farmington is slated for demolition later this spring, accompanied by the simultaneous construction of large…
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we need YOU to call or email our county commissioners and tell them to not defer to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) in Denver, but rather protect our public health by taking local leadership in setting setback…
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we need YOU to call or email our county commissioners and tell them to not defer to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) in Denver, but rather protect our public health by taking local leadership in setting setback…
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La Plata County is hosting a public hearing to hear your thoughts on the setbacks and we are urging our members to make their voice heard by showing up and advocating for a 2,000ft setback.
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The City Council is voting (on Tuesday 11/1) on whether to stick with the contract going forward and have energy efficiency and solar upgrades performed. SJCA is urging the city council to stick with the full EPC!
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The Four Corners took a significant step toward a coal-free future as Unit 1 of the San Juan Generating Station closed forever on June 30. The event occurred without fanfare, and represents the inexorable decline of mining and burning coal…
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June marks a significant milestone among rural electric cooperatives within the Tri-State system, notably for our neighbor Kit Carson Electric Cooperative in Taos, New Mexico. Six years ago, Kit Carson blazed a new path for electric co-ops in our region…
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Our region hosts an abundance of abandoned mine sites and orphaned oil and gas wells. They contaminate our water and air with acid mine drainage and leaking methane. They are the legacy of decades of resource extraction, and unfortunately, taxpayers…
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La Plata Electric Association’s board of directors voted in February to dramatically revamp our local source of electricity. In a unanimous decision, the board agreed to a partial buyout of its existing electricity supply contract with Tri-State Generation and Transmission.…
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Electricity customers across Southwest Colorado have the opportunity this month to provide feedback about the future of our electricity supply. The Colorado Public Utility Commission is reviewing plans for long-term electric generation resources put forth by Tri-State Generation and Transmission,…
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The choice between continued coal power or equitable transition at San Juan Generating Station There is nothing enchanting about Enchant Energy’s proposal to continue burning dirty coal and emitting pollutants in the Four Corners long into the future. Enchant proposes…
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Several bills were heard yesterday in the New Mexico Legislative Session House Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee with good outcomes! 1. The Oil and Gas Subdivision Parcels Bill (HB 136) was drafted purportedly to address exemptions to subdividing lands to…
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Support the New Mexico Climate Solutions Act (HB 9) Sponsored by Representatives Melanie Stansbury and Angelica Rubio, House Speaker Brian Egolf, Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart, and Senators Benny Shendo and Carrie HamblenThe Climate Solutions Act (HB 9) establishes…
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Remote Testimony for the 2021 New Mexico Legislative Session Because of the pandemic, things are looking a little different this year at the New Mexico State Legislature. The entire 2021 New Mexico Legislative Session (60-day session from January 20-March 2oth)…
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Since we couldn't see everyone in person this year, we made a video to show you what our staff has been up to & update you on some of our top campaigns! Check it out!
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The accelerating transition from coal-fired electricity to renewables is great news for the climate, but poses tough economic challenges to dependent communities like Farmington and Shiprock, New Mexico. After decades of a local economy linked to the jobs around mining…
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Breaking: As coal plants across the Four Corners region shut down, Arizona Public Service will provide a minimum of $127 million to the Navajo Nation over the next 10 years, plus major commitments to buy power from Navajo clean energy…
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Keep LPEA’s Exit Charge Case in Colorado LPEA has made huge headway in its fight for cleaner, cheaper power here in Southwest Colorado. But by illegally adding new members to the cooperative “family”, Tri-State qualified for federal regulation – pre-empting…
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Today, the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission unanimously decided to replace San Juan Generating Station power with 100 percent renewable energy when the coal-fired power plant is retired in 2022. This decision marks an extraordinary turning point in the energy…
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Our region took a major step toward a cleaner energy future recently when New Mexico regulators gave Public Service Co. of New Mexico approval to retire the coal-fired San Juan Generating Station outside Farmington in two years. But alas, it’s…
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Photo: EcoFlight The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (PRC) delayed the approval of two solar and battery projects that would partially replace the electricity from San Juan Generating Station. These projects, which had record-breaking low prices, would have brought jobs…
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If you are having troubles following the San Juan Generating Station carbon capture project being proposed by the City of Farmington and Enchant Energy, you are not alone. In fact, Enchant Energy itself seems to be having a hard time…
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Our local elected officials have been chasing Enchant Energy’s promises of a resuscitated coal industry for roughly a year and a half now. This has cost the City over a million dollars in attorney fees, but the implications of this…
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Today the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (PRC) approved the abandonment of San Juan Generating Station, a ruling long in the works after months of painful legal back-and-forth. This decision paves the way for Public Service Company of New Mexico…
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This blog series covers the monthly La Plata Electric Association (LPEA) Board of Directors meetings. We’re tracking the board for transparency and accountability, as well as to stay current on their renewable energy initiatives. Find past and future spotlights here. Get…
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Breaking: Today the New Mexico Supreme Court ruled that the Energy Transition Act must apply to Public Service Co. of New Mexico’s (PNM) abandonment of its remaining interest in the San Juan Generating Station. This decision ensures that key funding will be…
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Photo: WildEarth Guardians Last week, Tri-State announced it intended to close its Colorado and New Mexico coal generation assets ahead of schedule. This week Tri-State made a second announcement on its Responsible Energy Plan. Notably, Tri-State will: Strive for 100%…
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Today Tri-State announced the first part of their long-awaited Responsible Energy Plan, which described their intention to close two coal plants and one coal mine ahead of schedule. While the plan shows that Tri-State is finally starting to shift their…
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The Colorado Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) voted unanimously on new methane protections on the oil and gas industry that prioritize public health and the environment. These new regulations will cut methane emissions, improve air quality, and help Colorado meet…
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New Mexico and the Four Corners is experiencing a transition that, far from being unique, is mirrored in coal regions across the nation. In the fourth quarter of 2019, the market reality is that coal is being left behind by…
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A Rulemaking to Hold Tri-State Accountable The Colorado Public Utilities Commission is holding a rulemaking process through October 15th about Tri-State's Electric Resource Plan (ERP), which will fundamentally impact co-op customers for years to come. The ERP is a long-term…
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New Mexico recently passed a landmark energy transition bill known as the Energy Transition Act (ETA). The bill was groundbreaking not just for setting an aggressive renewable portfolio standard, but also for creating funding to ensure a just transition for…
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For months the City of Farmington has been scheming with a small two-person outfit to keep San Juan Generating Station (SJGS) open past the 2022 closure date agreed upon by all other owners. Their plan is to install expensive Carbon…
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In just a few weeks, Public Service Co. of New Mexico will initiate the process to officially retire the San Juan Generating Station, the 1,600-megawatt, coal-fired behemoth outside Farmington that once burned coal day and night to generate electricity. It’s…
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We made a video about who we are and what we do! A big thanks to Sean Owen of No Special Abilities Productions for making this happen. Of course, it's impossible to get everything we do into a short...
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The Four Corners finds itself in an unprecedented economic landscape and elected officials are choosing to expend valuable time, resources and money pointing fingers and aggressively combatting the entities working to make sure our communities don’t get left behind. The…
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