| When Projects Director Ernie Atencio attended the June, 1999, meeting of the New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission, he discovered that the Hearing Officer for the the Triennial Review of Water Quality Standards had resigned and a new Hearing Officer was yet to be appointed. Commissioners joked that "triennial" meant that the review would take three years to complete.
Amigos Bravos submitted comments on July 9, 1998, calling for 58 revisions to the state's water quality standards. Our comments emphasized the importance of setting standards so that they fully protect uses as well as improving existing water quality beyond the status quo. Amigos Bravos proposes that the Río Grande from the New Mexico/Colorado state line to the Cochiti Reservoir, as well as all sections of river entering Indian Pueblo lands, be classified for "primary contact" use. This classification will provide additional protection to people using the river for ceremonial purposes, as well as for swimming, inner-tubing, and boating.
Once appointed, the new Hearing Officer will have 60 days to review the comments and make recommendations to the Commission. At that point, anyone who has submitted comments will have 30 days to file exceptions to the recommendation. The process is not designed to involve the general public, but that should not stop concerned citizens from expressing their opinion. We ask Amigos Bravos members and anyone who cares about clean water to send letters in support of our proposals to: New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission, PO Box 26110, Santa Fe, NM 87502. Contact our office with questions or for a copy of our comments. |
