HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 49

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2009

INTRODUCED BY

Debbie A. Rodella

A JOINT MEMORIAL

OPPOSING THE DESIGNATION OF UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE ROADLESS AND WILDERNESS WATERS AS OUTSTANDING NATIONAL RESOURCE WATERS IN NEW MEXICO.

     WHEREAS, a petition is being prepared to secure outstanding national resource waters designations for all surface waters within national forest wilderness and inventoried roadless areas in New Mexico under the federal Clean Water Act; and

     WHEREAS, these designations will cover more than five thousand three hundred miles of streams and rivers in New Mexico and comprise a much larger area than any former outstanding national resource waters designation in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, several thousand river miles proposed to be designated are not perennial streams, and little scientific data on these streams' water quality is available; and

     WHEREAS, it is required by New Mexico's Water Quality Act that credible scientific data be used for creating water quality standards that include designations of outstanding national resource waters;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that Governor Richardson be requested to cancel or suspend the outstanding national resource waters designation process; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, instead, the governor's administration engage the residents of the state in evaluating, planning and implementing cooperative approaches to improve the state's watersheds, forests and grazing lands and thereby the utility of these areas for recreational and agricultural uses and for the protection of domestic and municipal water sources; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of energy, minerals and natural resources, the director of the department of game and fish, the secretary of environment and the governor.

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