Trump administration considers revoking ban on oil and gas development near Chaco historical park
-Associated Press
The Trump administration says it will be initiating formal meetings with Native American tribes in the southwestern U.S. as it considers revoking a 20-year ban on oil and gas development across of hundreds of square miles of federal land surrounding Chaco Culture National Historical Park.
The Bureau of Land Management made the announcement in a letter sent to tribal leaders last Thursday, saying the agency will conduct an environmental assessment of the proposal to put the federal parcels back on the board for future leasing. A public comment period will follow.
The UNESCO World Heritage site has been at the center of a fight over drilling for years, having spanned multiple presidential administrations. Within park boundaries are the towering remains of stone structures built centuries ago by the region鈥檚 first inhabitants, and ancient roads and related sites are scattered farther out across the desert plains and sandstone canyons.
With the urging of some pueblo leaders, former President Joe Biden's administration in 2023 issued an order banning new oil and gas development for two decades within 10 miles (16 kilometers) of the historic site in northwestern New Mexico.
Tribal leaders and New Mexico's Democratic congressional delegation are now concerned the protections could be rolled back as President Donald Trump's administration issued under Biden.
The Interior Department did not immediately respond Monday to an email asking about the latest correspondence with tribal leaders on the Chaco proposal, but said previously that it takes its tribal trust responsibilities seriously and will continue to engage in government-to-government consultation.
The letter indicates BLM will consider three options: leave the withdrawal in place, revoke it in full or opt for a smaller buffer around the park.
It also notes that the process is a priority for the department and that despite the government shutdown, BLM staff would be available to talk with tribal leaders at their request.
Pueblo leaders traveled to Washington, D.C., in September to advocate for the withdrawal to be kept in place and for legislation that would make the ban permanent.
鈥淥ur bloodlines, our heritage, our cultural foundation, our identity comes from Chaco Canyon," Santo Domingo Pueblo Lt. Gov. Raymond Aguilar said during a news conference not far from the steps of the Capitol. He likened Chaco to D.C., an important place where leaders serve a mission to protect their people. He said pueblo ancestors who called Chaco home were stewards of the land and that it still serves as a center of prayer today.
From Acoma and Laguna pueblos in New Mexico to the Hopi people in Arizona, oral histories and cultural traditions link back to the Chaco region. At Picuris Pueblo, to link tribal members to the ancestral site 鈥� something pueblo members hope will give them a greater voice in shaping decisions about the future of the area as development pressures loom.
The debate over the buffer around Chaco has pitted the against other tribes in the region. Some Navajos have called for a smaller area to be protected as a way to preserve the oil and gas royalties and other revenues that some families depend on.
In January, the Navajo Nation sued, alleging that the U.S. Interior Department under Biden did not properly consult with its members about the economic impacts on tribal communities of prohibiting new oil and gas leasing and mining claims. The complaint doesn't seek revocation of the withdrawal, but rather challenges the process through which it was implemented.
Election observers announce hotline ahead of NM local elections - by Patrick Lohmann,
Ahead of Election Day, two New Mexico organizations have announced plans to monitor statewide polling sites for irregularities, as well as a multi-lingual hotline for voters to call if they encounter issues casting ballots.
Common Cause New Mexico and Observe New Mexico Elections, two nonpartisan organizations, said they have been keeping tabs on polling sites since early voting began Oct. 28, and they鈥檒l keep watch through Election Day on Tuesday.
Common Cause New Mexico Executive Director Molly Swank told Source New Mexico on Monday that the off-year election, with a smaller expected turnout, means the group didn鈥檛 have capacity to enlist volunteers to observe polling sites in-person. But volunteers will be monitoring its new phone line for calls from voters, she said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 staffed by volunteer lawyers and election specialists, and they can answer common questions like, 鈥榃hat do I need to register?鈥� or things like that,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd they can also escalate any issues that folks report from polling locations鈥� to local county clerks鈥� offices or the Secretary of State.
So far, Swank told Source, the hotline has not received any calls. But she expects some tomorrow from among thousands of voters who wait until Election Day to cast ballots.
Voters are electing mayors, city councilors, school board members and other officials, as well as weighing in on ballot measures, in local races across the state. A little more than 162,000 early and absentee voters have cast their ballots so far, according to the latest figures from the Secretary of State鈥檚 Office.
Leaders of also announced Monday that they鈥檇 monitored early voting at 39 polling sites in 11 counties and that they鈥檇 do so again Tuesday. A news release from the group did not detail any issues volunteers observed, though the organization will issue a report after the election 鈥渉ighlighting both strengths and areas for improvement in election processes, and supporting ongoing dialogue about election integrity and best practices,鈥� according to a news release.
The group issued a similar report in May about the 2024 general election, which reported a generally well-run election but also highlighted challenges the state鈥檚 system faced with an on Election Day.
Swank said Common Cause is already gearing up for the 2026 primary and general elections, in which
鈥淲e imagine that it will be a much more contentious election next year,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o we鈥檙e already starting to talk to volunteers about the program, and we鈥檒l start training early in spring for that.鈥�
Common Cause voter protection hotline
Voters who encounter issues can call or text this number:
- English: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)
- Spanish: 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682)
- Asian Languages: 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683)
Food banks see sharp increase in demand amid federal SNAP uncertainty - Patrick Lohmann,
Leaders of New Mexico鈥檚 largest food banks said they鈥檙e seeing sharp increases in demand for food donations in distribution lines amid the looming disappearance of federal food assistance funding beginning Saturday.
Approximately 250 people lined up Friday morning at the weekly Roadrunner Food Bank distribution in Albuquerque, about 100 more than usual, organizers told Source New Mexico.
And earlier this week in Santa Fe, The Food Depot ran out of food after serving 135 people at a distribution that typically serves less than 100, Executive Director Jill Dixon told Source in a text message.
Organizers said the uptick in demand reflects the widespread uncertainty about what the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will look like beginning Nov. 1.
Two federal judgesFriday that block the Trump administration from cutting off SNAP benefits. In one case, the judge gave the Trump administration until Monday to respond to her findings.
On Wednesday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced $30 million in emergency funding to cover SNAP recipients through approximately the first 10 days of the month. She said Friday in a statement the state would proceed with that plan, despite the federal rulings.
鈥淏ecause I have zero confidence in the Trump administration to release these SNAP funds by tomorrow, or even by early next week, New Mexico will keep its promise to deliver $30 million in state-funded benefits to those who qualify on Saturday,鈥� Lujan Grisham said. 鈥淭his ensures that New Mexicans will be able to keep food on their tables for the next 10 days, regardless of the federal government shutdown or Trump administration inaction.鈥�
Over the weekend, the state鈥檚 roughly will receive a payment equaling 30% of their typical monthly food assistance benefit, Health Care Authority Secretary Kari Armijo told Source New Mexico on Friday in a phone interview. The money will arrive to all SNAP recipients, including those who typically receive their benefits later in the month.
Recipients can expect text messages soon with more details, as well as phone numbers to call in case issues arise, she said.
鈥淎t this point we are not anticipating any delays,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e telling New Mexicans that if they don鈥檛 have their benefits by Monday, they should give us a call.鈥�
As they stood toward the front of a growing food line around 9 a.m. Friday morning in Albuquerque, Keith Pounds struck up a conversation with Jeana Morgan and her son Jimmy about how they鈥檙e going to feed their families in November. They could be overheard planning how to make do with one-third of what they typically rely on in November amid rising grocery prices.
鈥淪omething鈥檚 better than nothing,鈥� Jimmy Morgan said. 鈥淵eah, it鈥檚 something,鈥� his mother said.
But Pounds, who is disabled, said he is supporting his three brothers, who鈥檝e been unable to get food assistance. He worried aloud about how they鈥檒l all eat in November.
鈥淚 try and catch every food bank I can, even with my feet and my legs the way they are,鈥� he said. 鈥淟ife is hard, dude. You can鈥檛 afford to eat.鈥�
Even with the state providing benefits in the interim, Joseph Greenwood, a programs manager at Roadrunner Food Bank, told Source that the food bank expects continued high demand through November. He looked over the growing food line Friday and said it reminded him of lines during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He anticipated the food bank would give out an entire truckload of food by noon.
He said the state鈥檚 $30 million stop-gap, along with an $8 million investment for statewide food banks the Legislature approved during a special session at the beginning of the month, provide a 鈥渟hot in the arm鈥� to help feed New Mexicans, but it鈥檚 doesn鈥檛 come close to satisfying statewide hunger needs.
But Edmundo Maestas, who grew up in the International District, was relieved to learn Friday morning from a reporter that the state would give him about $35 for food over the weekend. Even though it鈥檚 one-third of what he normally gets, he thought he wasn鈥檛 getting anything through Thanksgiving.
鈥淢aybe I can buy a turkey now,鈥� he said.
Explosion at New Mexico oil refinery sends thick smoke across Artesia - Associated Press Newsroom
Emergency crews responded Friday to an explosion at an oil refinery in New Mexico as thick smoke emerged from the plant and drifted across parts of the city of Artesia before crews were able to extinguish the flames.
Navajo Refinery operator HF Sinclair said that the fire had been extinguished and that three people were transported off-site for medical attention. No other injuries were reported.
Air monitoring on the perimeter of the refinery and in a nearby community showed no risk to public safety, said Corinn Smith, a spokesperson of HF Sinclair. It was unclear whether refinery production was affected.
Artesia Police Commander Pete Qui帽ones said that police and other first responders scrambled to the site before the fire was contained.
Authorities said the smoke had dissipated by Friday afternoon and roads were reopened. The New Mexico Environment Department said it was sending a team to Artesia to assess conditions and monitor air quality.
The refinery sits adjacent to Artesia's main intersection, which serves as an artery from the Permian Basin in the southeastern corner of the state to the rest of New Mexico. The company's website notes that the facility has a crude oil capacity of 100,000 barrels per day, making it the largest in New Mexico, but it wasn't immediately clear how full the plant was at the time of the incident.
The plant serves markets in the southwestern United States by processing oil acquired from the basin, which is one of the busiest in the world. It operates alongside a refining facility in Lovington, about 65 miles (105 km) away.
HF Sinclair, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, also owns and operates refineries in Kansas, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Washington state and Utah.
___
Associated Press writers Morgan Lee in Santa Fe and Christopher L. Keller and Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque contributed to this report.
BioPark releases endangered Rio Grande silvery minnows - Cathy Cook,
Fish who have never known the river graduated to the wild on Wednesday, when the Albuquerque BioPark and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released 18,000 captive-spawned endangered Rio Grande silvery minnows.
Patrick Horley, the BioPark鈥檚 Aquatic Conservation Facility curator, scooped the minnows from a metal tank resting in a truck bed. Then he gently deposited the net of wriggling minnows into buckets full of muddy river water. BioPark and Fish and Wildlife staff dressed in waders carried the heavy buckets into the Rio Grande before tipping them slowly into the water and allowing the small, silver fish to swim away.
The operation was just one step in the effort to keep the species alive.
鈥淚t鈥檚 bittersweet,鈥� Horley said. 鈥淏ecause we don鈥檛 know what their fate is, and we know what their fate is with us, but it鈥檚 also such an important part of what we do.鈥�
The Rio Grande silvery minnow occupies 7% of its native range, living in just three sections of the river: the Albuquerque, Isleta and San Acacia reaches. It was first listed as endangered in 1994. Human intervention to preventing the fish species鈥� extinction.
For more than 20 years, Fish and Wildlife, and the BioPark have been gathering minnow eggs in the spring, then releasing grown fish into the river in the fall.
In the early years, fish were not spawned in captivity. The eggs were raised to adulthood, then released. But the effort has grown more sophisticated, and now some of the wild eggs are used to breed more fish. The BioPark, along with state and federal officials, works with 13 other partners to conserve the fish.
The thousands of silvery minnows released this past week were all spawned at the BioPark. Most were spawned last year, and some were spawned this year.
The silvery minnow release turned out a crowd. BioPark staff were given a 15-minute warning over their walkie-talkies, in case they wanted to watch the spectacle. A dozen or so walked from the botanic garden to the muddy riverbank by the Central bridge. A cyclist crossing the bridge paused to watch from overhead.
Even though it was her day off, Trinity McCoy showed up to watch the release. She works with reptiles at the BioPark, but worked with the minnows previously. McCoy loves the fish so much she added a silvery minnow to the collection of tattoos on her arm.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a really cool project that benefits the whole river, and they鈥檙e really tiny and cute,鈥� McCoy said.
McCoy鈥檚 black and white tattoo includes a stripe of color to show the minnow has been tagged. The BioPark tags every silvery minnow it raises with a line of latex paint injected below the skin. Tagging the fish allows other agencies to interpret trends in the fish population and get a sense of how successful the recovery effort is, Horley said.
As more and more buckets of fish were emptied in the river, the audience trickled away. When the final minnows were released, the remaining BioPark staff cheered.
Not all the BioPark鈥檚 silvery minnows get released. Typically 20,000 are kept over the winter to provide a brood stock for future years.
Soon, the BioPark, and Fish and Wildlife will collaborate on a second release, likely near the Alameda bridge. The release location is selected by Fish and Wildlife based on water conditions. That release will include roughly 19,000 fish. About half of those fish will be captive-spawned, while the rest will be from eggs gathered in the Rio Grande.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like graduation,鈥� Horley said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e sending them out to the real world. And we say, good luck. We hope the best for you.鈥�
Governor will continue her plan to backfill SNAP in the wake of judges鈥� ruling against Trump administration 鈥� Associated Press, 暗黑网 News
on Friday that President Donald Trump鈥檚 administration must continue to fund SNAP, the nation鈥檚 biggest food aid program, using contingency funds during the government shutdown.
The rulings came a day before the U.S. Department of Agriculture planned to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program because it said it could no longer keep funding it due to the shutdown.
The program serves about 1 in 8 Americans and is a major piece of the nation鈥檚 social safety net. Some states, including New Mexico, said they would spend their own funds to keep versions of the program going.
It wasn鈥檛 immediately clear how quickly the debit cards that beneficiaries use to buy groceries could be reloaded after the ruling.
That process often takes one to two weeks.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who last week pledged $30 million in state money to keep partial benefits flowing, said she would continue with that plan because she has 鈥渮ero confidence in the Trump administration to release these SNAP funds鈥� on Saturday, or even by this week.
Head Start programs face closure 鈥�
Many Head Start providers around New Mexico could close their doors because of the ongoing federal government shutdown.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports grant cycles for a number of providers start Nov. 1 and unless they can find funds to continue operating, they could close. That would impact hundreds of children around the state.
Grant cycles vary for Head Start providers, so not all are facing the same sudden funding cutoff. At least 250 slots and 76 staff across three programs will likely be impacted, according to the New Mexican. But state officials say it鈥檚 not clear how much money is at stake.
Even if programs don鈥檛 face immediate closure, the ongoing furloughs of federal employees in the shutdown is having an impact since those people would be the ones to help with training and technical assistance.
U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fern谩ndez and two other House Democrats introduced a bill several weeks ago to create the Office of Head Start to protect the program and restore five Head Start regional offices closed earlier this year by the Trump administration.