Upcoming Community Events in New Mexico:
CMRR Public Meeting;
NMED Meetings about proposed Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule;
Concert for Southwest Research and Information Center;
Symposium for Food and Seed Sovereignty; and
Gathering for Mother Earth

September 18, 2009


Upcoming important community events in New Mexico are listed below. Your attendance at these events is appreciated.

1. A public meeting about the Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Facility Replacement (CMRR) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), which will be held on Wednesday, September 23 at the Best Western Hilltop House in Los Alamos between 6:30 and 8:30 pm. www.lanl.gov/orgs/cmrr/

This is the eighth public meeting for the CMRR at LANL, which is held every six months as a result of a settlement agreement between the New Mexico Environment Department, LANL and seven non-governmental organizations, including CCNS. The Facility includes a proposed building, larger than a Walmart, for manufacturing plutonium triggers.

2. The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) will be holding a series of public meetings about the proposed greenhouse gas reporting rule. The meetings will be held in Santa Fe, Roswell and Farmington, beginning on Wednesday, September 23.

The new rule would replace an existing rule (20.2.87 NMAC). The meetings will provide information about those rules, which are based on the Western Climate Initiative's Essential Requirements for Greenhouse Gas Reporting. The purpose of the meetings is to provide information to residents about the requirements the proposed rules would establish or modify.

On Wednesday, September 23, the first meeting will be held in Santa Fe from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Santa Fe Public Library, Main Library, 145 Washington Avenue.

On Monday, September 28, the second meeting will be held in Roswell from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Roswell Public Library, 301 N. Pennsylvania Avenue.

And on Wednesday, September 30 the final meeting will be held in Farmington from 5 to 7 p.m. at San Juan College, 4601 College Boulevard.

NMED staff members will be at the meeting to discuss the proposed rule with members of the public.

New Mexico Environment Department Secretary Ron Curry, said, "Climate change will affect New Mexico's water supply and economy. Getting an accurate reporting of greenhouse gas emissions is an important first step in addressing the problem of climate change. We are looking forward to meeting with the public to discuss these proposed reporting rules and the vital role they would play in assessing emissions." For more information, call Marissa Stone Bardino at (505) 827-0314.

3. Southwest Research and Information Center: Fundraising Concert Celebrating 38 Years of Working with Communities will be held on Friday, September 25 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Outpost Performance Space, 210 Yale SE (two blocks south of Central) in Albuquerque. For more information, call Sofia Martinez at (505) 262-1862.

4. The Fourth Annual Symposium for Food and Seed Sovereignty: "Sustainability and Food Security for the 21st Century and Beyond" will be held on Friday and Saturday, September 25 and 26 at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe. www.foodandseedconference.info

The Symposium for Food and Seed Sovereignty is collaboratively organized and produced by the Native Earth Bioculture Council, which includes Traditional Native American Farmers Association, the Institute of Natural and Traditional Knowledge, the Institute for American Indian Arts and the Pueblo of Tesuque, Department of Agricultural Resources Department.

Internationally renowned speakers, as well as local and regional experts in the areas of food security and sustainable ecology, will present. Activities include a heritage seed exchange, as well as panels on youth issues in the 21st century, food and nutrition, water issues and traditional farming, land restoration and medicinal herbs. A vendor market, featuring natural earth friendly products, information and services, will also takes place.

5. The Thirteenth Annual Gathering for Mother Earth will be held on Saturday and Sunday, September 26 and 27 at Pojoaque Ben's Gathering Grounds. www.tewawomenunited.org

Tewa Women United organizes the annual Gathering, which this year is calling for participants to "tap into the passion of love and light in natural laws to create community unity in a world anew." Many other community-based organizations and peoples who are experiencing the effects of living around nuclear production cycle sites will join in the wisdom of "Community Unity from Children Centerness." Each Gathering has a color theme and this year's color is Red, which awakens our physical life force.

Activities will include the annual Tsankawi Relay Run, a youth tent, healing arts, ecological safety workshops and talking circles, health related information sharing, solar cooking, arts and crafts and raffle prizes.

The Gathering will begin with sunrise ceremonies on both Saturday and Sunday. It will end with closing activities at 2 pm on Sunday.






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