This piece from Next American City looks at pollution in small town New Mexico and how court rulings have made it hard for a local organization -- and those in other communities -- to fight environmental battles.
Local activists had been fighting a local chemical company which they say had been polluting the air and the water.
"In the last several years, the New Mexico Environment Department has issued numerous violations against Helena's Mesquite facility, with penalties nearing $500,000. Those violations include operating without an air quality permit and other air quality violations, failure to report a fertilizer spill within 24 hours, and failure to provide an abatement plan within the Department's allotted 30 days for contaminative substances, such as chloride, found in the groundwater below the facility.
Mesquite is a working-class, 95-percent-Hispanic community with nearly half its residents living below the poverty line. Only 7.5 percent hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Arturo Uribe is one of those people. An El Paso native who has been living with his family in Mesquite since 2002, Uribe has roots in the town. His mother was born in the house where he now lives, a home built by his grandfather. And he did not think Helena was good for Mesquite; he wanted them to relocate.
Six years ago, Uribe and a few other residents began to publicly voice concerns about Helena Chemical Company."
FULL STORY: From a Tiny Town, A Cautionary Tale for Environmental Advocates
Creating Ocean-Safe Plastic from Seashells
USC researchers have created a biodegradable, marine-safe plastic alternative using calcium carbonate from seashells, offering a promising solution to ocean pollution.
Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
Comment: EPA Cuts will Send Atlanta Back to Eye-burning Ozone, Lung-damaging Smog, and Raw Sewage in the Chattahoochee River
A veteran political journalist takes stock of the hard-earned ground Georgia stands to lose with slashed environmental protection.
Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.
New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico
An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.
Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes
Proposed state legislation would close a ‘legal gap’ that lets drivers who kill get away with few repercussions.
Report: Bus Ridership Back to 86 Percent of Pre-Covid Levels
Transit ridership around the country was up by 85 percent in all modes in 2024.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions