The Biden administration is moving to the next development stage on a proposed plan that could reshape renewable energy deployment across the West. Today marked the closing of the public comment period on the administration’s draft plan to update the Western Solar Plan. A coalition of climate, conservation, environmental justice, and tribal organizations submitted a letter supporting the update to the plan and urged the Bureau of Land Management to adopt the version of the plan known as “Alternative 5” as the best option for achieving its solar deployment goal while also prioritizing responsib ..read more

Today, the Biden administration’s Bureau of Land Management released a final rule elevating the role of conservation in public lands management to match uses like fossil fuel extraction, improving the balance of its multiple-use mission. The Bureau manages 40% of all public lands—245 million acres primarily in the western U.S. With this rule, the agency is exercising its longstanding authority and responsibility under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) to conserve these public lands in the public interest. The rule has the potential to better align public land management to res ..read more

American Rivers today named the Rivers of New Mexico #1 on its annual list of America’s Most Endangered Rivers®, citing a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that left virtually all of the state’s streams and wetlands vulnerable to pollution and harmful development. The May 2023 Supreme Court ruling in Sackett v. EPA dramatically reduced federal clean water protections for streams and wetlands nationwide–arguably harming New Mexico the most of all the states. This federal action opens the door to devastating pollution and habitat damage, with potential harmful downstream impacts to the Rio Gran ..read more

Gov. Lujan Grisham has line-item vetoed a tax exemption in House Bill 252 that would have effectively forced taxpayers to pay “stripper well” operators’ costs to comply with the state’s methane waste and ozone precursor rules, rules designed to protect the climate and public health.The 29 New Mexico civic and environmental groups who formally urged the governor to veto this unnecessary and unsound tax giveaway today applaud her for holding strong against this proposed special interest handout to low-producing wells. The governor’s veto helps dispel the myth that “stripper wells” are run by str ..read more

Twenty-nine environmental and civic organizations sent a letter to Gov. Lujan Grisham urging her to line-item veto parts of House Bill 252 that would create an oil and gas severance tax exemption for “stripper well properties” for the costs of complying with the state’s 2021 methane waste rule and 2022 ozone precursor rule. If signed into law, this bill would perversely give companies a tax break for costs incurred to protect the public against hazards of these businesses’ own creation. In its analysis, the New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee found the exemption could cost the state $17.2 ..read more

A diverse group of over 40 Montana organizations and businesses submitted a petition to the Montana Public Service Commission (PSC) today to request that it adopt rules requiring consideration of climate change in its regulation of Montana gas and electric utilities. Montana courts have twice found that the state has an obligation to consider climate change in decision making. This petition asks the PSC to abide by Montanans’ Constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment which includes the right to a stable climate. With broad oversight authority over Montana utilities, the PSC mak ..read more

Job Opening Announcement: Litigation Assistant Reports to: Program Directors Location: Physical WELC office in Taos, NM; Santa Fe, NM; Eugene, OR; or Helena, MT Timeline: Job opening posted February 26, 2024; we will review applications on a rolling basis beginning on March 18, 2024 until the position is filled. Note: Information is available below. Please apply through our ApplicantPro portal. ABOUT THE WESTERN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTERThe Western Environmental Law Center is a leading nonprofit, public-interest environmental law firm rooted in the landscapes and communities of the Western U.S ..read more

Career Opportunity: Communications and Marketing Associate Reports to: Communications Director Location: Physical WELC office in Taos, NM; Santa Fe, NM; Helena, MT; or Eugene, OR. Remote options will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Timeline: Job opening posted February 23, 2024; we will review applications on a rolling basis beginning on March 18, 2024, until the position is filled.  ABOUT THE WESTERN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER  The Western Environmental Law Center is a leading nonprofit, public-interest environmental law firm rooted in the landscapes and communities of the West ..read more

Today, 10 conservation groups filed their 60-day notice of intent to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (“the Service”) for its failure to list western wolves under the Endangered Species Act. The groups outlined the reasons why the Service’s “not warranted” finding, formally published in today’s Federal Register, ignores obvious threats to the species, runs contrary to the best available science, and relies on flawed population models for its determination. “The Service’s finding seems to give the green light for states hostile to wolves to follow suit with Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming’s a ..read more

A broad range of public interest advocates today applaud New Mexico Senate Pro Tem Mimi Stewart and Sen. Brenda McKenna for introducing SM 8, requesting the Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department to study the risks to humans and the environment from proximity to oil and gas facilities (fact sheet here). The memorial asks the department to evaluate how to mitigate those risks by requiring oil and gas companies to locate new wells beyond a minimum distance (“setbacks”) from homes, schools, businesses and the surrounding environment and to recommend legislation addressing setbacks in ..read more