Cover story, May 15: “How Do You Approve an Underground Toxic Waste Dump without Telling Nobody?”
ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM
Thank you SF Reporter for publishing “How Do You Approve an Underground Toxic Waste Dump without Telling Nobody?” by Jerry Redfern. Enduring Resources from Colorado, and the plethora of state and federal agencies stand guilty as charged exploiting Indigenous lands in New Mexico. It is vital journalism to the general public to the corruption that has been existing for time immemorial on Navajo (Dine’) people, just another example of the environmental racism that exists in the State of New Mexico in protecting our vital water resources.
GARY FARMER
Santa Fe, NM
WASTE NOT
Fine reporting by Jerry Redfin. The financial stronghold that Oil and Gas has over New Mexico is staggering. The Earth Gaia gives us life, nourishes us with Beauty, allows us great freedoms to create and these Oil and Gas folks give back absolute ugly byproducts of their production and leave waste in their wake for Her to digest. How terribly sad and cruel.
MAGGIE LEE
SANTA FE
Morning Word, May 17: “Court Sides with City in Agua Fría Village Case”
STANDING UP FOR CONSTITUENTS
Agua Fría Village held two political forums on April 22 and May 6 for Senate District 24, the seat that Sen. Nancy Rodriguez held for 28 years. In the new candidates, we have two long-term politicians that have served us fairly well. But Agua Fría Village owes Commissioner Anna Hansen for her support of our interests and infrastructure projects (sewers, roads, parks and trails). Conversely, Linda Trujillo, although an able state representative, undertook four critical state jobs that people depended on—and then left.
Hansen is an effective county commissioner who: called out for the protection of the Caja del Rio Plateau; backed proposals for shooting ranges; advocated for safe WIPP routes; voted for water protection measures; and served on the Buckman Direct Diversion and Santa Fe River Commission.
The real difference in candidates is that Anna Hansen is accessible. In the Area 1-B lawsuit issue, Hansen listened to the landowners since 2008 when the city stopped listening. Hansen attended every monthly meeting of the Agua Fria Village Association or sent a representative since 2016. She hosted during the summer, monthly Coffee and Tree under the Trees meetings.
WILLIAM MEE
Agua Fría Village
Pop Quiz, May 22: “Pop Quiz; Senate District 24”
The May 22-28, 2024, page 8, Pop Quiz for Senate District 24 candidates appears inaccurately scored. The first question was not answered by any candidate correctly. Yet one candidate got no points, another 10 points and the third, 10 points. If we recalculate the grades, eliminating the first question that no one got, we find Hansen with 70, Krupnick with 70 and Trujillo with 68. However, there is an additional unfair grade. The last question was the number of years Sen. Nancy Rodreiguez spent in office. Each candidate answered correctly, yet some got 18 points and some got 20 points. So add 2 points to Hansen for correctly answering the last question. That gives Hansen 72, Krupnick 70 and Trujillo 68.
Readers are watching the integrity of the process, including these tests which could fail a good student or promote the less qualified.
NICOLETTA MUNROE
Santa Fe
Editor’s note: Since its inception at least 15 years ago, Pop Quiz has often graded on a curve. In the case in question, the candidates who received some points for the first question identified the processes correctly if not the vernacular, so we chose to award them some points. In the case of the number of years Sen. Rodriguez has served—28—we subtracted two points from Commissioner Hansen, who was one year off.