Environment

Daily Postcard: Red-Naped Sapsucker At Bandelier

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on April 17, 2019

Daily Postcard: A red-naped sapsucker is spotted at Bandelier. The bird has a 16-inch wingspan and is uncommon but can be seen mostly in spring and fall in Frijoles Canyon. Photo by Sally King/NPS Read More

Celebrate Earth Day By Improving Local Trails

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on April 16, 2019

Join PEEC and Los Alamos County for a trail workday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 20. Volunteers will be planting willows and shrubs in arroyos along the Perimeter Trail. Registration is requested at peecnature.org. Photo by Thomas Graves

 

PEEC News: 

 

Join the Pajarito Environmental Education Center and Los Alamos County this Saturday, April 20 for a spring trail workday on the Perimeter Trail.

 

This volunteer project runs 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and participants will focus on planting willows and shrubs in arroyos along a section of the trail. There will be jobs for all ages Read More

Udall To Wheeler On EPA Reorg: Agency Should Focus On Staffing Crisis And Environmental Enforcement

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on April 16, 2019
U.S. Sen. Tom Udall
 
U.S. SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― In response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed reorganization of regional offices, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.),ranking member on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, requested April 10 a detailed plan from EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler to improve staffing levels across the agency, prioritize enforcement and compliance, increase communication with states, Tribes, and EPA staff, and honor agreements with staff and unions.
 
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DOE Releases Sources Sought For Environmental Management Idaho Cleanup Project

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on April 16, 2019
DOE News:
 
CINCINNATI, Ohio ― The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Wednesday issued a Sources Sought for the Environmental Management (EM) Idaho Cleanup Project (ICP) – Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Licensing and Other Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) Program Mission Objectives, and Facility Decontamination and Decommissioning (D&D) Requirements at the DOE Idaho National Lab (INL) Idaho Cleanup Project (ICP) Site in southeast Idaho.
 
The EM ICP mission objectives are currently being performed by Fluor Idaho, LLC and Spectra Tech Inc.; and expire March 31, 2021
Read More

AGU: Warm Autumn Winds Could Strain Antarctica’s Larsen C Ice Shelf

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on April 16, 2019
 
This satellite image from March 3, 2016 shows unusual late summer/early fall melting on the Larsen C ice shelf. New research finds the additional melting is due in part to warm, dry air currents called foehn winds that originate in the Antarctic Peninsula’s central mountain range and discusses the compounding effects of these late-season melt events on the snowpack. Courtesy/NASA Earth Observatory/Lauren Dauphin

This photograph shows a cloud-clearing, induced by foehn winds, on the lee side of mountains on the Antarctic Peninsula. The photo was acquired during NASA’s Operation Read More

Plein Air Painters Host ‘Jemez Spring Paintout & Show’

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on April 16, 2019
ART News:
 
JEMEZ SPRINGS — For the second year, the Plein Air Painters of New Mexico (PAPNM) will host a “Spring Paintout and Show” April 26-May 1 at various locations in and around the beautiful Village of Jemez Springs.
 
An exhibition will follow, May 4-23 with an opening reception and awards ceremony.
 
Plein air painting is a French word which literally translates “open air.” New Mexico’s love affair with plein air painting began with the Taos Masters, Santa Fe Cinco Pintores, Georgia O’Keefe and many more artists. There are 370 PAPNM members in the state.
 
“The
Read More

Heinrich, Gardner Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Establish Investment Tax Credit For Energy Storage

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on April 16, 2019
U.S. SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, have introduced the bipartisan Energy Storage Tax Incentive and Deployment Act of 2019 to establish an investment tax credit (ITC) for business and home use of energy storage.
 
“I continue to be incredibly excited by the potential for innovative energy storage technologies to improve the efficiency, reliability and resilience of our electric delivery systems that power homes and businesses. Over the last few
Read More

Santa Fe Watershed Prescribed Burn Planned Tuesday

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on April 16, 2019
SFNF News:
 
SANTA FE ― Fire managers on the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) plan to take advantage of favorable conditions today, including fuel moisture levels, air quality, wind direction and weather forecasts, to conduct the previously announced prescribed burn near Nichols Reservoir in the lower Santa Fe Municipal Watershed tomorrow.
 
Up to 500 acres, including 50 acres of piles, will be treated with hand and aerial ignitions. Crews will begin hand ignitions around 10 a.m., followed by aerial ignitions between noon and 1 p.m. and operations should be completed
Read More

NWS: Today’s High Near 64, Tonight’s Low Around 40

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on April 16, 2019

The National Weather Service forecasts today’s high in Los Alamos near 64 with a 20 percent chance of isolated showers and thunderstorms after 3 p.m. and tonight’s low around 40 with scattered showers and thunderstorms. Courtesy/NWS Read More

Daily Postcard: Pasque Flowers Bloom In Rendija

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on April 16, 2019

Daily Postcard: The Pasque flowers have returned to upper Rendija Canyon … harbingers of spring; as reliable as the Masters in Augusta. The flowers were spotted while mountain biking Thursday, April 11. Photo by Jonathan Dowell Read More

Draft Environmental Assessment For LANL Photovoltaic System Available To Public

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on April 15, 2019
LANL News:
 
In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, the Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has prepared a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) to analyze the proposed construction and operation of a 10 megawatts (MW) ground-mounted solar photovoltaic system (PV) and associated power transmission line within an existing power transmission line corridor.
 
The EA also analyzes the No Action Alternative of not constructing the PV.
 
The proposed PV location is on approximately 55-60 acres of which around
Read More

Luján On Passage Of Southwest Drought Plan

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on April 15, 2019
U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján
 
CONGRESSIONAL News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), the U.S. House Assistant Speaker, issued the following statement on the passage of a comprehensive drought and water plan for the southwest:
 
“Today’s passage of a comprehensive drought plan is a critical step to address climate change and protect New Mexicans’ access to clean water. Millions of people across the Southwest depend on the Colorado River, even as the supply has continued to deplete due to prolonged drought. I am proud to be a co-sponsor for this legislation, and I will
Read More

Daily Postcard: Rabbit Conducts Recon Ahead Of Easter

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on April 15, 2019

Daily Postcard: A rabbit dressed in camo to blend in with his surroundings is none the less spotted early Saturday morning in White Rock. It became quite clear that he was conducting reconnaissance to gain logistical information ahead of his annual Easter Sunday egg and candy drop operation. Photo by Nancy Ann Hibbs 

The rabbit is spotted once again as he attempts to hide in plain sight among a pile of rocks during his ‘Operation Easter’ recon mission early Saturday morning in White Rock. Read More

LANL: New First-Of-Its-Kind Model Accurately Predicts Harmful Space Weather

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on April 14, 2019
An artist’s rendering of the Van Allen radiation belts surrounding Earth. The purple, concentric shells represent the inner and outer belts. They completely encircle Earth, but have been cut away in this image to show detail. Courtesy/NASA’s Conceptual Image Lab/Walt Feimer
 
LANL News:
 
A new, first-of-its-kind space weather model reliably predicts space storms of high-energy particles that are harmful to many satellites and spacecraft orbiting in the Earth’s outer radiation belt.
 
A paper recently published in the journal Space Weather details how the model can accurately
Read More

Scenes From Ashley Pond Saturday

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on April 14, 2019
Feeding time for the ducks and pigeons Saturday at Ashley Pond. Photo by Ken Hanson
 
The horse sculpture Friday at Ashley Pond Park with the ski hill in the background. Photo by Ken Hanson
 
A view of Ashley Pond Saturday. Photo by Ken Hanson
Read More

New Mexico Delegation Udall, Heinrich, Luján, Haaland Introduce Legislation To Protect Chaco Canyon Area

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on April 13, 2019
CONGRESSIONAL News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and U.S. Representatives Ben Ray Luján, the U.S House Assistant Speaker, and Deb Haaland have introduced the Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act, a bill to withdraw the federal lands around Chaco Canyon from further mineral development.
 
The bill, alongside anticipated actions from State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard, would help ensure the protection of Chaco ruins and the greater landscape surrounding the Chaco Culture National Historical Park by preventing any future
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