New Mexicans Urge Governor to "Hear the Music" and Stop Polluting

Young Activists Deliver Singing Telegram

Additional Contact: Lilia Diaz, New Energy Economy, (505) 670-5971

SANTE FE, NM— Frustrated with Governor Martinez’s “deaf ear” to public health concerns, environmental impacts and the lack of jobs in the solar industry, almost twenty young people delivered a singing telegram to the Governor at her office today. Dressed as suns and in solar sandwich boards, the activists sang a modified version of “You Are My Sunshine” and invited the Governor to a lecture by renowned activist and author Bill McKibben at the Lensic Theater at 7pm on Wednesday, November 9th.

Once in the Governor’s office, students sang their solar-gram and delivered a large card signed by attendees and homemade sun cookies to Henry Varela the Director of Constituent Services, on behalf of Governor Martinez. After leaving the Roundhouse, the group walked over to the PERA building where they sang the solar-gram in front of the Environment Improvement Board.

“Across America, jobs in the solar industry are growing at tens times the rate of the economy as a whole,” said Lilia Diaz, Outreach Coordinator for New Energy Economy. “Young people in New Mexico need and want clean energy jobs, but Governor Martinez still has no plan to create these jobs despite the fact that our state has the second highest solar energy potential in the nation.”

New Mexico has a 20% renewable energy standard, and Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) is not on target to meeting this mandate. Reports show a combination of rooftop solar and wind energy could supply New Mexico’s power needs by more than seventy-fold. While utilities in Colorado and other states are retiring coal-fired power plants, opting against investing millions in the face of mounting environmental liability, and investing instead in renewable energy, New Mexicans are wondering why their state is lagging behind.

Spurred by reports which attribute 33 deaths a year to San Juan coal, as well as 600 asthma attacks, 31 asthma-related emergency room visits, and other health impacts, citizens are concerned the adverse health costs - estimated at more than $250 million dollars a year, will only persist as PNM continues to fight federal Clean Air Act regulations.

“The Martinez Administration is siding with PNM in working to poison New Mexico’s skies and fight federal clean air standards” said Jeremy Nichols, Climate and Energy Program Director for WildEarth Guardians. “By singing, we hope the Governor finally ‘hears the music’ and works to protect the health and pockets of New Mexicans.”

Commissioned in 1973, PNM’s San Juan Generating Station is one of America’s largest single sources of harmful air pollutants including nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide. Each year, this inefficient, outdated facility also emits more than 8.5 million tons of carbon pollution and consumes more than 9.3 billion gallons of clean water.

View Photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wildearth_guardians/

View Video at: http://www.youtube.com/user/WildEarthGuardians

Singing Telegram Lyrics:

(to the tune of You Are My Sunshine)

Please use our sunshine, not dirty coal mines

Keep our skies clear, and water clean

It’ll save us millions in healthcare each year

It will boost our economy

 

Oh Ms. Martinez, we need solutions

Climate change is out of control

We pay for power, not coal pollution

Please don’t make our children pay the toll

 

New Mexico boasts some of the finest

Solar potential in the world

Why not start using this friendly resource

Sustain the earth for every boy and girl

 

Oh Ms. Martinez, please open your eyes

To PNM’s monopoly

Stop putting profits over people

Invest in solar energy!

 


 

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