Latest news with #MichelleLujanGrisham
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
New Mexico wildfire map: Track Trout Fire as responders work to contain blaze
Editor's note: This article was updated to reflect the new total acreage impacted by the Trout Fire. For those heading to the mountains of New Mexico during the summer months, it could mean dealing with fires stemming from particularly dry conditions. The New Mexico Wildfire Map currently shows an active fire east of Gila, New Mexico. The Trout Fire is burning an estimated 38,708 acres. Currently, 755 personnel are assigned to the incident. The fire is burning through timber, grass, and dense six-foot brush, according to MAPO. The fire is 0% contained. N.M. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has declared a state of emergency and secured federal Fire Management Assistance Grants in response to the Trout Fire. The declaration allocates $750,000 to the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for firefighting efforts, including the deployment of the New Mexico National Guard, according to a news release from the office of the governor. The fire tracker provides a map with pinpoint locations of each fire and shows where red flag warnings are in effect, among other information. You can also click on each point to see detailed information on the fire in that area. The U.S. Forest Service noted the fire was reported Thursday, June 12, in the Trout Creek area of the Gila National Forest. The Gila National Forest has implemented a closure order as the fire is not contained. Another adjacent fire over eight acres east of the Gila Forest. That, too, is not contained and was reported five days ago, according to the U.S. Forest Service. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: New Mexico wildfire map: Track Trout Fire in real-time
CBS News
3 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
New Mexico wildfires force evacuations for about 2,000 homes, prompt state of emergency order
Two wildfires in New Mexico are burning over 80,000 acres, prompting evacuation orders and an emergency response from state officials. The Buck Fire is burning over 57,000 acres in Catron County and is 15% contained as of Tuesday night, according to New Mexico Fire Information. Lightning sparked the fire on June 11, authorities said. The Trout Fire started a day later and is burning nearly 25,000 acres in the south of the Gila National Forest. It has no containment, and its cause has not yet been determined. Extreme drought conditions, combined with hot and dry temperatures caused the blaze to grow on Monday, the U.S. Forest Service said in an update Tuesday. Photo posted by the New Mexico's Bureau of Land Management on Monday, June 16, 2025, shows firefighters managing the Buck Fire in Craton County. Bureau of Land Management - New Mexico Residents of about 2,000 homes have been forced to evacuate, according to Stefan La-Sky, a spokesperson for the team managing the Trout Fire. Officials said they were not aware of any injuries or burned structures. Around 875 personnel and 10 helicopters worked to slow the fire on Tuesday, La-Sky said. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham declared a state of emergency on Tuesday in response to the Trout Fire. The governor's declaration will direct the New Mexico Department of Finance Administration to allocate $750,000 to the state's Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for emergency response efforts. The New Mexico National Guard will also be deployed to assist, according to the governor's declaration. Photo posted by the New Mexico's Bureau of Land Management on Monday, June 16, 2025, shows firefighters putting out the Buck Fire in Craton County. Bureau of Land Management - New Mexico "I appreciate our federal partners for taking this threat seriously and for doing their part in supporting the responders who are working their hardest to protect the community," Grisham said. The state's Department of Health issued a smoke advisory for Grant and Catron counties. Health officials warned that the smoke will travel based on wind conditions, and air quality may be affected as far as Las Cruces — nearly 130 miles away. A red flag warning is in effect through Wednesday, as temperatures remain in the 90s with extremely low humidity, and wind gusts are expected up to 35 miles per hour. Red flag warnings are issued to indicate the highest level of fire danger.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NM Gov touts $1B partnership on new geothermal plant for Meta's data center power needs
From left, Urvi Parekh, Meta's head of enegery, joins Josh Prueher from XGS Energy, New Mexico Economic Development Department Secretary Rob Black and Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced a $1 billion dollar geothermal energy generation site anticipated within the next three years. (Screengrab from live stream ) Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Thursday announced what she described as a 'big damn deal' for green energy production in New Mexico, one that she said will provide Meta's New Mexico data centers with huge amounts of green energy they need without using much water or costing taxpayers a dime. At a news conference at the Roundhouse, surrounded by cabinet agency heads and leaders from the Silicon Valley giant and also XGS Energy, the governor said the deal means XGS Energy would produce 150 megawatts of energy for Meta through its 'advanced geothermal technology.' Geothermal energy taps into heat under the Earth's surface to generate electricity using steam turbines or further uses for heating and cooling. Leaders touted the 'advanced' version of that technology as a way to minimize water usage through a 'closed-loop' system and also by using a tiny surface footprint, claiming only 15 acres is needed on the surface for a project that produces enough energy to power 50,000 homes. Read the report here. In addition to the energy production, the new geothermal plant will mean a $1 billion private sector investment that will create 3,000 construction jobs and 100 'really good' jobs running the geothermal power plant, the governor said. It's not clear when the company will break ground on the plant or plants or where they will be located. Company leaders described at least a three-year permitting timeline. The governor and XGS Energy CEO Josh Prueher said New Mexico has the exact right geology to greatly expand geothermal projects. A 238-page academic report released Thursday claims the state has enough capacity to produce 163 gigawatts of geothermal power, which the report authors say is more than 15 times the amount of capacity the state had in 2023. Combine the right geology with what Prueher called an easy permitting process, and then add in an oil and gas workforce that could be trained to work in geothermal technology, and you've got an environment that's 'easy and inviting for developers and investors' he said. The governor said the state helped the deal come together through years of policy and legislative work, but stressed that no taxpayer money would be spent on it. She also said there isn't any state agency rulemaking required or legislation that will need to pass at the upcoming legislative session. 'This is born from all the groundwork all of us have been laying in the state, which is why, frankly, it's a great announcement jointly, and it should be a bit of a celebration,' she said. The governor's proposal is the latest she's offered that seeks to enable continued growth while confronting the state's arid climate, diminishing water supply and reliance on the oil and gas industry. In 2024, she announced a push for a so-called Strategic Water Supply that sought to create a market for wastewater produced by oil and gas drilling, along with brackish water. The state's 50-year water plan released last year says the state can expect a 25% reduction in its water supply over the next 50 years, thanks to climate change-caused aridification. While leaders were tight-lipped about where the projects could go, they said the public is welcome to weigh in via the permitting process. In a presentation elsewhere in Santa Fe as part of the release of the academic report, Melanie Kenderdine, secretary of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, showed a map that suggested the sites could be in Sandoval, San Miguel, Doña Ana, Catron and Hidalgo counties, and listed an additional 13 other counties that have 'most favorable potential for other sites.' The state aims to move forward with further projects, Kenderdine told attendees at a conference hosted by Project InnerSpace, a nonprofit pushing for further geothermal projects. The state has competing needs for the space underground beyond geothermal, Kenderdine said, such as sequestering carbon underground or developing geologic hydrogen as another fuel source. 'We need to do very, very detailed mapping of the New Mexico subsurface and we need to do it quickly,' she said.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Governor's Office: Operation Zia Shield is different than situation in California
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The situation in California comes as the New Mexico National Guard looks to help Albuquerque police fight crime. A spokesperson for Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham sent this statement: In Albuquerque, the deployment of the National Guard represents a fundamentally different approach to public safety than what we're witnessing in California. New Mexico National Guard members are working collaboratively with local law enforcement at the direct request of the city's police chief, and the Guard is supporting, not replacing, law enforcement officers in their efforts to combat illegal drugs and violent crime. In California, President Trump disregarded Gov. Newsom's authority as commander-in-chief and deployed armed members of the National Guard to Los Angeles even though State and local law enforcement stated emphatically that they did not need the assistance. Gov. Lujan Grisham's measured approach in Albuquerque aims to strengthen public safety through cooperation and partnership, while helping to address real community needs. The president's deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles is inflaming social tensions rather than resolving them. Michael Coleman, Communications Director, Office of New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller echoed a similar sentiment, saying that, unlike Los Angeles, the National Guard here will be doing non-enforcement activities. But Republican state Senator Bill Sharer, of Farmington, disagreed, saying, 'The governor….has no business opposing similar actions taken by the president to improve public safety.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Saying 'I do' in New Mexico will now cost twice as much as marriage license fee increases
Formalizing a marriage these days is often not the difficult part; walk in and the paperwork is there waiting for you. But in New Mexico, it's about to become more than twice as expensive. For the first time in decades, the cost of a marriage license in New Mexico will increase, jumping from $25 to $55, effective June 20, following the passage of bipartisan legislation during the 2025 legislative session updating the fee structure. While the price is more than doubling, New Mexico's fee remains lower than in Texas or Arizona, where the cost can exceed $80. Some states charge as much as $115. According to a news release from the Santa Fe County Clerk's Office, the fee change supports long-term recordkeeping, child welfare programs and local services across the state. Santa Fe County is one of New Mexico's most popular wedding destinations. 'Most people only think about their marriage license once — on their wedding day,' Santa Fe County Clerk Katharine Clark said in a statement. 'But it's a legal document that can be needed decades later to access benefits, prove identity or navigate end-of-life paperwork. We want to ensure your record will be securely stored, easy to find, and legally valid when you need it." Senate Bill 290, signed by Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham this year, was sponsored by Sen. Linda Trujillo, D-Santa Fe. It increases marriage license fees and changes how they are distributed. The changes will result in increased funds for counties, according to a Legislative Finance Committee fiscal impact report for the bill. With the updated fee, the fund is expected to gain an estimated $32,500 annually to expand prevention programs and family support services statewide. Beginning June 20, according to the County Clerk's Office, the $55 marriage license fee will be distributed as follows: * $20 to county clerk's offices * $20 to the Children's Trust Fund, which supports community-based programs to prevent child abuse and neglect * $15 to the county general fund The Children's Trust Fund, administered by the Children, Youth and Families Department, previously relied mostly on specialty license plate revenue, the release from the clerk's office said. The higher fees could give pennywise couples an excuse to hold off on the nuptials; however, the Legislative Finance Committee analysis noted even with New Mexico's comparatively low license fees, the state's marriage rate has been skidding for the last decade. "In 2022, New Mexico had the lowest marriage rate in the country at 4.2 per 1,000 people," the report said. "Nevada, Utah, and Colorado were among the highest at 25.9, 9.9, and 7.5 per 1,000, respectively."
