Watch this important webinar from the GPUS EcoAction Committee

Post-census redistricting has begun. There is a somewhat hierarchical list of requirements for good redistricting: population balance (one person, one vote), protection and representation of under-represented and oppressed groups, district contiguity and compactness, party and incumbent neutrality, and representation for communities of interest. A former, long-time state representative once said that politics is about the division or distribution of resources. Basically, who gets what and how much. It is important for the breadth of diversity of a state, county, or city to be represented in the decision makers. With these concepts in mind, a coalition of groups led by Fair Districts New Mexico support the adoption of redistricting maps from the sets of maps adopted by the Citizen Redistricting Committee. We strongly encourage you to write letters to the editor of your local newspapers, print and electronic, and to contact your legislators directly to encourage adoption of one of the CRC maps for Congress, State Senate, State House, and Public Education Commission. The Special Session for redistricting begins December 6, 2021.

Redistricting–GPNM is part of the coalition gathered by Fair Districts New Mexico to promote citizen involvement in the redistricting process at the state level. The Citizen Redistricting Committee (CRC) forwarded three maps each for redrawing districts for U. S. House of Representatives, the New Mexico House and Senate, and the Public Education Committee. At this point it is up to the state legislature to adopt maps from the CRC or create its own. We ask that you contact your legislators or write letters to the editor of your local news publications about this. Points to emphasize include adopting a CRC map that is strongly population balanced; avoids partisan and incumbent gerrymandering; protects historically oppressed and underrepresented communities; and respects tribal, county, and municipal boundaries to the extent possible. Please point out that the redistricting process should comply with the Open Meetings Act with proceedings open and accessible to the public–no backroom deals! The Special Session is expected to state on December 6th.

Gateway Greens Webinar–This has been a great series. Currently the focus is on agriculture. The next webinar is titled, “Healing a Broken Agricultural System” will be Wednesday, December 1, 2021, 6:00 p. m. MST on Zoom. Topics include moving from corporate-controlled, pesticide-based monoculture to regenerative and sustainable food systems and a discussion of decolonizing agriculture with urban farming. Register in advance at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYlf-6sqT8vHd1pV91NEjiKQEVztp1rHUwx or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/603408037475032/?ref=newsfeed or https://www.facebook.com/groups/1392269120939428/permalink/2100597693439897/

Petitioning–We continue collecting signatures for a ballot line in 2022. Please reply if you can collect signatures for an hour or two in the parking lot of the Railyards Holiday Market, December 11-12, 10am to 4pm, at the Railyards in Albuquerque. We will not have a booth but will remain outside the event. Please let us know how your local efforts are going. Thanks. In other important ballot access news, one of the onerous requirements for new parties in Montana was declared unconstitutional by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Read more at gp.org/ninth_circuit_strikes_down.

Candidates–We call for candidates for the 2022 General Election with the caveat that the Green Party is still working to obtain a Green Party ballot line. Please contact us for the implications of that with regard to candidates’ signature requirements. Regular local elections across the state occurred early this month. Local elections are non-partisan in New Mexico and are an opportunity for Greens to get elected to public office. The next state-wide regular local elections will be in 2023. Please start thinking now about how you may serve your community on a school board, conservation board, improvement district, governing council, or as mayor. In 2021, approximately 40 Greens were elected to public office in the USA.

Holtec Update–Holtec was late responding to a Request for Additional Information (RAI) from the NRC. The schedule for the publication of the safety evaluation review (SER) will be delayed from the previously planned January 2022. The new schedule regarding the application for a nuclear waste storage facility in Lea County has yet to be determined.

A water plan has been developed by the New Mexico Office of the State Engineer entitled Taos Regional Water Plan. This plan indicates that water use in the county is already exceeding capacity. A graphic from this water plan, shown below, illustrates the notion that demand has exceeded supply (at least in a drought year) and that our current trajectory with increased demand is unsustainable.

Water management is a complex matter requiring on-going research that Green Party of Taos County (GPTC) members have been studying for the past year and a half. GPTC members are committed to continue their investigation and propose a future water budget that is within our means.

Please read the plan and let us know your thoughts on this issue that is crucial to current and future Taos County residents in the comments section below.