New Mexico
Report: New Mexico waterways are the most endangered in the country
A report from American Rivers lists all of the rivers in New Mexico as the most endangered in the U.S.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A report from American Rivers lists all of the rivers in New Mexico as the most endangered in the U.S.
The nonprofit says clean water and wildlife habitats, recreation, agriculture and cultural resources are all at risk.
“Our rivers and wetlands are at risk of infill being pushed into our waterways, obstructing them or covering them over where rivers are at risk from toxic waste from industrial activities from mining activities. And so there’s numerous risks to our waterways because of this gap in protections in clean water protections,” said Rachel Conn, deputy director of Amigos Bravos.
The local nonprofit works to protect and restore water in New Mexico.
Conn says the reason pollution is hitting our rivers so hard now is due to a nationwide decision made by the U.S. Supreme Court last year.
“The initial mapping estimates show that up to 96% of our state’s streams and rivers are no longer federally protected, and up to 88% of our state’s wetlands are no longer protected. And that’s really dire and unfortunate for clean water in the state of New Mexico. And that’s what this report is highlighting,” said Conn.
Conn worked with Matt Rice from the national nonprofit American Rivers on the New Mexico portion of the report.
Rice explained just how important waterway in our state are.
“New Mexico’s waterways are incredibly important, culturally, economically for food production for recreation. They are the life of New Mexico,” said Rice.
Rice and Conn believe the state has taken steps to fill the gaps left by the feds.
“In the last legislative session, there was $7.6 million that was allocated to the development of the state Surface Water Quality Permitting Program. So the state is on the path for filling that gap, and we are lucky that we have leadership in the state that is willing to take that action, because that’s not the case in a lot of states across the country,” Conn said.
Rice and Conn are encouraging New Mexicans to engage by talking to friends and family about how important clean water is for our communities.
Native Vote 2026
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A Laguna Pueblo woman is the front runner to be New Mexico’s next governor.
Shortly after polls closed Tuesday night, Deb Haaland was declared the winner over Bernalillo County district attorney Sam Bregman in the state’s semi-open Democratic Party primary. As of 11:00 p.m., Haaland carried support from 72% of the Democratic primary voters to Bregman’s 28%, according to unofficial results from the New Mexico Secretary of State.
“We’re showing everyone that a better future in New Mexico is possible,” she told supporters gathered in Albuquerque’s historic Old Town Plaza. “New Mexicans want a leader who will stand up for working people, and who is ready to take on Donald Trump. I proudly accept your nomination as a Democratic nominee.”
Haaland spoke for 13 minutes, at times through a scratchy throat that required her to pause for water breaks. “Excuse me, I’ve been talking with voters all day,” she said while grabbing a water bottle before hitting her campaign stump notes on affordability, health care and public safety.
She will face Republican Gregg Hull, a former mayor from suburban Rio Rancho that won his party’s three-way primary with 47% of the vote, according to unofficial results from the New Mexico Secretary of State.
Haaland will be the Democratic Party nominee in a state dominated at every level by Democrats, and is expected to be heavily favored in the general election. With that insight she said her campaign message does translate to Republicans and Independent voters.
“We want our kids to thrive. We want our kids to have a quality, public education. We want every New Mexican to have health care. Everybody wants to feel safe in their neighborhoods, and everybody wants to be able to afford to put a hot meal on their table every night and have a roof over their children’s heads,” she said. “Those issues transcend whatever political spectrum we’re trying to slice and dice people into.”
Shortly after the race was called, Haaland campaign staff, major donors, surrogates, and their families walked from a building on the west side of Albuquerque’s Old Town Plaza to the historic plaza core, where the Haaland campaign had set up a stage and reserved the entire plaza for its victory celebration.
“We are now witnessing history in the making,” New Mexico state Rep. Derrick Lente (Sandia Pueblo) said to supporters immediately after Haaland was declared the winner.
Denise Wilie (Dine) also joined the celebration of Haaland’s victory. Wilie said she worked on get-out-the-vote efforts with the Native American Voters Alliance in McKinley County.
“It just is so exhilarating to even think about, a woman and a Pueblo woman,” she said. “Indigenous all the way, is how I feel. I’m like, yes, let’s get more of our voices.”
Haaland was introduced by her two sisters and walked to the stage escorted by a mariachi band.
Speaking to reporters after the event Haaland reflected on voting for a Pueblo woman (herself) for governor.
“I got emotional, quite frankly, when I went to vote for myself because you do that when you’re a candidate,” she said. “We’ve never had a Native American governor in New Mexico. We’re a multicultural state. I think representation matters, especially in a political era such as this one. So, I’m really proud and honored to carry on the legacy of my ancestors, who worked so incredibly hard to make sure that I had a place here today.”
Related
When a famly unexpectedly loses a loved one, or has someone go missing, the details of what comes next can be overwhelming.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – When a famly unexpectedly loses a loved one, or has someone go missing, the details of what comes next can be overwhelming.
But they don’t have to do it alone thanks to an organization helping New Mexico families with some of those burdens.
Watch the video above for more.
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