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New Mexico Faces $4 Billion Challenge in Clean Energy Transition Due to Transmission Constraints

New Mexico Faces $4 Billion Challenge in Clean Energy Transition Due to Transmission Constraints

New Mexico's clean energy transition, mandated by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's 2019 Energy Transition Act to achieve 100% carbon-free power by 2050, is encountering a significant hurdle: the lack of adequate transmission infrastructure. Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) and other utilities are tasked with building new transmission lines to connect renewable energy projects, primarily wind farms located in rural areas, to major load centers like Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and Las Cruces. PNM's senior vice president of integrated planning and transmission development, Laurie Williams, stated that the utility currently lacks the capacity to bring additional wind resources from the eastern part of the state to customers. A recent decision by the Public Regulation Commission (PRC) hearing examiners approved agreements for PNM to purchase power from Pattern Energy’s proposed 800-megawatt Palomas Wind project, a $2 billion farm. However, the examiners also recommended allowing PNM to recover up to $654....

Reencle Home Composter Offers Advanced Solution for Indoor Food Waste Composting

Reencle Home Composter Offers Advanced Solution for Indoor Food Waste Composting

Reencle Home Composter Offers Advanced Solution for Indoor Food Waste Composting

Home Composting Methods Offer Solutions for Waste Reduction and Soil Enrichment

Home Composting Methods Offer Solutions for Waste Reduction and Soil Enrichment

Home composting provides various methods for individuals to convert organic waste into nutrient-rich soil amendments. Key components for successful home composting include a dark bin with a tight-fitting lid and air holes, moist bedding such as shredded paper, and composting worms like red wigglers, alongside food scraps. The process involves mixing nitrogen-rich 'greens' (e.g., fruit and vegetable scraps) with carbon-rich 'browns' (e.g., dry leaves, shredded cardboard) and maintaining proper moisture and aeration. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggests a ratio of two to three parts browns to one part greens by volume. Well-maintained compost piles can be ready in three to five months, while untended piles may take up to a year. Composting helps reduce landfill waste and improves soil structure and moisture retention. While some products like Reencle offer indoor composting solutions, the overall effectiveness and best practices for home composting depend on consistent management.

Drop the rake and leave your leaves alone. Experts say why

Drop the rake and leave your leaves alone. Experts say why

Much of the United States, especially in the upper parts, have already experienced peak foliage. Here's why they maybe shouldn't rush to grab a rake.

Agricultural and Food Waste Materials Show Promise in Methylene Blue Removal from Water

Agricultural and Food Waste Materials Show Promise in Methylene Blue Removal from Water

A study investigated the effectiveness of various biomass-derived carbon materials, sourced from agricultural and food waste, in removing methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions. The research compared five different materials: coffee grounds, corn husks, banana peels, rice husks, and peanut shells, all subjected to thermal treatment. Banana peel and corn husk materials demonstrated the most significant reductions in MB concentration, outperforming coffee grounds, rice husks, and especially peanut shells, which showed minimal activity. Further evaluation involved activating the banana peel and corn husk materials using potassium hydroxide (KOH) and microwave treatments. This activation process led to even greater decreases in MB concentration, with activated banana peel exhibiting the most substantial decline. The study highlights that both the type of waste feedstock and the activation process significantly influence the efficiency of MB removal.

Rio Rancho Continues Aquifer Recharge Efforts Amidst Varied Groundwater Recovery

Rio Rancho Continues Aquifer Recharge Efforts Amidst Varied Groundwater Recovery

Rio Rancho, New Mexico, is actively engaged in refilling its aquifer with highly treated wastewater through its Advanced Water Treatment Facility. This initiative, which began in 2017, makes Rio Rancho the first city in New Mexico to implement such a program. From January through September of this year, the city injected 71.1 million gallons of recycled water, a significant increase compared to previous years, nearly matching the total injected in the prior three years combined. The Utilities Department attributes this success to improved troubleshooting, reduced downtime, and proactive parts ordering. Despite these efforts, groundwater recovery is not uniform across the city. While some deep wells west of the city center have shown improvement since 2015, other areas, particularly shallow wells near the Rio Grande, have experienced drops of 2 to 4 feet in recent years. Researchers from the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources at New Mexico Tech presented these findings to the Governing Body ...

Microplastic Contamination Widespread Across Chesapeake Bay Watershed, Study Reveals

Microplastic Contamination Widespread Across Chesapeake Bay Watershed, Study Reveals

A recent study by the PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center and the Environment America Research & Policy Center has found microplastic contamination in 100% of sampled locations within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The study, which examined the Bay and its tributaries across six states and Washington D.C., tested for four types of microplastics: fibers, fragments, film, and beads. The results showed microfibers in all sampled waterways, microfragments in 93% of sites, microfilm in 47%, and microbeads in 27%. This widespread contamination highlights that plastic pollution extends beyond visible litter and ocean issues, posing significant environmental and public health threats. Americans generate over 35 million tons of plastic waste annually, with less than 6% being recycled, contributing to this pervasive problem.

Safer Soils for All Coalition Forms to Oppose Fast-Track Approval of Compostable Packaging in Organic Compost

Safer Soils for All Coalition Forms to Oppose Fast-Track Approval of Compostable Packaging in Organic Compost

A new coalition, 'Safer Soils for All,' has been established to oppose efforts by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) to fast-track federal approval for compostable packaging products as allowable feedstocks in organic crops or processed organic products. The coalition comprises major waste haulers and composters, including Republic Services, Waste Connections, and WM, along with regional groups like the California Compost Coalition. This move comes after the USDA's National Organics Standards Board (NOSB) voted against a similar proposal from BPI in January, though the USDA is not bound by the board's guidance. The coalition argues that current compostable packaging materials pose contamination risks and do not break down sufficiently within typical commercial composting timelines, which are often 30 to 60 days, compared to the 84 to 180 days allowed by ASTM or BPI testing protocols.

East Goshen Township Launches Curbside Composting Pilot Program to Reduce Food Waste

East Goshen Township Launches Curbside Composting Pilot Program to Reduce Food Waste

East Goshen Township in Pennsylvania initiated a five-month curbside composting pilot program in August to offer residents an accessible and affordable method for food waste disposal. The program, developed by the Township's Environmental and Sustainability Advisory Council (ESAC), provides participating households with a five-gallon bucket for food scrap collection every other week, handled by a local compost hauler, Back to Earth Compost Crew. The Township covers half the monthly cost, with participating households paying $10. This initiative followed a community interest survey, which indicated a willingness among residents to pay $10 per month for the service, though interest significantly decreased at $20. An educational class was also provided, leading some residents to adopt home composting while others joined the pilot. Currently, 41 households are participating, and feedback has been positive, with residents reporting ease of use, lack of odor, and a reduction in household trash. The hauler estima...

Shonda Rhimes' 'Grey's Anatomy' Spinoff Delayed, Production Moves to New Mexico

Shonda Rhimes' 'Grey's Anatomy' Spinoff Delayed, Production Moves to New Mexico

Shonda Rhimes' 'Grey's Anatomy' Spinoff Delayed, Production Moves to New Mexico

New 'Grey's Anatomy' Spinoff Relocates to New Mexico After California Tax Incentive Rejection

New 'Grey's Anatomy' Spinoff Relocates to New Mexico After California Tax Incentive Rejection

New 'Grey's Anatomy' Spinoff Relocates to New Mexico After California Tax Incentive Rejection

California Enacts Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act

California Enacts Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act

California has implemented the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act, spearheaded by State Senator Ben Allen. This new legislation, which came into effect in May, aims to significantly reduce plastic waste within the state. According to a study from last year, Californians discarded approximately 8.5 million tons of single-use packaging and food ware in 2024, contributing to a total of 40 million tons of material sent to landfills. The Act is projected to prevent roughly 21% of this waste. Key provisions of the law mandate that by 2032, 100% of single-use packaging and plastic food-service ware must be recyclable or compostable. Additionally, there must be a 25% overall reduction in the use of plastic packaging by the same deadline. The plastics and packaging industry is also required to contribute $500 million annually for the next decade, totaling $5 billion, to help mitigate pollution in disadvantaged communities.