Non-Local News Releases

NM Interstate Stream Commission announces Main Stream New Mexico Community Conversations online

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission (NMISC) is pleased to announce the launch of the Main Stream New Mexico Community Conversations, a virtual companion to the online open house option to involve communities in proactive water management strategies.

Four Main Stream New Mexico Community Conversations will be conducted online, providing an opportunity for attendees to ask questions and participate in discussions regarding the future of water planning in New Mexico. The community conversations are intended to help attendees feel confident in providing official input at the online open house or in-person open house events. Members of the NMISC Planning Program will participate during these sessions to provide background and answer questions. The public is invited to join anytime during the lunch & learn hours or after hours events by accessing the link at MainStreamNM.org/Get-Involved. Registration is not required.

Reported date / time: July 1, 2024 / 6:25 PM Cause: Lightning Strike Size: 8,130 acres.
Fuels: Oak and ponderosa pine litter. Strategy: Confine and contain Containment: 52%
Fire Behavior: Low Resources: 131 personnel.

UPDATE: The Fisher fire is currently 8,130 acres. Yesterday the majority of work for the ground crews were centered on the East side of the fire along the 549 road. Crews created hand lines and utilized heavy equipment, striving for full containment of the fire on that end. Operations for the day will consist of continuing road work operations around Hughes Mills and Bear Trap Campground. As containment percentage grows, demobilization will begin, releasing some resources to be available for other incidents.

Work on the 557 Mile HVAC Line will create more than 2,600 jobs and generate $667 million in New Mexico and $506 million in Arizona

Albuquerque, NM – Southwestern Power Group (SWPG), with offices in Albuquerque and Phoenix, is developing the RioSol Transmission Line, a High Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC) transmission line spanning 557 miles through New Mexico and Arizona. RioSol will create 2,626 jobs during its construction and utilization, according to an independent report from Energy Economic & Environmental Consultants. The transmission infrastructure investment is stimulating new economic opportunities for renewable energy generation, enabling local wind and solar energy resources to be developed along its route.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M) released the following statement after Senate Republicans blocked the passage of the Reproductive Freedom for Women Act, legislation he cosponsored to enshrine the protections of Roe v. Wade into law.

"Since Republicans overturned Roe v. Wade, they've launched attack after attack on women's reproductive health care — enacting laws that put women's lives in danger and restrict women's access to medication abortion, contraception, and IVF," said Heinrich. "I firmly believe that a woman should have the freedom to make her own health care decisions about her own body and her own family. I will never stop fighting to restore Roe v. Wade's protections for all women in New Mexico and across our country."

ALBUQUERQUE, JULY 10—Today, the ?Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which requires states to obtain proof of U.S. citizenship when registering voters and to purge non-citizens from voter rolls, was passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, despite 198 Democrats voting against it. Among the ?opposing ?Democrats were all three New Mexico Representatives: Gabe Vasquez, Melanie Stansbury, and Teresa Leger Fernandez.

USDA Offers Disaster Assistance to New Mexico Farmers and Livestock Producers Impacted by Wildfires and Related Flooding

Recovery Assistance Available for Livestock, Feed, Forage, and Infrastructure Loss

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., July 10, 2024 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has technical and financial assistance available to help farmers and livestock producers across New Mexico recover from recent wildfires and related heavy rain and flooding. Producers impacted by these natural disasters should contact their local USDA Service Center to report losses and learn more about program options available to assist in their recovery from crop, land, infrastructure and livestock losses and damages.

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Reported date / time: July 1, 2024 / 6:25 PM Cause: Lightning Strike Size: 8,130 acres.
Fuels: Oak and ponderosa pine litter. Strategy: Confine and contain Containment: 30%
Fire Behavior: Low to moderate Resources: 130 personnel

UPDATE: The Fisher fire is currently 8,130 acres. Yesterday crews were able to begin containment lines along the West side (Point of Rocks Canyon) of the fire. On the East side, heavy equipment work was performed following the 549 Road. This work is to allow fire personnel and vehicles the ability to patrol and secure the fire's edge. The Incident Commander and Agency Administrator were able to view the fire area aerially and confirm that fire behavior remained low/moderate and safety objectives remained the same. Today work will mirror yesterday's efforts with the goal of further containment. With likely weather activity, firefighter safety is the priority. The team is close to achieving the intended outcome of positively reintroducing fire to the ecosystem.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, filed an amendment to codify the U.S. Department of Veterans Affair's (VA) rule protecting veterans and their beneficiaries' access to abortions in the cases of rape, incest, or danger to the life and health of the mother.

Heinrich filed the amendment to the Fiscal Year 2025 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill that is expected to come before the full Appropriations Committee tomorrow.