Indigenous communities and environmental groups in northern New Mexico are calling for a reconsideration of a federal plan to install new power lines through ecosystems that are fragile and important to local traditions.
The plan, proposed by the National Nuclear Security Administration and the Department of Energy, includes a 14-mile, 115-kilovolt Includes construction of power lines. .
LANLfact sheetThe project summary says the new power source will be used at sites including “top supercomputers used to model weapons performance, climate change, disease progression, wildfires, and more,” as well as particle accelerators used for medical, nuclear power, and more. has been described as critical to national security missions. and aerospace purposes.
but, Power capacity expansion project They will also cross the Caja del Rio plateau, where activists are active. I'm looking for To protect the cultural and natural resources, significant biodiversity, and environment that are woven into the fabric of neighboring pueblo communities.
“It's very beautiful and there's a lot of variety in the land. There's mesas, there's canyons,” said Reyes DeVore, a member of Jemez Pueblo and program director of the Pueblo Action Alliance. told.
“But there are also sacred sites in the area that are connected to the surrounding pueblo people and communities,” DeBoer continued. “When we think about harmful impacts, we think not only about the disturbance of the land itself, but also about the stories that unfold there.”
The project received more than 23,000 objections during the public comment period following the release of the environmental assessment in December, but plans continue to move forward.
The project was announced last month by the U.S. Forest Service. draft decision The Santa Fe National Forest was found to have “no significant impacts.”
According to the draft proposal, such a declaration is necessary for the project to receive a special use permit from the Forest Service and a right of way from the Bureau of Land Management.
The publication of the draft decision will begin an appeals period, after which a final decision is expected on January 1, when implementation of the project may also begin.
DeBoer said that during this period of protest, she and her colleagues have been working with Tesuque Pueblo leaders and members of the Caja del Rio Coalition to raise awareness. Their goal, she explained, was to get the Forest Service to reconsider its decision on special use permits and convince officials of the need for tribal-led ethnographic research.
The U.S. Forest Service declined to comment, instead referring to the draft decision and final environmental assessment.
“As Indigenous peoples, we will do what we have to do to protect the landscapes with which we are connected and to prevent further potentially harmful development. We know that will happen,” DeVore continued.
Such calls extend far beyond indigenous communities and local activist groups. In fact, the June 2022 Santa Fe City Council passed the resolution Supporting the long-term preservation of the Caja del Rio Plateau.
“The Governing Body supports all efforts to empower Pueblo nations and traditional Hispano communities in meaningful cultural interpretation, environmental education, and historic preservation of this precious landscape,” the resolution states. is stated.
Last month, the Santa Fe County Board of County Commissioners adopted a similar resolution —Similarly expressed support for “the permanent protection, long-term preservation and responsible management of the Caja del Rio landscape.”
Nevertheless, the federal agency determined that a new transmission line is needed as the two existing transmission lines are expected to approach capacity. By the end of 2027according to LANL. The project also includes the addition of a 100-foot wide right-of-way and fiber optic lines to improve communication between LANL and downtown Los Alamos.
The lab's fact sheet explains that various renewable energy options were considered as alternatives but were deemed insufficient due to technical, environmental and time concerns.
Rerouting an existing power line would mean either shutting it down or constructing a new temporary power line across 81 miles of complex terrain parallel to the line being renovated, the document explained. are.
The fact sheet noted that input from surrounding tribes and pueblos is “integral to our decision-making,” and said NNSA will continue its intergovernmental conferences.
The agency said four tribal wardens from the Cochiti, San Ildefonso, and Tesque pueblos will participate in cultural surveys along the proposed route and provide information that will help NNSA fine-tune the route as needed. It added that it had been provided.
Romil Lahiri, New Mexico associate program director for the Conservation Land Foundation, said federal agencies should conduct full environmental impact reports rather than just environmental assessments, which often require less comprehensive analysis. He said he wanted to.
He told The Hill that such a review would “help protect this single strand that runs through this landscape, which is sacred to many tribes in this region and is important to certain wildlife connections and landscape connections.” There is a possibility that we will explore other options other than the road.”
Aiming to dispel the notion that the region is simply a “desert and barren land,” Lahiri said, “There is a huge amount of biodiversity, from grasses to juniper trees, which are home to a lot of birds. “Yes,” he emphasized. He added that the Caja del Rio Plateau is also home to pumas, elk, deer and other animals.
Mr Lahiri said he believed more alternatives needed to be explored, given the 23,000 comments opposing the plan. He cited the use of renewable energy and the identification of alternative routes as possibilities, but stressed that local consultations should be more meaningful.
“This is an environmental justice issue,” Lahiri said. “This is typical of the federal government's disregard for the wishes of local communities.”
Meanwhile, DeBoer went a step further, criticizing LANL for its “toxic legacy” and “oppressing the Pueblo communities of northern New Mexico.”
DeBoer expressed concern for the health of Pueblo residents and New Mexico residents in general, and said he believes there are benefits to permanently closing LANL.
“What they are trying to push out of LANL itself in the name of national security are nuclear weapons,” she added.
In response to local backlash, LANL spokeswoman Francesca Ramirez said in an email: “Los Alamos National Laboratory is committed to providing reliable, resilient, and reliable laboratories to ensure the laboratory continues to operate and accomplish its critical mission.” “We need a reliable energy source.”
“It remains our priority to implement upgrades while minimizing the impact on Caja del Rio’s history, culture, and environment,” continued Ramirez, who spoke to The Hill about the project for more information. I directed them to refer to the fact sheet.
“Numerous energy sources and transmission options were thoroughly considered and new transmission lines and internal system upgrades were determined to be the best alternative,” Ramirez added.
