Political News

DOI Repeals Defective Federal Mineral Valuation Rule

Submitted by Chris Clark on August 9, 2017
DOI News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― To create more workable oil, gas and mineral valuation regulations and avoid costly litigation, the Department of the Interior announced the repeal of the Consolidated Federal Oil and Gas and Federal and Indian Coal Valuation Reform Rule (Valuation Rule) which had created confusion and uncertainty regarding how companies report and pay royalties on energy and other mineral resources from federal onshore and offshore areas and American Indian lands.
 
The repeal of the Valuation Rule, published today in the Federal Register and
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Letter To The Editor: Three Ideas, Two Concerns On Rec Projects

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on August 8, 2017
By LISA BRENNER
Los Alamos

Dear County Councilors,

 

With the upcoming discussion tonight of the continued want for recreational projects in Los Alamos I have three suggestions:
 
1)  Any LANL contract could incorporate an item from the bidder toward community development. LANL is just as interested in attracting the best and the brightest and, if it’s true that adding recreational facilities will accomplish this, then it’s appropriate for them to have some skin in the game.  It is not a “punishment” as I’ve heard a Councilor say, but
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Los Alamos Historic Preservation Advisory Board Accepting Applications For Board Vacancy

Submitted by Kirsten Laskey (ladp admin) on August 8, 2017

HPAB News:

The Los Alamos Historic Preservation Advisory Board (HPAB) is accepting applications for one vacancy on the Board. Applicants must be Los Alamos residents. HPAB terms are for three years.

The next 36 months will be an exciting time as the Historic Preservation Advisory Board develops the Fuller Lodge Interpretive Plan. In addition, the Board will review the Historic Preservation Ordinance and Historic designations.

Previously known as the Fuller Lodge Historic Districts Advisory Board, the Board was successful in advising the capital improvement projects division on the Read More

Councilors Set To Host Booth At Saturday’s Fair

Submitted by Kirsten Laskey (ladp admin) on August 8, 2017

​COUNTY News: 

The Los Alamos County Council will host a booth during the County Fair Saturday at Ashley Pond Park.

The booth will open after the parade ends at approximately 10:45 a.m., and residents are invited to stop by and chat until 2 p.m. with Councilors about any comments, concerns or questions.

Staff from the Community Development Department will be on hand to answer questions and to demonstrate their new Citizen Portal software, and there will be information on the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, the citizen/business/organization-based Discoveries Action Team, Read More

District Attorney Marco Serna Visits Los Alamos

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on August 8, 2017
First Judicial District Attorney Marco P. Serna was in town today and met with reporter Maire O’Neill who covers the cops and courts beat for the Los Alamos Daily Post. Following the meeting, District Attorney Serna met with the news team in the Los Alamos Daily Post world headquarters at 1247 Central Ave. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
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Letter To The Editor: About That Rec Bond Issue

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on August 8, 2017
By DELIA CRUZ-MURPHY
Los Alamos

As a parent, I have already lived through not having a: splash pad, a rec pool, or improvements to the ice rink. When it comes down to it you get creative with things to do with your kid(s) when living in Los Alamos. There are plenty of things you can do, take them to: one of the many great parks in Los Alamos, go to the Reservoir, go hiking in the Jemez, go hiking around town as we have some really great trails, take them to the Genoveva Chavez Community Center in Santa Fe, take them to the Kids Museum in Santa Fe, try the rock wall at the YMCA, or the Rock wall in Santa Fe.

I have seen Read More

Letter To The Editor: Election Results Matter

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on August 8, 2017
By KHALIL SPENCER
Los Alamos
 
I’m a little surprised that Megan Fox thinks the 47 percent to 53 percent vote against the Rec. bond was not really a defeat (link). Six percentage points matter. To put it in perspective, Hillary Clinton defeated Donald Trump in the NM popular vote 48 percent to 40 percent. By Ms. Fox’s logic, it would be “a little bit of a stretch” to say that Ms. Clinton won NM’s electoral votes.
 
As far as the Rec Bond, it was defeated, period. What that means is no bond issue for these projects, a narrow question. Whether Council considers
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Letter To The Editor: No Means No

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on August 8, 2017
By GRAHAM MARK
Los Alamos
 
Dear Council,
 
Please do not continue planning or funding county projects that were voted down in the last election. Incredibly, the “No” vote is being re-interpreted by believers in alternative facts to mean “OK.” Funding was one issue in that election, and financing seems the only issue being considered today, as if that’s all that matters. But there are other things in life than money—for example, representative democracy.
 
You, the council, should not get to override the voting population. The county as a whole spoke last fall. It is dishonest
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Letter To The Editor: Follow Up On Rec Projects Issue

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on August 8, 2017
By ROBERT PELAK
Los Alamos
 
In recent letters to the Los Alamos Daily Post, Joyce Anderson, Stephanie Nakhleh and Megan Fox have each suggested that a subset of the recreation bond projects should be undertaken despite the rejection by the public of the bond needed to finance them. They each offer slightly different interpretations on the meaning of the “no” vote. Did it mean that people only wanted one or some but not all of the projects? Did they want none of the projects because of the increase in future maintenance costs? Did they just not want to finance the projects with a
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Letter To The Editor: Timing Of Proposal Divisive

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on August 8, 2017
By ELLEN WALTON
Los Alamos

 

The recent defeated recreation bond issue and subsequent proposal by Councilors O’Leary and Chrobocinski to go ahead with some of the projects in that bond has become unnecessarily divisive. It is impossible for anyone to interpret exactly what that bond election said about the voters’ view on each project. The outcome of the vote on the ballot issue presented to us said that we reject a tax increase to fund a large group of recreation projects.

 

We also know that the bond issue for the proposed leisure pool or now alternatively named multi-generational Read More

Letter To The Editor: Responsible Local Government Listens To Their Voters

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on August 7, 2017
By MEGAN FOX
Los Alamos

I’d like to weigh in from the “other side” on this Rec Bond topic.

To say the Rec Bond was “defeated” last year is a bit of a stretch. It was nearly a tie, 47 percent of those who voted were in favor of proceeding with all Rec Bond projects and the associated costs, and 53 percent of those who voted were opposed, for a variety of reasons. Many of those who opposed were in favor of improving or building some of the proposed Rec Bond projects, but were opposed to the huge bundle of all the projects together.

Some voters who voted against the Rec Bond were in favor of all the projects, but didn’t

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Letter To The Editor: Clearing Up Confusion On Rec Projects

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on August 7, 2017
By STEPHANIE NAKHLEH
Los Alamos

Recent letters to the editor reveal some confusion about the results of the May 2017 Rec Bond election. To be clear, the Rec Bond question was whether to raise property taxes to proceed with five recreation projects. By a narrow vote, the town declined to support a property-tax increase. However, many citizens—those who voted for the bond and quite a few who voted against it—made it very clear that they want to see individual projects move forward.

Some of the most vocal critics of the Rec Bond pleaded with Council to find “a better way” to fund the projects, in fact—they Read More

Spencer: Is ‘Bombs For Profits’ A Good Model For A Nuclear Weapons Lab?

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on August 7, 2017
By KHALIL SPENCER
Los Alamos

“In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist.” –Dwight Eisenhower

The County Manager and Council Chair have both submitted comments to NNSA regarding the draft solicitation for the LANL M&O Request for Proposals. The letters sent to NNSA can be found in this Daily Post article. There is a lot there, but the parts that I find objectionable are the statements “The Read More

Pearce Applauds Repeal Of ONRR Valuation Rule

Submitted by Chris Clark on August 7, 2017
U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce
 
U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce released the following statement after the Department of the Interior released a formal notice of their plans to repeal the Obama-era regulation on royalties for coal, natural gas, and oil extracted on federal lands.
 
“The Office of Natural Resource Revenue (ONRR) valuation rule was a direct attack on state’s like New Mexico that rely on the production of energy resources. Without repealing this rule, taxpayers in New Mexico and across the nation would
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Letter To The Editor: Questions On Rec Project Funding

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on August 7, 2017
By JOYCE ANDERSON
Los Alamos
 

In the past few days there has been a lot of uproar here in the Los Alamos Daily Post and on social media about the County Council’s efforts to move forward and fund some of the recreation projects that would have been funded had the Rec Bond passed in May.

 
Cries of ignoring the will of the people are hanging in the air this morning as people slug it out on social media, and members of the County Council are being excoriated for their efforts to make much needed improvements to the town. I’m as frustrated with this as the next person, so I’m asking
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Secretary Zinke Recommends No Modifications To Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument

Submitted by Chris Clark on August 7, 2017
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke
 
DOI News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― Aug. 4, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced Arizona’s Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument is no longer under review​ and that he will recommend that no modifications be made to the monument.
 
The monument was under review in accordance with President Donald J. Trump’s April 26, 2017, executive order. 
 
“Today I’m announcing that​ Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument’s review process has concluded and I am recommending
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Letter To The Editor: Unfathomable That Council Would Even Consider Proceeding With Rec Projects

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on August 7, 2017
By ROBERT PELAK
Los Alamos
 
Dear Councillors:
 
After the bond for the five recreation projects was defeated in the recent election, it seems unfathomable to me that the County Council should consider proceeding with these projects anyway. It is especially galling to attempt to move forward so soon after the election and to use every last bit of available funding.
 
Going forward risks cementing into people’s hearts and minds the belief the Council is deaf to the citizens. It also appears to be fiscally irresponsible as it would leave us with very little funding left for
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DOE, Industry, Community Representatives To Join 2017 National Cleanup Workshop

Submitted by Chris Clark on August 7, 2017
DOE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― Senior DOE officials, industry executives and community representatives from across the U.S. are set to participate in the 2017 National Cleanup Workshop, scheduled for Sept. 13-14 at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center in Alexandria, Virginia.
 
Planned participants include:
  • Jim Owendoff, Acting Assistant Energy Secretary for EM
  • Roger Jarrell, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Energy for EM
  • Stacy Charboneau, EM Associate Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Field Operations
  • Ralph Holland,
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