0001|                          SENATE MEMORIAL 5
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0002|     43rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 1997
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0003|                            INTRODUCED BY
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0004|                            CISCO MCSORLEY
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0005|     
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0006|     
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0007|     
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0008|     
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0009|     
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0010|                              A MEMORIAL
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0011|     DESIGNATING NEW MEXICO AS A "DARK SKIES" STATE.
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0012|     
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0013|          WHEREAS, for centuries, inhabitants of this area have
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0014|     enjoyed, respected and revered the night sky for religious,
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0015|     scientific and mythological reasons, to name a few; and
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0016|          WHEREAS, the yearning to view and study the universe is as
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0017|     great today as it was centuries ago; and
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0018|          WHEREAS, the night sky is an inexhaustible resource, and
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0019|     numerous astronomical observatories in New Mexico provide the
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0020|     state with a clean, highly technological industry; and
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0021|          WHEREAS, many of the national and federal defense
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0022|     laboratories in New Mexico are applying the science of
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0023|     observational astronomy to their research projects; and
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0024|          WHEREAS, as the state population grows and concentrates
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0025|     itself in urban areas, increased artificial light threatens not
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0001|     only New Mexico's heritage of vast, starry skies but also its
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0002|     astronomy-related industries; and
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0003|          WHEREAS, artificial light can be designed so that it does
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0004|     not pollute the night skies, is not costly and does not waste
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0005|     fossil fuels; and
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0006|          WHEREAS, conservative calculations show that the United
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0007|     States annually wastes one billion five hundred million dollars
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0008|     ($1,500,000,000) worth of electricity in uplight from poorly
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0009|     designed or installed fixtures; and
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0010|          WHEREAS, artificial light can also be designed so that it
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0011|     enhances the security and safety of New Mexico's citizens;
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0012|          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE
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0013|     OF NEW MEXICO that it hereby recognize as an economical benefit
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0014|     to the state the New Mexico astronomical observatories and
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0015|     laboratories that employ the science of astronomy; and
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0016|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that it therefore designate New
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0017|     Mexico as a "Dark Skies" state; and
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0018|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that it request the cooperation of
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0019|     public and private utilities, billboard owners, counties,
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0020|     municipalities and others owning or operating outdoor lights to
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0021|     reduce light pollution that interferes with the successful
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0022|     operation of astronomical observatories in New Mexico; and
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0023|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be
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0024|     transmitted to the secretary of economic development and to the
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0025|     director of the local government division of the department of
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0001|     finance and administration.
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0002|                              
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