Latest news with #LandOfEnchantment
The Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
New Mexico appeals court rejects lawsuit against oil and gas regulators
A New Mexico appeals court rejected a lawsuit alleging that the nation's No. 2 oil-producing state failed to meet constitutional provisions for protecting against oil and gas industry pollution, in an opinion Tuesday. Environmental advocates vowed to appeal the matter to the state's top court. A panel of three judges on the New Mexico Court of Appeals found that it was beyond the judiciary's authority to weigh whether the pollution controls are adequate, writing that they'll defer to the Legislature to balance the benefits of environmental regulation with natural resources development. The 2023 lawsuit from a coalition of environmental groups was the first to invoke the constitution's pollution-control clause, a 1971 amendment requiring that New Mexico prevent the contamination of air, water and other natural resources. 'While plaintiffs correctly observe that, as the 'Land of Enchantment,' the state's beauty is central to our identity, we cannot ignore the long history of permitting oil and gas extraction within our borders," the panel wrote, invoking the state motto. 'If anything, the law, history, and tradition of our state demonstrates that resource extraction must be considered alongside, and must coexist with, pollution control legislation.' Gail Evans, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity and lead counsel on the case, said Tuesday's opinion would dismiss the case entirely if unchallenged and 'displays a fundamental misunderstanding of our constitution and constitutional rights.' She said plaintiffs intent to appeal to the state Supreme Court. 'Fifty years ago, New Mexico voted to amend the constitution and to provide protections from industry pollution and the court has found today that the amendment — the pollution control clause — is essentially meaningless, and that has to be wrong,' Evans said. The court challenge comes as New Mexico's state government rides a wave of record income from development in the Permian Basin, one of the world's most productive, oil-producing regions. Oil-related revenue collections underwrite a considerable amount of the state's budget, including public education. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's administration is policing the industry with regulations that target methane and other emissions. But the Center for Biological Diversity and other groups say these efforts are not enough and that the state is failing to enforce existing pollution-control measures. Attorneys for the Democratic-led Legislature and environmental regulators said the lawsuit threatened their constitutional authority. Appeals Judge Katherine Wray issued an additional concurring opinion, expressing further limitations of the pollution control clause.
Associated Press
5 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
New Mexico appeals court rejects lawsuit against oil and gas regulators
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico appeals court rejected a lawsuit alleging that the nation's No. 2 oil-producing state failed to meet constitutional provisions for protecting against oil and gas industry pollution, in an opinion Tuesday. Environmental advocates vowed to appeal the matter to the state's top court. A panel of three judges on the New Mexico Court of Appeals found that it was beyond the judiciary's authority to weigh whether the pollution controls are adequate, writing that they'll defer to the Legislature to balance the benefits of environmental regulation with natural resources development. The 2023 lawsuit from a coalition of environmental groups was the first to invoke the constitution's pollution-control clause, a 1971 amendment requiring that New Mexico prevent the contamination of air, water and other natural resources. 'While plaintiffs correctly observe that, as the 'Land of Enchantment,' the state's beauty is central to our identity, we cannot ignore the long history of permitting oil and gas extraction within our borders,' the panel wrote, invoking the state motto. 'If anything, the law, history, and tradition of our state demonstrates that resource extraction must be considered alongside, and must coexist with, pollution control legislation.' Gail Evans, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity and lead counsel on the case, said Tuesday's opinion would dismiss the case entirely if unchallenged and 'displays a fundamental misunderstanding of our constitution and constitutional rights.' She said plaintiffs intent to appeal to the state Supreme Court. 'Fifty years ago, New Mexico voted to amend the constitution and to provide protections from industry pollution and the court has found today that the amendment — the pollution control clause — is essentially meaningless, and that has to be wrong,' Evans said. The court challenge comes as New Mexico's state government rides a wave of record income from development in the Permian Basin, one of the world's most productive, oil-producing regions. Oil-related revenue collections underwrite a considerable amount of the state's budget, including public education. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's administration is policing the industry with regulations that target methane and other emissions. But the Center for Biological Diversity and other groups say these efforts are not enough and that the state is failing to enforce existing pollution-control measures. Attorneys for the Democratic-led Legislature and environmental regulators said the lawsuit threatened their constitutional authority. Appeals Judge Katherine Wray issued an additional concurring opinion, expressing further limitations of the pollution control clause.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Poll: What is the strangest thing about New Mexico?
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – New Mexico is a unique place, and there are many things that make it stand out from the rest of the United States. KRQE asked viewers via social media what they thought was the strangest thing they've noticed about the Land of Enchantment. News 13 viewers say the strangest thing about New Mexico is the weather. New Mexico experiences a wide variety of weather phenomena, from haboobs to heavy snow. One of the most common weather patterns in the state is 'all the darn wind.' New Mexico often experiences powerful winds that fuel dust storms, wildfires, and blizzards, all due to changes in air pressure. The weather around New Mexico can also change on a whim, sometimes feeling like 'four seasons in a single day.' One viewer notes, 'You can ski at Ski Apache and sunbathe at White Sands on the same day.' Haboob blows over Deming on March 3, 2025 The Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire burns south of Las Vegas, N.M., Saturday, May 7, 2022 Las Vegas snow | Courtesy of Mark Montoya November 7, 2024 POLL: What are New Mexicans planting in their gardens this year? Another aspect of New Mexico that viewers consider strange is its wildlife. The state bird, the roadrunner, is fairly easy to spot, as their population has nearly doubled in the last 60 years. These 'cute but strange little creatures' typically run at 15 miles per hour, can consume venomous prey, and can only fly for short distances. Another common sight is the coyote. New Mexico is home to 16 subspecies, and they're more likely to be seen in winter. Porcupines have been known to roam the Bosque. While it has been incredibly rare to see one in New Mexico, Mexican wolves are beginning to return to their original habitat. 'Vinagaroons, weirdly wonderful little creatures,' also known as whip scorpions, are native to the area. Even a pelican has been spotted in Santa Fe. State bird: Chaparral, commonly called the 'roadrunner' | Photo Courtesy: NM Sec. of State Mexican Wolf | Courtesy: ABQ BioPark Coyote in New Mexico | Courtesy New Mexico Department of Game and Fish One strange phenomenon is synonymous with New Mexico: aliens. Roswell, in particular, has long been associated with 'many UFO crashes.' Many viewers describe their own supernatural encounters and unexplainable sights, typically seeing strange lights in the sky. The Very Large Array, an astronomy observatory in Socorro County, has been used multiple times as a filming location depicting extraterrestrial contact. A viewer calls it the 'quietest, most disconcerting thing I have ever seen. Love the science, but it's freaky.' The Very Large Array FILE – A sign directs travelers to the start of the '1947 UFO Crash Site Tours' in Roswell, N.M., June 10, 1997. (AP Photo/Eric Draper, File) From White Sands to Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico boasts a 'great variety of geography.' One viewer says, 'The strangest thing I've seen is the trees growing over by the Fire and Ice caves. So twisted and wildly beautiful. Another viewer mentioned the Four Corners Monument, the point where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah meet. White Sands | Adobe Stock Hundreds of cave formations are shown decorating the Big Room at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Dec. 18, 2010. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan, File) Shiprock rock formation in the Four Corners region of the New Mexico desert. (Adobe Spark) Poll: Where is the best place to go hiking in New Mexico? Another unique feature: New Mexico is the only U.S. state (besides Georgia) to share a name with another country. Naturally, this leads to some confusion for Americans living outside the state. One viewer finds it 'strange that NM is the only state that requires the license plates to have USA on [them] because the rest of the country has no clue we are one of the 50 states.' KRQE New Mexico license plate | KRQE media file KRQE New Mexico license plate | KRQE media file KRQE New Mexico license plate | KRQE media file One thing that many viewers notice as strange about the Land of Enchantment is chile in or on top of most foods. The state question—'Red or green?'—is something every New Mexican has heard asked before. One viewer 'had to learn to order cheese pizza without green chili.' Another viewer mentions 'the apple pie. If you go to Pie Town, yes, an actual town, the pie has apple, green chile, and pine nuts. It's not bad, but green chile goes in everything there.' The chile industry has had an important impact on the economy of the state, as New Mexico is the nation's largest chile pepper grower. New Mexico is also the only state to have a state aroma, 'Green Chile Roasting in the Fall.' Another notable staple of New Mexican cuisine is the breakfast burrito. The breakfast burrito originated at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in the 1970s and can now be found almost anywhere in the state. One viewer wonders, 'Why is everyone obsessed with breakfast burritos?' Bosque Chile Fest Breakfast Burrito | Adobe Stock Poll: Who has the best burrito at the Balloon Fiesta? Every part of the U.S. has a distinct accent or dialect, and New Mexico is no different. One of the most commonly answered local lingo is adding the word 'all' before adjectives, like 'all crazy,' 'all funny,' 'all perfect,' etc. A viewer notices locals tend to say 'get down' from the car instead of 'get out.' ''Saven' is seven, 'elaven' is eleven, 'A la!' means 'Holy cow!' and every soda is a Coke,' says one viewer. Who can forget the tumbleweed snowman? Lack of snowfall leads to some creative solutions. This Albuquerque staple comes back every winter, and the tradition is starting to expand to other areas of the state, with a new addition in Socorro. The Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo Flood Control Authority put up its Tumbleweed Snowman on Nov. 28, 2023. (KRQE) Socorro tumbleweed snowman created by Jerry Gutierrez. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
