Help Protect New Mexico's Special Waters!
- av: Conservation Voters New Mexico
- mottagare: Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC).
You have an opportunity to protect special waters in New Mexico by signing our petition to the Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC).
The New Mexico Environment Department, in collaboration with our allies, nominated 245 miles of streams as Outstanding National Resource Waters (ONRW) that mitigate climate change, safeguard clean drinking water, preserve fish and wildlife habitat, and strengthen New Mexico's outdoor recreation economy. The nominated waters are in the Rio Grande, Jemez, Cimarron, Chama, and Jemez watersheds. These waters provide critical watershed function for our Special Trout Waters, Wild & Scenic Rivers, Wilderness Areas, National Monuments, and State Parks.
The WQCC will meet starting on Tuesday, December 10th to begin hearing NMED's request. We need to make sure the Commission hears from Conservation Voters like you that the future of healthy rivers and streams, wild trout, and clean water depends on these critical protections. Join us by signing our petition by midnight on Friday, December 6th.
The nominated waters exemplify New Mexico's best rivers and streams. They sustain our farms and ranches, provide places to enjoy the outdoors, and support a growing outdoor recreation economy, including local businesses, restaurants, hotels, and retail shops. Despite their importance, our waters are threatened by a changing climate, increased development, and decreased protections following the recent Supreme Court Sackett decision that stripped federal clean water protections from an estimated 95% of New Mexico's streams.
Take action today for clean and vibrant rivers and streams for generations to come!
Dear Commissioners,
I support the New Mexico Environment Department's petition to designate 245 miles of streams that meet New Mexico's "Criteria One Waters" standards as Outstanding National Resource Waters (ONRW). Criteria One Waters have already been identified as important to New Mexico or the nation, such as special trout waters or waters in state or federal or national parks.
New Mexicans value clean water. It provides drinking water for communities, irrigation for farmers and acequia parciantes, habitat for wildlife, outdoor recreation, and businesses.
New Mexico is an arid state. Climate change threatens our surface waters as warming temperatures disrupt precipitation patterns and steadily diminish flows. Protecting headwater streams and tributaries is an instrumental way to build resilience into our precious rivers, prolong water flow, support wildlife, maintain acequia agricultural practices and culture, and provide a basis for a strong outdoor recreation economy.
Many of the rivers and streams nominated in the Environment Department's petition are managed as Special Trout Waters by the New Mexico Department of Game & Fish. Anglers from New Mexico and across the United States and the world come to New Mexico to fish these unique waters. Importantly, providing additional support for Special Trout and other special waters also provides clean water for endangered, threatened, or at-risk species as well as for species with key economic and ecological significance, including the Rocky Mountain bighorn, elk, mule deer, mountain lions, bobcats, and bald eagles.
ONRW protections would provide much-needed water quality protections to these vital water resources. Outstanding Waters designations do not threaten traditional community water uses such as acequia maintenance and livestock grazing. In fact, ONRW designations protect existing, ongoing activities and prohibit only new pollution or increased pollution from sources such as mining, development and the impacts of climate change.
The nominated waters are part of the lifeblood for New Mexicans. Our culture, economy, and ecosystems all rely on clean water and this designation will protect these streams for today's residents as well as for future generations.
I join tribal communities, state and local government officials, farmers and ranchers, and recreationists in asking the Water Quality Control Commission to safeguard the water quality of these waters by formally approving them as Outstanding National Resource Waters under the federal Clean Water Act.
I urge you to designate all the nominated waters in the petition as Outstanding National Resource Waters.
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Sincerely,
[Your name here]
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