The second power plant item is in a letter to the Business Outlook. It is something I tried to make an issue during my campaign, but the media wasn't interested. It concerns PNM's biomass plant in Torrance county. This power plant will burn pinon and juniper trees to provide electricity. Those trees will come from at least 40 square miles of state land administered by State Land Commissioner Pat Lyons. Lyons did not notify anyone who will be affected by this action, including its neighbors at the Gran Quivira National Monument, Salinas National Monument or the Office of State Historic Preservation. There are lots of archeological sites there. When the source of fuel was to have been U.S. Forest Service land the deal was killed by concerned neighbors so the PNM guys went to Pat Lyons. PNM contributed heavily to Lyons. Some of their employees also sent money to me. So, where is the public involvement in this? Is it a good idea to burn forests to create electricity and more grazing land for land office lessees? Those forests thickened up because of overgrazing in the first place. Who decides which trees and how many to take down. I understand it is the individual ranchers who will do so. Do they have any guidelines or scientific advice on how to do this?
Do they realize the New Mexico lawmakers some years ago passed legislation calling for the protection of Pinon trees since they provide a high value cash crop? Will the Land Office hold hearings on the science used by them in reaching this decision to deforest large tracts of Torrance County land? What will make up for the green house gasses those trees would have absorbed?Don't hold your breath. This land is going to auction three days after Christmas.
2 comments:
I think that you make a valid point concerning the PNM Biomass Plant. I will tell you that significant efforts were made to invite all stakeholders (including 5 environmental groups) to the table at the very beginning of the process. I can also verify that PNM contracted with a wide variety of industry experts to verify the fuel source and will use a public participatory process for all sources on private lands.
Your concepts were easy to understand that I wondered why I never looked at it prior to.
Glad to find out that there's a blogger out there that certainly understands what he's discussing.
Excellent work.
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