KBUY RADIO

Senator Jeff Bingaman HAS ANNOUNCED The state’s Environment Department has been awarded ONE POINT SEVEN million by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for a clean water project.

The grant awarded Thursday (JAN 28) will support the NMED’s Clean Water Action Plan, which seeks to meet the goals of the Clean Water Act.

Funding can be used for education and outreach, water quality monitoring, best management practices for surface and ground water activities, among other things.

Bingaman  says the funding will help the Environment Department continue to restore and protect New Mexico’s water resources.

FORMER NEW MEXICO CONGRESSMAN STEVE PEARCE’S CAMPAIGN CHEST IS GROWING IN HIS BID TO WIN BACK THE SECOND DISTRICT SEAT.  ACCORDING TO FINANCE REPORTS, PEARCE RAISED 252 THOUSAND DOLLARS In the final three months of 2009.  THAT gives the Republican more than $760,000 in receipts in six months.  Pearce is TRYING TO REGAIN THE CONGRESSIONAL SEAT HE LOST TO Democrat. Harry Teague,whose campaign has yet to report yearend fundraising totals. At the end Of September, Teague had 757 thousand dollars in his campaign chest.

A PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT IS BEING CONSIDERED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE.   THE AMENDMENT WOULD CHANGE SOME LANGUAGE IN THE CONSTITUTION, THAT’S BEEN THERE SINCE IT WAS WRITTEN.   CURRENTLY, The state’s constitution says that idiots and insane persons may not vote.  Senator Howie Morales SAYS times have changed and we want to make sure we remove the stigma that’s there.”

Because the change would be to the state’s constitution, lawmakers must approve putting the change to voters in the next general election.

The change did not pass in 2002.

One veteran lawmaker says the proposed amendment may not pass this year, either.

THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION HAS TAKEN ISSUE WITH PROPOSED LEGISLATION IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE.  THE PROPOSAL WOULD BAN CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM LOBBYISTS, STATE CONTRACTORS AND THOSE SEEKING GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES.  ACLU NEW MEXICO POLICY DIRECTOR DIANE WOOD TOLD LAWMAKERS ON YESTERDAY (THURS 01-28) THE PROPOSED CONTRIBUTION BAN INFRINGED ON THE 1ST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
THE BILL’S SPONSOR, REP. JOSE CAMPOS OF SANTA ROSA, SAID THE RESTRICTIONS ON CONTRIBUTIONS WILL HELP REDUCE THE INFLUENCE OF SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS AND STOP PAY-TO-PLAY CORRUPTION IN AWARDING GOVERNMENTAL CONTRACTS.
COMMON CAUSE OF NEW MEXICO AND THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS SUPPORT THE LEGISLATION.

GOVERNOR RICHARDSON ANNOUCED THE 10,221 NEW MEXICANS RECEIVED FULL OR PART TIME WORK THROUGH THE AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT IN 2009, AS A RESULT OF OF STIMULUS SPENDING BY STATE GOVERNMENT. NEW MEXICO RECENTLY FILED ITS SECOND QUARTERLY  REPORTS WITH THE FEDERAL RECOVERY ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY BOARD. THESE JOBS ARE LOCATED ALL OVER THE STATE, PRIMARILY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ON TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS. JOBS HAVE BEEN FUNDED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, HEALTHCARE, SOCIAL SERVICES AND OTHER AREAS AS WELL. NEW MEXICO IS EXPECTED TO RECEIVE MORE THAT $3.4 BILLION IN STIMULUS AWARDS OVER THE LIFE OF THE RECOVERY ACT. OF THAT, ROUGHLY $2.1 BILLION IS EXPECTED TO FLOW THROUGH STATE GOVERNMENT. THE REST WILL FLOW FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DIRECTLY TO CITIES, TOWNS AND TRIBES OR WILL BE SPENT BY FEDERAL AGENCIES ON PROJECTS IN NEW MEXICO.

THE TOP MILITARY LEADER OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE VISITED HOLLOMAN JANUARY 27^TH TO TALK WITH AIRMEN ABOUT THE STATE OF THE AIRFORCE AND TO GET A FIRST HAND LOOK AT WHAT AIRMEN HERE DO ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS. AIR FORCE CHIEF OF STAFF GENERAL NORTON SCHWARTZ VISITED MISSION AND SUPPORT FACILITIES ON THE BASE AND MET WITH LOCAL CIVIC LEADERS TO GAIN A BETTER APPRECIATION FOR THE LARGER HOLLOMAN COMMUNITY. IT WAS HIS VISIT TO THE NEW MEXICO BASE WHICH, AMONG OTHER IMPORTANT MISSIONS IS HOME TO THE F-22 RAPTOR, MQ-1PREDATOR AND MQ-9 REAPER. THE AIR FORCE’S SENIOR UNIFORMED OFFICER SAID IN PARTING THAT HOLLOMAN’S HARD WORK DOES NOT GO UNRECOGNIZED.

NEW MEXICO CITIES, COUNTIES, STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES (INCLUDING NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES AND PUEBLOS) AND NON PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS LOCATED ALONG DESIGNATED SCENIC BYWAYS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT LETTERS OF INTENT TO APPLY FOR FEDERAL FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION THROUGH THE NEW MEXICO TOURISM DEPARTMENT’S SCENIC BYWAYS PROGRAM.  THE AMERICA’S BYWAYS PROGRAM HAS BEEN ALLOCATED FUNDS FOR STATES TO COMPETE FOR, NATIONWIDE. THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION SAID IT WOULD CONTINUE TO BE MORE STATEGIC IN ITS GRANT AWARDS PROCESS BY TARGETING ITS RESOURCES TOWARD PROJECTS THAT PROVIDE THE GREATEST BENEFITS.