Environment

Sipapu Ski Resort Hosts Popular Family Event

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Courtesy/Sipapu Ski Resort
 
SKI News:
 
VADITO ―  Sipapu Ski Resort hosts its annual President’s Day weekend celebration, February Fun Fest! 
 
It’s Sipapu’s most popular free family event, Feb. 18-20, which includes a giant snow castle, costume contest and parade, mountain-wide treasure hunt, games, prizes and more!
 
“February Fun Fest and our trademark snow castle is just another way that Sipapu shows its commitment to families. It’s a free event that our founding family, the Bolanders, started years ago. We’re proud to continue
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House Committee Shuts Window On Solar

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STATE News:
 
SANTA FE ― House Republicans voted Thursday against House Bill 193 in the House Business and Industry Committee along a partisan 5-5 vote.
 
HB 193 would have made permanent and expanded New Mexico’s investment in solar energy, creating jobs and diversifying the state’s economy at a time when its over reliance on oil and gas has left us in a deep financial crisis. Sponsored by Representative Daymon Ely (D-Corrales), HB 193 made permanent the Solar Market Development Tax Credits as well as offering them to both private individuals, low income families as well as commercial
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WIPP Releases Preliminary Shipping Estimates

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WIPP News:
 
The Department of Energy (DOE) has developed estimates for the resumption of shipments of transuranic (TRU) waste to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) over the next 12 months. 
 
Shipments are expected to be made during that time from Idaho, Los Alamos, Oak Ridge, the Savannah River Site, and Waste Control Specialists.
 
Shipments of TRU waste from generator sites across the U.S. are expected to commence in April. Shipments from a given site can commence once the site has demonstrated its readiness to load and ship TRU containers and has verified that waste
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Council Approves Brush & Bulk Collection Changes

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From left, Environmental Sustainability Board Chair John Bliss, Environmental Services Manager Angelica Gurule and Public Works Director Philo Shelton answer Council questions about the board’s recommendation for the brush and bulk collection program during Tuesday’s meeting. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com

 

By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post

During its meeting Tuesday night, the Los Alamos County Council unanimously approved changing the way brush and bulk items are collected in this community.

Council approved the Environmental Sustainability Read More

Legislation To Add Solar Power On State Buildings Passes Key Senate Committee

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STATE News:
 
SANTA FE ― The Senate Conservation Committee Feb. 14 voted unanimously to pass Senate Bill 227, a bill that would require the State to utilize solar power on its 750 buildings so long as it would “provide a net savings on utility costs and not require any upfront costs.” Sen. Jeff Steinborn (D- 36-Dona Ana), the sponsor of SB 227, said the move would be a huge win-win opportunity for the state of New Mexico.
 
“By harnessing our abundant solar resources on state buildings, we would not only save taxpayers potentially millions of dollars of utility costs
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Help Sought For Care Of Injured Red-tailed Hawks

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Red-tailed hawks. Courtesy/LEWF

LEWF News:

Cottonwood Rehab is in need of help from the Los Alamos community for the care of four injured red-tailed hawks that arrived at Cottonwood Rehab in the last three weeks.

Dr. Kathleen Ramsay is caring for two of the hawks at her home under intensive care. The other two hawks have graduated to outdoor cages. The cost of rehabbing these raptors is around $15/day for food and medication. With a normal rehab time table of about three months, Cottonwood Rehab needs $1,000 to $1,500 to get these hawks back into the wild.

To help, visit www.landofenchantment.org Read More

LANL Hosts Public Meeting At Fuller Lodge March 8

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LANL News:

Los Alamos National Laboratory will hold a public meeting 5:30-7:30 p.m., March 8 at Fuller Lodge, 2132 Central Ave., in Los Alamos.

The purpose of the meeting is to provide information on a hazardous waste permit modification request to add storage units at Technical Area 55 at the Laboratory.

The proposed permit modification is available for public review weekdays 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the New Mexico Environment Department – Hazardous Waste Bureau, 2905 Rodeo Park Drive East, Building 1, in Santa Fe.

Copies also are available at the Los Alamos Hardcopy Public Reading Room 9 a.m. to Read More

Two Guided Snowshoe Hikes In VCNP This Month

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In January, snowshoers visited a historic building and observed the elegant frozen landscape in the Valles Caldera National Preserve. Photo by Jonathan Creel
 
PEEC News:
 
The Valles Caldera is coated in snow and open for people to explore its frozen beauty.
 
Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) is working with the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VALL) to offer educational, family-friendly, hikes this winter.
 
The next hike is 1-3:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, and will be led by a VALL ranger and a PEEC representative. Along the way, participants
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Ice Melts As Season Draws To Close At Local Rink

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As the days grow warmer the ice is beginning to melt at the Los Alamos County Ice Rink. This happens each year around this time explains Parks, Recreation and Open Space Division Manager Chris Wilson. The rink typically closes for the season near the Presidents Day weekend or the week after. ‘The user groups work with us very well this time of year. It is always safety first certainly, and sometimes we reschedule activities for later in the day as needed,’ Wilson said. Photo by James Chrobocinski

Los Alamos ice rink. Photo by James Chrobocinski

Los Alamos ice rink. Photo by James Chrobocinski Read More

History Of Cosmic Distance Measurements And Black Holes At Nature Center Planetarium This Weekend

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PEEC News:
 
How do we know how far away the Sun is, or the stars?
 
Dr. Paul Arendt will discuss answers to this and other questions and explore the history of cosmic distance at 7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 17, in the Los Alamos Nature Center Planetarium.
 
This is the first show in a two-part series exploring the cosmic distance scale and the age of the Universe. The second show in this series is the following Friday, Feb. 24, where Dr. Rick Wallace continue the journey started by Dr. Paul Arendt in a show called Aging the Universe.
 
The film Black Holes will
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