Here’s a look at today’s headlines:
Grant County Commissioners at their work session on Tuesday heard a report from the New Mexico Central Arizona Projected Entity Director on the proposed action to develop Arizona Water Settlements Act allocated water. Alternative 4, which involves a diversion and aquifer storage and recharge in two phases, is the first part of the proposal. The diversion proposed would use a Coanda screen as a subsurface diversion and to have collection wells to provide additional infiltration areas to store water for the Virden Valley. Another part of Alternative 4 would be the development of the Winn Reservoir, which would hold about double the water of Bill Evans Lake.
St. Joseph’s Children’s Health Initiative helps families of first-time parents with a program that follows families and their child from prenatal care through the first three years of the child’s life. The Children’s Health Initiative serves over 20 families in the Deming area by providing information on brain development and other areas of child care. St. Joseph’s is a privately funded group that helps families in the areas where they set up with early child care and education of children. The Deming office has been serving the community in Luna County for nearly two years.
Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich announced they are urging the leaders of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to permanently reauthorize and fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) as negotiations take place between the Senate and the House to forge a compromise on the Energy Policy Modernization Act. The Senate version of the energy reform bill included language to permanently reauthorize the LWCF. The innovative conservation initiative has helped to preserve public lands, create and expand city parks, and provide access to outdoor recreation in New Mexico and across the nation. Studies show the LWCF also benefits the economy — for every $1 invested, local communities see a $4 return.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced a new investment of $17.8 million for 37 projects to help educate, mentor, and enhance the sustainability of the next generation of farmers. The investment is made through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP). Since 2009, USDA has invested more than $126 million into projects targeting new and beginning farmers and ranchers through BFRDP.
