News Releases
New Mexico water commission vacates tainted decision to hear oil and gas wastewater discharge rulemaking
Today, the Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC) met to consider water watchdogs’ motions to disqualify commissioners who, investigative reporting revealed, voted under duress from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Sec. James...
Municipalities, farmers, ranchers, landowners, and conservation groups unite to protect Montana water rights in challenge to exempt well loophole
Today, groups and individuals representing a diverse coalition of municipalities, farm and ranch families, landowners, and conservation organizations filed a legal challenge in Montana state court against the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation...
State water commission to consider gov’s office tampering motion in oil and gas wastewater rulemaking
On Thursday, November 13, the New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC) will consider water watchdogs’ motion to disqualify 7 of 14 commissioners and vacate their July 7 vote to hear a controversial oil and gas wastewater discharge petition due to political...
Amelia Marchand and Cliff Villa join WELC board of directors
The Western Environmental Law Center, a nonprofit public-interest environmental law firm, is proud to announce the addition of Amelia Marchand and Cliff Villa to its board of directors. Cliff Villa rejoined the board after serving in an appointed position with the...
Legal organizations: Colorado on solid footing to release wolves from Canada
10(j) rule identified one possible source of wolves, not a mandated population Denver, CO – According to a CBS News report, former congressman Greg Lopez – alongside livestock industry groups – sent a letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service claiming that...
New poll shows overwhelming support as oil and gas bonding reform hearing kicks off Oct. 20
With $1.6 billion in liabilities at stake, New Mexicans back common-sense reform to protect communities A new statewide poll shows nearly 9 in 10 New Mexicans (89%) support requiring oil and gas corporations to pay the full cost of plugging wells. This overwhelming...
Water watchdogs file motion to disqualify commission members, vacate fracking waste discharge rulemaking after gov’s office caught tampering
Citing hard evidence of the Lujan Grisham administration inappropriately pressuring the Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC) to fast-track a new rule proposed and written by Big Oil to allow discharge of treated fracking waste to New Mexico’s rivers and streams,...
Groups challenge Montana’s second rubberstamp of methane gas plant near Laurel
Conservation groups today challenged an inadequate environmental analysis from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality for the 175-megawatt methane gas plant near Laurel, Mont. In August, DEQ issued a supplemental final environmental assessment for the...
Court: Expanded livestock grazing in grizzly habitat near Yellowstone violated law
Today, The U.S. District Court for the District of Montana found that the U.S. Forest Service violated the law when it authorized expanded livestock grazing on six allotments on the east side of Montana’s Paradise Valley in occupied grizzly bear habitat. The...
Gov’s office, NMED secretary improperly pressuring water commissioners to green-light fracking waste discharge to surface, groundwater
Newly revealed emails show the governor’s office and New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Sec. James Kenney are inappropriately directing members of the New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission to advance an oil and gas industry proposal to allow the discharge...
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