The Citizen Coalition was born out of the efforts of one man, Jerry Nivens, who sadly passed in 2012.  Jerry learned that a dairy was planned for the flood plain of Percha Creek near his home and realized that the public process for dairy permits was badly flawed.  Through his persistence and some help from the Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club and Amigos Bravos the New Mexico Environment Department in 2008 denied, for the first time ever, a dairy permit.  Since then, the Coalition has participated in creating, and now defending, fair and effective pollution prevention rules for dairies in New Mexico – rules that protect the public health and the state’s precious groundwater resources.  The Citizen Coalition also includes the Socially Responsible Agricultural Project, and a number of individuals impacted by dairies. The Coalition is represented by The New Mexico Environmental Law Center.