Enviros win voice in carbon battle

Court: Groups can intervene in feud over emissions rules repeal

Susana Montoya Bryan | The Associated Press
Posted: Wednesday, July 27, 2011

"The New Mexico Supreme Court on Wednesday cleared the way for environmental groups to intervene in an ongoing legal battle over whether the state should regulate greenhouse-gas emissions.

Attorneys for the groups said the justices' unanimous decision will ensure that proponents of the regulations will have a seat at the table if courts have to determine the fate of the state's carbon emissions policies. " More>>>>

Showdown in Tierra Amarilla

Land Grant Committee (interim) meeting tomorrow regarding the Tierra Amarilla Land Grant mineral rights issue:

Details from the Rio Grande Sun:

"The state legislature’s interim Land Grant Committee scheduled a meeting beginning at 10 a.m. July 28 at the Abiquiú Community Center. The meeting aims to address various land grant issues, focusing on the Tierra Amarilla Land Grant mineral rights issue at 1:45 p.m. Wells, the president of the Board, is scheduled to testify."

The rest of the story:

"Oil company's quiet deal with Land Grant sparks anger, internal mistrust"

By Andrew Kasper
SUN Staff Writer

Published:

Thursday, July 21, 2011 10:08 AM MDT

"After news of a questionable buyout and controversial plans to drill for oil on the Tierra Amarilla Land Grant became public, oil man Jack Steinhauser stepped into the lion’s den.

He visited Tierra Amarilla July 13 and stood before a group of agitated and confused Land Grant heirs and attempted to explain his plans to drill on land that belonged to their ancestors, while also trying to clarify how a $233,000 payment that was intended for the entire Land Grant ended up in the hands of just three Board members — without the rest of the members’ knowledge.

The payment was in exchange for a 2008 legal promise, or waiver, by the Land Grant that none of the members would pursue a future claim to the oil Steinhauser and his company, Wind River Energy, are poised to extract from 93,000 acres in northern Rio Arriba County and southern Colorado." More>>>>

Governor considers replacement of state's top water official

Staci Matlock | The New Mexican

"The governor's staff is once again looking for candidates for the state's top water job.

Current State Engineer John D'Antonio, confirmed under former Gov. Bill Richardson, is welcome to reapply for the job, said Scott Darnell, a spokesman for Gov. Susana Martinez.

"No decision has been made to replace Mr. D'Antonio, but the Governor wants to ensure that a wide range of options are considered before selecting a permanent State Engineer," Darnell said via email."...

..."Hernandez said he was told he was part of a search committee. "They called us individually and asked us to submit names by today (Monday)," Hernandez said. "I was the first one called, so I assumed I would head the committee."

Darnell, however, said no formal search committee has been formed. "We are asking for input from people throughout the state who are familiar with the critical water issues facing New Mexico ... ," Darnell said. "Unlike the transition, this is not a formal search committee; rather, it is an effort to cast a wide net and be inclusive in seeking a full range of options regarding the State Engineer's Office. We have reached out to a number of individuals and groups seeking their input, ranging from farmers, business people, and even the New Mexico Environmental Law Center."

Douglas Meiklejohn, executive director of the New Mexico Environmental Law Center, confirmed the organization was asked to submit names for state engineer. "We respectfully declined to be involved in that process," he said, also declining to comment on why.

Meiklejohn also declined to comment on whether or not he thought D'Antonio should be replaced. " More>>>>

Environment Department official resigns after bureau move

Staci Matlock | The New Mexican

"A top official with the state Environment Department resigned Tuesday morning, a day after the bureau overseeing Los Alamos National Laboratory's compliance with hazardous-waste regulations was moved from his division.

It was one more shake-up in a department that's seen more than a few in the last six months."...

..."The decision to move the bureau was made by Environment Department Secretary F. David Martin and Deputy Secretary Raj Solomon. They did not respond to questions regarding Davis' departure.

People familiar with the situation, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions, said the decision to yank the bureau from Davis' division was the final straw in a string of disagreements he had with the new administration. They believe the change was prompted by a recent notice of violation that Davis' division was pursuing against LANL for failing to meet some terms of the consent decree. A LANL spokesman confirmed there was a notice of violation, with fines proposed, but the spokesman referred questions to the Environment Department.

Gov. Susana Martinez made it clear in the first week of her administration that she intended to do away with any policies she deemed unfriendly to business. The Environment Department rapidly became a focus of her attention. The administration set out to undo or overturn new rules and regulations, from green-building codes to greenhouse-gas emissions, which officials said were detrimental to industry." More>>>>

MOODY'S PLACES RATINGS OF FIVE OF 15 Aaa STATES ON REVIEW FOR POSSIBLE DOWNGRADE DUE TO U.S. SOVEREIGN RISK VULNERABILITY

Deregulation of the financial industry set the table for the financial crisis. As deregulation continues to be proffered for budget woes, such as for oil and gas drilling, the following Moody's warning is something to keep an eye on and to keep in mind as part of the many unfolding consequences of financial deregulation.

"APPROXIMATELY $24 BILLION OF RATED DEBT AFFECTED; HIGH FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT AND MEDICAID EXPOSURE CITED

New York, July 19, 2011 -- Moody's Investors Service has placed on review for possible downgrade the Aaa ratings of the states of Maryland, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee, and the Commonwealth of Virginia. In connection with Moody's July 13 action placing the Aaa government bond rating of the United States on review for downgrade, Moody's announced that it would assess the ratings of Aaa-rated states to gauge their sensitivity to sovereign risk. The review actions affect a combined $24 billion of general obligations and related debt.

Should the U.S. government's rating be downgraded to Aa1 or lower, these five states' ratings would likely be downgraded as well. Moody's will review the ratings of the five states on a case-by-case basis and announce any rating actions within seven to ten days following a sovereign action."...

..."NEW MEXICO

• Sensitivity to national economic trends compared to other Aaa-rated states based on Moody's Economy.com measure of employment volatility due to U.S. fluctuations: Below average

• Federal employees as a percentage of the state's total employment: Above average

• Capital markets risk: Relatively high due to above average amount of puttable variable rate debt outstanding

• Federal procurement contracts as a percentage of state gross domestic product: Above average

• Medicaid as a percentage of total expenditures: Above average

• Available fund balance as a percentage of operating revenue: Above average" More>>>>

Related article:

Big US Banks Ate Everyone's Lunch: Strategist

BP slips up again

MarketWatch Blogs

"In a fresh challenge for BP PLC’s BP effort to clean up its act, up to 4,200 gallons of oil-containing fluids leaked from a BP pipeline during a pressure test at its Lisburne oil field in Alaska’s Prudhoe Bay, according to reports over the weekend. The Anchorage Daily reported that local officials said the ground shook from the force of the line break. BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. estimated the spill size at 2,100 to 4,200 gallons of methanol and other fluids, including crude oil." More>>>>

The World Factbook: Natural gas - proved reserves

Central Intelligence Agency

An excerpt from The World Factbook:

"This entry is the stock of proved reserves of natural gas in cubic meters (cu m). Proved reserves are those quantities of natural gas, which, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions." Link >>>>

Top ten:

"1 Russia 47,570,000,000,000

2 Iran 29,610,000,000,000

3 Qatar 25,470,000,000,000

4 Turkmenistan 7,504,000,000,000

5 Saudi Arabia 7,461,000,000,000

6 United States 6,928,000,000,000

7 United Arab Emirates 6,071,000,000,000

8 Nigeria 5,246,000,000,000

9 Venezuela 4,983,000,000,000

10 Algeria 4,502,000,000,000"

Exxon exec says doesn’t know Montana spill’s cause

By Molly Born

"WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — An Exxon Mobil executive on Friday told a House committee that the firm had met all regulatory standards even as the company takes full responsibility for an oil spill that dumped an estimated 42,000 gallons of crude into Montana’s Yellowstone River this month."...

..."Tester, a Democrat, appeared before the House pipelines subcommittee to make a statement at the beginning of the hearing and said Exxon needs greater regulation. In this case, Exxon was tasked with regulating itself and now “we’re paying a price for it,” he said.

“Does that sound familiar?” Tester said. “Wall Street had no regulators either and it lead to the collapse of our nation’s economy.”...More>>>>

"Battle for Brooklyn"

“BATTLE FOR BROOKYLN,”
THE STORY OF ONE NEIGHBORHOOD’S FIGHT AGAINST THE CONTROVERSIAL ATLANTIC YARDS PROJECT at The SCREEN

August 25th directors in attendance

Santa Fe:

For showtime:

The Screen

Movie website