Saying she was heartbroken and calling the massive spill of wastewater from a Colorado mine into the Animas and San Juan rivers an economic catastrophe, Governor Susana Martinez on Monday declared a disaster that frees up state funds to address it. Federal officials say more than three-million gallons of water tainted with lead, arsenic and other heavy metals contaminated the rivers following last week's spill. She joined other officials in criticizing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its lack of communication and transparency after a cleanup crew supervised by the EPA accidentally breached a debris dam at the old mine in southwest Colorado on Wednesday. Under the governor's order, 750-thousand dollars in state funds will be available for well testing, long-term studies and other efforts. The amount is in addition to the half-million dollars in emergency funds the New Mexico Environment Department requested and received Friday. Martinez’s emergency declaration comes after tribal officials with the Navajo Nation did the same. Navajo President Russell Begaye says the tribe is frustrated with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and he plans to take legal action. An EPA supervised crew has been blamed for causing the spill while attempting to clean up the area. And, members of New Mexico's congressional delegation sent a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday, asking that the agency develop a comprehensive plan for addressing those communities, farms and ranches that are without water. The letter states the lack of water is already taking a toll on residents and their livelihoods.
Meanwhile, farms along the Animas and San Juan river valleys have no water to irrigate their crops as a result of the spill. A New Mexico family farm in Cedar Hill that serves as many as three-thousand customers in the Four Corners region has been without water since the mistake. D'rese Sutherland says if it doesn't rain by the weekend, 80 acres of chile, pumpkins and other produce will be in jeopardy at Sutherland Farms.
State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn has asked an assistant Commissioner to step down in connection to allegations of of sexual harassment during his time as director of the state Department of Game and Fish. The New Mexican reports that Jim Lane resigned Monday, Dunn says "dirty politics" helped disclose the contents of Lane's personnel files. In the files it shows that Lane resigned from Game and Fish in 2013 after a subordinate accused him of sexual harassment. Lane's resignation came nine days after the Santa Fe District Attorney alleged Lane made sexual comments to Game and Fish's human resources director, including lewd text messages. Lane did not return requests for comment.
Congressman Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District will hold “Conversations with Ben Ray” at the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe on Grant Avenue tonight from 6-7 pm. Luján will be available to meet with constituents to assist them with casework and discuss issues of concern so he can continue to be a powerful voice on their behalf.
New Mexico officials want to increase the number of bears that can be killed by hunters in the Sandia Mountains. , but that plan is drawing fire from critics. The Albuquerque Journal reports that officials want to raise the limit from five to 11 after a new study put the bear population of the Sandias at 132, nearly double previous estimates. The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish biologists say the number comes from a three-year study that uses genetic testing of bear hairs. Sandia Mountain BearWatch founder Jan Hayes says the estimates are meaningless because a large number of the region’s bears have been relocated or killed over the past few years.
Federal official say monkeys from a research facility on an Albuquerque Air Force base nearly escaped six times last year. The Albuquerque Journal reports U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors found the monkeys had gotten loose in the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute on Kirtland Air Force Base. The report says the animals had to be lured back into cages with food, among other recapture methods. A March USDA report says escapes pose safety risks for personnel and animals. New training and lock systems were implemented after a male rhesus broke the lock on his cage in October of last year. Staff members had to dart the animal. The lab was fined nearly 22-thousand dollars in 2011 for Animal Welfare Act violations. Lab officials say the inspections helped the institute to improve practices.
Santa Fe Weather: Partly sunny today, with a 40-percent chance for scattered showers and thunderstorms, and the high, 78. Tonight: Mostly cloudy with a 30-percent chance for scattered showers and thunderstorms and the overnight low, 38. Tomorrow: Mostly sunny with the high 82 and a slight chance for showers and thunderstorms.