Join us to learn State water agency legislation and funding needs to confront New Mexico’s water crises by funding essential work that only the State can do. The Office of the State Engineer / Interstate Stream Commission budget request is a cry for help. Bureau of Geology groundwater science and data programs must be funded to characterize the state’s groundwater resources, both fresh and brackish. The Environment Department requires statutory authority to assume State control of water pollution discharge regulation abandoned by the feds. An invited speaker will summarize the proposed Clear Horizons Act to limit greenhouse gas emissions.
This article documents an arduous pilgrimage across New Mexico undertaken to highlight the cumulative impacts of oil and gas development—carbon emissions, air pollution, contaminated water, and damaged landscapes—and the risks these pose to communities and future generations.