The Orphaned Well Cleanup and Jobs Act of 2021 is being heard right now in the New Mexico State Legislature. The Act would plug and reclaim orphaned wells, helping to...
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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)...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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SJCA has long advocated for a just and equitable transition from reliance on coal-fired power plants to renewable resources in the Four Corners Region. Many of the coal complexes in...
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Our Fall/Winter 2020 Newsletter has gone out to doorsteps and PO Boxes across the country! You can also check it out here by clicking the photo below. This newsletter has...
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The changing of the guard of presidential administrations frequently brings substantial reversals of previous rules and policies. The Trump administration gained notoriety for its widespread attempts to abandon or undermine...
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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…
A Montana judge recently ruled the head of the Bureau of Land Management had illegally served as the agency’s director for more than a year. That’s a big deal, seeing as it is the nation’s largest land manager. In Colorado,…
Despite repeated requests to wait for in-person meetings following the Covid-19 pandemic, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Farmington Field Office held only virtual meetings on a resource management plan...
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Despite repeated requests to wait for in-person meetings following the Covid-19 pandemic, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Farmington Field Office is holding virtual meetings on a resource management plan...
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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....
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The Bureau of Land Management recently sold oil and gas drilling leases on nearly 41,000 acres of New Mexico public land- without adequate public participation. Along with our coalition of...
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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...
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While much of the country grapples with the coronavirus pandemic, it’s full speed ahead at the Department of Interior approving oil and gas development projects. One of the most contentious is a proposal for over 3,000 new oil and gas…
After almost a decade of plodding analysis, the Bureau of Land Management’s Farmington Field Office is attempting to rush through a plan to authorize thousands more oil and gas wells...
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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...
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On January 29, 2019, Governor Lujan Grisham passed Executive Order 2019-003 with the goal of addressing climate change and energy waste prevention- a breakthrough document for New Mexico. The “Background...
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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,...
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Check out our Spring/Summer 2020 Newsletter for updates on our campaigns and to learn what's coming up in the next couple months. To get a copy of our newsletter delivered...
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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...
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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…
CANCELLED Due to the COVID-19 outbreak and for the safety of our community, the Four Corners Climate Conference has been cancelled this year.
We hope to see you again at March’s Green Drinks! Farmington Green Drinks! Thursday, March 5th, 5-7 pm Traeger’s Bar 5170 College Blvd. Farmington, NM 87402 Green Drinks is an informal gathering that allows residents who care about environmental issues in…
Green Drinks is an informal gathering that allows residents who care about environmental issues in our community get together and share a drink and conversation. It’s a great way to connect, exchange ideas and get inspired. Green Drinks are hosted in cities and towns all over the world. We hope you can join us! The more the merrier, so please bring a friend and help us spread the word!
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...
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Today the New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission unanimously adopted new enforcement rules for the oil and gas industry. The new protections will protect New Mexico's air, land and water, as...
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The NM Public Regulation Commission (PRC) will be holding a public input session in order to give residents of San Juan County an opportunity to share their opinions regarding the abandonment of San Juan Generating Station. PRC Chairperson Theresa Becenti-Aguilar will…
If you’re like us, your New Year’s resolution is something along the lines of: Go to Green Drinks more. Well…now’s the perfect time to make good on it because the first Farmington Green Drinks of 2020 is coming up on…
Communities living near oil and gas wells already suffer the effects of poor air quality due to venting and flaring of toxic are emissions, increased rates of cancer and asthma, and unsafe traveling conditions – now the Bureau of Land Management…
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…
Is it everything we hope for? No, but it is undoubtedly a significant step forward. We’ll continue to use all the tools we have to fight for permanent protections in the region. Check out the full press release below with…
Come join us for the annual Four Corners Air Quality Group meeting in Durango this Wednesday to hear about important factors in our regional air quality and some of the steps being taken to improve it. There will also be updates from agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other governmental entities such as the NM Environmental Department.
San Juan County is one of 7 counties in New Mexico with air quality approaching, in fact 95% of the way to, the 2015 ozone standard. This is unacceptable and an issue we should all be concerned about; it is…
September Green Drinks Thursday, September 5th Three Rivers Brewery Taproom, 111 E Main St. Farmington, NM 5-7 pm Farmington Green Drinks is now in its 5th month! Mark your calendars for the first Thursdays of the month to come enjoy…
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…
After almost a year fighting a proposal by Hilcorp Energy Company to double its gas wells, we are celebrating the New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission's (OCC) decision restrict new development...
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We’ve been working to protect Greater Chaco from rampant and unchecked oil and gas development for over a decade. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has long failed to conduct any sort of meaningful tribal consultations or robust environmental or cultural resource…
PNM has filed for abandonment and is now navigating the process of closing San Juan Generating Station, adding more renewables to their generation portfolio and deciding which generation assets to place in San Juan County. Come join your voice to…
Public Meeting on NM Methane Regulations July 29th, 1-5 pm San Juan Community College, IT building -Room 7103 4601 College Blvd, Farmington, NM 87402 Make your voice heard to help enact much needed methane regulation in New Mexico! The…
In New Mexico, oil and gas operations release more than 1 million metric tons of methane every year into the atmosphere. According to the Environmental Defense Fund, this has the same short-term impacts as 22 coal-fired power plants or 28…
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…
Photo: Wildearth Guardians Even a court ruling doesn’t seem to deter the Bureau of Land Management in Farmington. They are determined to push through industry wish lists, undermining environmental review, public input, and even the courts. We’ll continue calling them…
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…
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…
Photo: Rob Zeigler It’s certainly promising, if not surprising, that Department of Interior Secretary David Bernhardt is making promises to protect Greater Chaco. We’re grateful to Senator Heinrich for playing a key role in orchestrating Bernhardt’s visit to Chaco Cultural…
Photo: Robert Zeigler Earlier this month a federal appeals court granted Greater Chaco a a long-overdue reprieve from unchecked fracking in response to a lawsuit we filed with our partners. The courts decision directly overturned a couple dozen permits, but we…
This is great news! Momentum in our decade-long effort to protect Greater Chaco from unbridled (and illegal) oil and gas development is finally resulting in real gains. Back in 2015, along with our partners, we filed a lawsuit against the…
Real progress is being made toward protecting Greater Chaco! Last month a Congressional visit welcomed lawmakers to the region to learn about the impacts of oil and gas development and the Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act was re-introduced. At the…
Anyone who has traveled the U.S. Highway 550 corridor to Albuquerque recently knows for themselves the extent of greatly expanded drilling activity. Advances in fracking technology have unlocked access to oil deposits tightly trapped in the Mancos and Gallup shale…
We were thrilled to welcome members of Congress to Chaco to experience the incredible landscape, learn about the history, and hear from impacted community members firsthand. We are confident they now have a deeper understanding of the issues here and…
What Now? Next Steps for San Juan County Thursday, April 11th 5:30 – 6:30 pm SJCA Farmington Office What is the Energy Transition Act? How does it affect San Juan County? What is happening with San Juan Generating Station? What…
More than 92% of Greater Chaco has already been leased. Over the last several years, this leasing has moved forward despite the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) not having a plan in place to protect modern native communities, their history,…
Farmington Office Open House Tuesday, April 2nd 4:30 – 6:00 pm SJCA Farmington Office San Juan Citizens Alliance now has 2 full-tim employees in northwest New Mexico and a Farmington office! Join us (drop-in at any point!) for snacks, a…
“This lease sale is just another example of the BLM putting the cart before the horse. We’ve been waiting for years for the BLM to complete its Resource Management Plans for the Greater Chaco. But the agency continues to allow…
New Mexico just passed one of the most progressive energy transition bills in the country! The Energy Transition Act (ETA), which just passed the house and now heads to the Governor’s desk, paves the way for a just transition to…
I watched the nearly four-hour filibuster from Senator Bill Sharer on the Energy Transition Act from my home in Farmington on Wednesday. The bill passed overwhelmingly, 32-9, with strong bipartisan...
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San Juan Citizens Alliance is actively working to move New Mexico forward to a sustainable energy economy. We believe an important step towards this desired future, especially for us in Northwestern New Mexico, is the passage of Senate Bill 489,…
The Energy Transition Act will reduce electricity costs for New Mexicans, leverage affordable clean energy, and provide economic relief to the Four Corners. Today, a coalition of New Mexico labor, community, and environmental organizations celebrated the passage by the…
It is completely indefensible to continue to lease parcels in Greater Chaco to oil and gas without having a plan in place to ensure protections for air, water, public health, and the rich history embedded in the landscape. TheBureau of…
It’s time to speak out in defense of Greater Chaco again. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Farmington and Rio Puerco field offices in northwestern New Mexico continue to allow oil and gas companies to frack without a plan in…
Woot woot! A new Governor in New Mexico along with a host of bold, progressive, new State House representatives, looking to the future and creating opportunities. We’re hopeful we can make big strides in clean energy, a just transition for…
After almost 6 years spent outside of Farmington and San Juan County, it is great to be back in the community I grew up in and will always call home. It is refreshing to experience the kindness I remember being…
We who live in these parts sometimes call it the Four Corners, other times the San Juan Basin or even the Colorado Plateau. It’s reflective of the geographic flexibility of our home region, one that water and air easily transcends….
Victory! Excellent decision today putting the public back into decisions about our public lands! The New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission took all of 5 minutes to grant a re-hearing on the rule allowing for double drilling in Rio Arriba and…
Elections matter. That fact is being clearly made in New Mexico, where the public voted in a new administration with vastly different values when it comes to our public lands, among other things. We are thrilled that the new administration…
Special Hearing: Hilcorp’s Double Drilling Request Monday, November 19th, 9 am New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission Porter Hall, 1st floor, Wendell Chino Building, 1220 South St. Francis Drive, Santa Fe, New Mexico As you may have heard, Hilcorp is…
Photo: Ecoflight As a longtime resident of Farmington, where the impacts of oil and gas are felt daily, I am writing to set the record straight concerning a double drilling rule change that Houston-based Hilcorp Energy is proposing before the…
Hilcorp tried to sneak through a rule change that would double the drilling density in San Juan and Rio Arriba Counties in New Mexico – without public input or analysis of impacts. You may have heard we’ve been making a…
The era of coal is over. We must demand a just transition for impacted families and communities now. APS, having profited billions from the hardworking families and communities of northwestern New Mexico, has a responsibility to help fund that transition….
Photo: Rob Zeigler Last spring, Secretary Zinke instructed the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to defer a lease sale in the Greater Chaco region due to a need for “more study.” This December, they plan to auction those same parcels…
Zinke’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will hold a lease sale in Greater Chaco this December, despite failing to conduct tribal consultations they deemed necessary when cancelling the much smaller March 2018 lease in the region. Along with our partners,…
Photo: Ecoflight Northwestern New Mexico is at a crossroads. Like many communities throughout history, the foundation of our economy is based on a soon-to-be outdated industry. We can choose to become victims of change and progress or we can choose…
In mid-May, we were approached by long time rancher, environmental advocate, and San Juan Citizens Alliance member, Don Schreiber, who discovered that Hilcorp Energy Company was trying to get exemptions...
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As most of you know, the Alliance has been working for over a decade to secure greater protections for Greater Chaco – it’s water, air, cultural resources and the health and safety of native communities living there today. We have…
The road for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) methane waste rule has been long and winding, and unfortunately we’re not at the end. Last week, however, we threw a big wrench in Secretary Zinke’s never-ending attempts to rollback this…
Last night, we heard news we didn’t dare hope for: Secretary Zinke canceled next week’s oil and gas lease sale in Greater Chaco. This is because of you. You and thousands of others who spoke up and said drilling without a…
This fall, over 175,000 people commented against a proposed delay of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) methane rule, a rule that is particularly important for those of us under the Four Corners Methane Hotspot and suffer the royalty losses,…
Last week, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proved their determination to elevate the interests of the oil and gas industry above those of the people they’re charged to protect...
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Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issuing a one-year delay of the BLM methane regulations, pushing aside 175,000 public comments, a vast majority of westerners, and the public interest of New Mexico. Read the full press release below, learn…
Photo: EcoFlight While other coal plants in the region are announcing early closures, due in large part to the low cost of renewables, the 55-year-old Four Corners Power Plant was issued a whopping 25-year permit extension in 2015. As you may remember,…
The San Juan Generating Station and San Juan Mine coal complex (SJGS/SJM) is New Mexico’s single largest polluter. While the facilities provide electricity to 500,000 customers, and employ several hundred of our community members, they do so at a great…
This week, despite recognizing the disproportionate impact it will have on our children, the Bureau of Land Management and Environmental Protection Agency both postponed the implementation of their methane regulations so they can revisit and rewrite them. Delaying and…
Tell Senator Gardner to Support the BLM Methane Rule! CALL NOW: (202) 224-5941 Guest Blogger: Lauri Costello, MD Earlier this year, the House of Representatives voted to roll back the...
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PHOTO: President Russell Begaye stands with Governors from the All Pueblo Council of Governors. Photo from Navajo Nation Press Release. Last Thursday, Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye and Vice President...
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This is our last chance to submit scoping comments on the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) plan for oil and gas leasing in Greater Chaco. The BLM is telling us they don’t have a choice, that they have to lease: This is…
By Mike Eisenfeld, Energy & Climate Programs Director Last week, I attended the full, four-hour Farmington, NM City Council meeting. The Farmington Electric Utility System (FEUS) and their consultant, NewGen, presented to the Council. The City hired NewGen for 200,000…
Today, the U.S.House of Representatives put the special interests of big oil and gas companies ahead of the public interest by voting to roll back the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) methane rule. The measure now heads to the Senate….
Last Tuesday, indigenous leaders, affected residents, and State Representative Derrik Lente met with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) State Director Amy Lueders to request she cancel the January 2017...
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On Tuesday, four Navajo Nation chapter presidents, impacted community members, and one NM State Representative met with State Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Director Amy Lueders. The group requested a cancellation of the January 2017 oil and gas lease sale…
Chaco just got a huge break. Friday afternoon, Saddle Butte San Juan Midstream LLC (“Saddle Butte”) withdrew their proposal for the Piñon Gathering System Project, better know as the Piñon Pipeline, in northwest New Mexico. The 150-mile pipeline would have carried 50,000 barrels per…
This is getting ridiculous. This week, with many partners, we submitted our protest to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Farmington Field Office’s January 2017 oil and gas lease sale – a lease sale that shouldn’t be happening in the first place….
In 2014 we (the San Juan Basin) became the national methane hotspot. Last month we had a huge win in curbing the hotspot with the passing of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)’s methane standards… and they’re already under attack. But before…
Today we filed a motion to intervene in the case recently brought against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) methane rule. The rule would protect the climate, public health, and our economy. It would also help address the Four Corners methane hotspot….
Today, the Obama Administration released the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) methane rule, aimed at curbing natural gas waste on public and tribal lands. It’s a win-win regulation. The standard will help to end the waste of valuable public resources,…
Today, the Obama Administration released the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) methane rule, aimed at curbing natural gas waste on public and tribal lands. It’s a win-win regulation. The standard will help to end the waste of valuable public resources,…
What changed? Right now, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Farmington Field Office (FFO) is amending its 2003 Resource Management Plan (RMP) to include new industrial fracking in Greater Chaco. The process recently reopened for official public comment until December…
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Farmington Field Office has agreed that their 2003 Resource Management Plan (RMP) does not sufficiently plan for fracking around Chaco Canyon. Yet, while they amend their RMP to reflect this awareness, they are still approving…
Area threatened by existing oil and gas development (yellow) on top of public lands (blue) in Northwest New Mexico. See oilandgasthreatmap.com for interactive map. You can’t drive through Northwest New Mexico and Southwest Colorado and miss our region’s oil…
This week we received evidence of a local public servant sacrificing the public interest for personal gain. Federal investigators released results of their inquiry into Steve Henke’s conduct while head of New Mexico’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Farmington Field…
The oil and gas industry is awfully, dangerously, predictable. This week, in response to NASA fingering oil and gas operations as the primary cause of the infamous Four Corners methane hot spot, industry shills did what industry shills do: distort…
This week NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory released a report on the sources of our Four Corners methane hotspot. The study confirmed that the energy industry, specifically natural gas extraction, is as...
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Today NASA published a report that confirms the energy industry, primarily the natural gas extraction industry, is responsible for the Four Corners methane hotspot. The Four Corners methane hotspot is yet another environmental climate and public health disaster served to our…
Yesterday, Chaco got a moment to breathe. BLM’s Farmington Field Office announced it would not auction parcels in Greater Chaco for fracking leases as planned in October. This is the third time the sale of these three parcels has been postponed….
Today the Environmental Protection Agency finalized standards for dangerous oil and gas methane pollution from new infrastructure. These are the first-ever national safeguards limiting methane waste and pollution and will go far to protect public health, address climate change, and…
The Bureau of Land Management in Farmington, NM hasn’t updated it’s 2003 Resource Management Plan (RMP) since horizontal fracking technologies became viable in the Four Corners. Currently, they are revising the RMP to reflect these new technologies. Yet, at the…
The Four Corners Power Plant (FCPP) and Navajo Mine complex is a massive source of pollution. It can’t be permitted to operate until 2041. Learn More. Amid last year’s crumbling coal economy, and despite promises to address climate change, the Obama Administration approved a…
Last week Peabody Coal joined Arch, Alpha, Patriot, and other US companies in bankruptcy. This progression of bankruptcies is raising a myriad of concerns about the financial viability of coal, the future costs of clean up, the dangers of self-bonding,…
Apparently some decisions are more final than others. Along with our partners, we have long demanded the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) halt all fracking in the Greater Chaco region, at least until an adequate management plan is in place…
BLM deferred the sale of three oil and gas lease parcels near Chaco Canyon … again. It’s the third time. The deferment is a huge win, and it clearly illustrates the need for the BLM to complete its ongoing Resource Management Plan Amendment. As…
“This path must be paved with common sense policy changes that address our near-term climate challenges, aid coal-dependent communities to help them emerge from transition more sustainable and prosperous, defend taxpayers and the broader American interest, and protect our legacy of public lands.” In…
This morning President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a pact between the two countries to take climate change head on. They announced intentions to reduce methane pollution from oil and gas industry by 40-45 percent over the…
Hey all, there is a really important meeting on Tuesday, February 16th in Farmington that we want you to know about. It’s from 1-4 pm, which we know is hard for a lot of people. If you can make it,…
Great news. Today the BLM released its proposed methane waste rule. We’ve worked on the rule, and advised BLM on its contents, with our partners Western Environmental Law Center and Diné Citizens Against Ruining Our Environment. The rule is 300 pages,…
For immediate release: Sept. 17, 2015 Media Contacts: Allyson Siwik, Gila Resources Information Project, 575-590-7619, allysonsiwik@gmail.com Mike Eisenfeld, San Juan Citizens Alliance, 505-360-8994, mike@sanjuancitizens.org Rachel Conn, Amigos Bravos, 575.770.8327, rconn@amigosbravos.org Eleanor Bravo, Food and Water Watch, 505-633-7366, ebravo@fwwatch.org Liliana Castillo,…
The Alliance has been working to protect the Greater Chaco region from unchecked and unplanned oil and gas development for years. Our request to halt all drilling in the Greater Chaco region while our lawsuit makes its way through the courts was…