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| Susana Martinez |
New law clarifies NM uranium enrichment tax break
Debt Limit Commentary
"The fact that we are here today to debate raising America 's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the US Government cannot pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government's reckless fiscal policies. Increasing America 's debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that, "the buck stops here.' Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better."
~ Senator Barack H. Obama, March 2006
Heavy Hand of EPA Continues Obama Assault on Coal, Electric Bills Likely to Rise
Yesterday the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit in Denver denied requests by PNM and others to put on hold a new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency visibility requirement on the company’s primary power source, the San Juan Generating Station near Farmington, N.M.
The court will now consider the merits of appeals of the requirement by PNM, the N.M. Environment Department and New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez. Those parties maintain EPA’s mandate would cost New Mexico electric ratepayers and others about $750 million or more while a New Mexico plan could meet the same federal visibility rules for $77 million, or about one-tenth of the cost.
Vincent-Collawn added: “Today’s decision does increase our focus on convincing EPA administrators to quickly approve the New Mexico plan and, prior to taking that action, put the EPA requirement on hold. These actions are consistent with the Clean Air Act and EPA’s regulations and will serve interests of New Mexico’s economy and its electric consumers. The EPA has full, discretionary authority to grant that stay today.”
EPA’s aggressive, five-year compliance deadline for the San Juan plant to install the agency’s chosen technology, selective catalytic reduction (SCR), requires PNM to begin preparing to install that technology now even though the court ultimately could find it unnecessary.
New Mexico has approved a plan to meet the federal visibility rules by installing a different technology, selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR), on all units at the San Juan plant. PNM supports that plan, which would reduce San Juan's emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 20 percent annually. Combined with reductions resulting from a major environmental upgrade completed in 2009, this would represent an annual NOx reduction of 73 percent from 2006 levels.
The court will now consider the merits of appeals of the requirement by PNM, the N.M. Environment Department and New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez. Those parties maintain EPA’s mandate would cost New Mexico electric ratepayers and others about $750 million or more while a New Mexico plan could meet the same federal visibility rules for $77 million, or about one-tenth of the cost.
Today’s ruling is a decision by the court not to put implementation of EPA’s plan on hold while the issue is considered by the court.
“We remain committed to resolving this issue and, ultimately, to installing the most cost-effective, new visibility controls on the San Juan power plant,” said Pat Vincent-Collawn, chairman, president and CEO of PNM parent company PNM Resources. “In the meantime, we have a strong case to make that EPA violated the Clean Air Act and its own regulations in determining the best available retrofit technology for the plant.”Vincent-Collawn added: “Today’s decision does increase our focus on convincing EPA administrators to quickly approve the New Mexico plan and, prior to taking that action, put the EPA requirement on hold. These actions are consistent with the Clean Air Act and EPA’s regulations and will serve interests of New Mexico’s economy and its electric consumers. The EPA has full, discretionary authority to grant that stay today.” New Mexico has approved a plan to meet the federal visibility rules by installing a different technology, selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR), on all units at the San Juan plant. PNM supports that plan, which would reduce San Juan's emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 20 percent annually. Combined with reductions resulting from a major environmental upgrade completed in 2009, this would represent an annual NOx reduction of 73 percent from 2006 levels.
Postal closures concern election officials, voters
John Stossel Dinner in Alb.
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| John Stossel |
2 Dead After Experimental Plane Crash
Court Denies Request to Delay Pollution Requirements
Sunland Park Election Cancellation Considered
Pearce, Bingaman Work Together
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| Steve Pearce |
Washington, DC (March 1, 2012) Today, Congressman Steve Pearce expressed his support for the House Natural Resources Committee’s passage of S. 897, sponsored by Senator Jeff Bingaman, which allows states and tribes to use unspent coal mining royalties for the cleanup of abandoned non-coal mines. Pearce sponsored the legislation’s companion bill in the House, H.R. 785 in February 2011.
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| Jeff Bingaman |
Currently, the Department of the Interior (DOI) restricts the ability of states to use certain funds to reclaim non-coal mines. S. 897 passed in the Senate in November and has moved through the House Resources Committee.
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