Gila Resources Information Project

This holiday season we want to thank you for your generosity and support of GRIP’s efforts to protect our water resources, environment, and quality of life here in southwestern New Mexico.

As this year comes to a close and the most extreme anti-environment, anti-science, climate-denying administration is poised to take over the White House in January, our job moving forward looks daunting. We are expecting an onslaught of attempts to rollback federal environmental legislation that safeguard the quality of our land, air and water, to privatize our public lands, and to wipe out years of progress on climate action.

How might we be affected here in New Mexico?

Insiders are expecting that the 22-year moratorium on patenting under the 1872 Mining Law could be overturned providing an easy way for mining companies, even foreign mining companies, to purchase our public lands for next to nothing. With Big Oil nominee Ryan Zinke for Secretary of the Interior we’re concerned about pro-extractive industry management of 13 million acres of Bureau of Land Management land in the state.  As the top boss in the agency that houses the Bureau of Reclamation, Zinke will also have decision-making authority over the Gila River diversion.  A Record of Decision in the NEPA process is required by 2019 under the Arizona Water Settlements Act.

Now more than ever, we need to continue to stand up for protection of our environment, community health and natural and cultural heritage.  Make a donation today and help us hold the line and defend the free-flowing Gila River, our public lands, and environment.

Your financial support has been critical to our work and has helped us:

• Appeal the Illegal Copper Rule to the New Mexico Supreme Court – In 2013, the New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission promulgated the Copper Rule that exempts copper mines from water quality standards, allowing mines to pollute groundwater rather than protect it. GRIP, Amigos Bravos and Turner Ranch Properties, represented by the NM Environmental Law Center, appealed this illegal regulation all the way to the NM Supreme Court. Oral arguments were heard in late September and we’re awaiting the court’s decision.

• Hold Freeport-McMoRan accountable for reclamation and groundwater protection – Since 1998, GRIP has held the Chino, Cobre and Tyrone mines accountable for clean up and responsible operation of their mines. In 2003, we achieved reclamation plans for the three mines worth more than a half billion dollars. We continue to encourage regulators to strongly enforce the NM Mining Act, the Water Quality Act and other regulations to ensure that our water and environment are protected from mine contamination here in Grant County and at the proposed Copper Flat mine in Sierra County. In 2016, we advocated for complete replacement of the Third Party Guarantee for Freeport-McMoRan’s financial assurance. Given the company’s dire financial situation, it no longer qualifies as a Third Party Guarantor. Approving the $104 million I.O.U. poses a significant financial and environmental risk to our community and the state of New Mexico. 

• Oppose diversion of the Gila River – As the fiscal agent for and partner in the Gila Conservation Coalition, GRIP and its partners continue to oppose diversion of New Mexico’s last free-flowing river and to advocate for spending AWSA funds on cost-effective, priority community water projects like the Grant Co. Regional Water Supply Project.  This project will deliver water to Hurley before Freeport cuts off its water supply in 2018.  Our efforts have raised major concerns about the viability of the Gila River diversion locally, statewide, at the federal level, and in the halls of the Roundhouse.  We are confident our hard work will pay off in the NEPA phase that kicks off in 2017.

• Hire new Program Associate A.J. Sandoval – A.J. will coordinate GRIP’s Silver City Watershed Keepers project and engage diverse communities in GRIP’s water resource protection efforts, including Hispanic community engagement in Gila River protection efforts.

Your donation will go a long way towards helping us protect the health of our community in 2017.

• Ensure protection of southwest New Mexico’s groundwater supplies from mine contamination - GRIP will continue to review and provide comment on the development of reclamation plans and permits and water quality discharge permits for Tyrone, Chino, Cobre mines, including the new Lampbright Wasterock Stockpile at Chino, to ensure that water quality and the environment are protected.

• Protect the Gila River - As a partner in the Gila Conservation Coalition (GCC), GRIP will continue to advocate for Gila River protection as the Gila River diversion moves into the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) phase. It will be critical for the public to engage, starting with public meetings to be held in spring 2017 on NEPA scoping. GRIP provides fiscal agency, office space and staff to GCC on key projects, the Gila River Festival, and regional water planning.

• Facilitate Stewardship of our Water Resources through Silver City Watershed Keepers – In 2017, we will continue our work monitoring water quality in San Vicente Creek, coordinating trash cleanups, and educating our community about the importance of safeguarding our water resources. 

• Co-produce Earth Matters weekly radio program - In partnership with the Upper Gila Watershed Alliance and the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, GRIP will continue to produce quality one-hour radio programming on Gila/Mimbres Community Radio 89.1 FM. Available anytime via podcast at gmcr.org, Earth Matters educates our community about local, state and national environmental issues and is a key component of GRIP’s outreach and education efforts.

Invest in our quality of life and community’s future by making a gift to GRIP.

Thanks to a generous contribution by GRIP Board Member David Rose, your contribution will be matched dollar for dollar up to $500.

We thank you for being a key part of our success!

Sincerely, 

Allyson Siwik, Executive Director