New Mexico Mercury

Provincial Matters, 10-27-2014

V.B. Price's weekly collection of appreciations and observations.

Provincial Matters, 10-20-2014

V.B. Price's weekly collection of appreciations and observations.

New Mexico Solar Businesses Ready to Roll with Clean Power

Over the last several days, anger has spread over news that the country’s largest methane leak is located right here in New Mexico, near the Four Corners region, and is three times larger than originally reported. The methane leak is attributed to gas production in the area and for many New Mexicans, this dangerous human health and environmental hazard represents a wake-up call for new energy policies in our state. Lucky for us, we’re not starting from scratch to address the issue...

Sonora Water Wars, Part 4: The Pride of Sonora

The northern Mexican state, known for its self-reliance in a harsh climate, is leading the way in water megaprojects to address the country's water shortages. 

Provincial Matters, 10-13-2014

V.B. Price's weekly collection of appreciations and observations.

Sonora Water Wars, Part 3: “El Nuevo Sonora” Continues Sonora’s Hydraulic Traditions

As water megaprojects focus on diversion to feed urban growth and agriculture profit, regional tensions grow for the increasingly scarce resource. 

Provincial Matters, 10-6-2014

V.B. Price's weekly collection of appreciations and observations.

Sonora Water Wars, Part 2: Reviving a Hydraulic Society

Just southwest of New Mexico's borders, a Mexican water crisis boils down to diversion vs conservation.

Time for Something Else

In a world ravaged by corporate capitalist plunder, the fostering of community may be the most radical and accessible solution.

Augustin Plains Ranch water case crucial to protecting New Mexico’s rural water

On September 22, we asked the New Mexico Supreme Court to order the State Engineer to dismiss a massive speculative water appropriation application from Augustin Plains Ranch, LLC. We live next door to the Ranch, which has spent almost eight years trying to appropriate a massive amount of water in Catron County.  This attempted appropriation threatens the towns, ranches and homes of the entire San Augustin Plains region, all of which are wholly dependent on wells and groundwater.

Bruce Frederick of the New Mexico Environmental Law Center (NMELC) filed a petition on our behalf for a writ of mandamus.  In the petition, we ask the Court to compel the State Engineer to “promptly” reject the Ranch’s most recent application for 54,000 acre-feet of water per year...