You inspire us. Thank you for showing up to speak truth to power.

Yesterday you showed up to defend our water. New Mexican's from across the state made an impassioned plea to the Commission: water is kin, water is sacred, we cannot risk contaminating the water that gives us life. Farmers, acequieros, tribal members, business owners, teachers, parents, medical professionals, scientists and former oil and gas workers from across the state - from Taos to Espanola to Albuquerque to Doña Ana County - each gave their time and spoke passionately in four hours of public testimony. More than 90% spoke in opposition to the WATR Alliance petition to dump treated oil and gas waste onto our land and into our rivers.Lawyers for WildEarth Guardians, Amigos Bravos, New Energy Economy, Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, and the New Mexico State Land Office presented their many arguments why the WATR Alliance petition should be dismissed, including that the petition is incomplete, based on misrepresented science and tainted by procedural and political concerns.

By the time the WATR Alliance attorneys were done trying to explain why none of those issues should matter there was little time left for discussion, but one Commissioner did manage to ask why a scientist cited by petitioners gave comment saying treatment protocols are ready for real-world use when the peer-reviewed papers submitted as evidence were more circumspect.

WATR Alliance attorneys responded that when scientists write for lay people they leave out the nuance. When it comes to toxicity and radioactivity, however, that nuance matters.

We still don’t know what it is in the fracking fluid waste because the O&G industry has not divulged all the contaminants. The record before the Commission continues to reflect profound uncertainty, including the presence of unknown and uncharacterized contaminants, incomplete toxicological data, and a lack of evidence that validated treatment technologies capable of reliably removing all hazardous constituents, including radioactive materials, are effective and feasible at scale. These are not minor gaps; they are determinative scientific deficiencies.

Ultimately the Water Quality Control Commission did not reach a decision and delayed any vote on whether to hold a hearing on the petition until its next meeting on May 12th.

Every time we attend one of these hearings we are reminded that We, together, have power that cannot be ignored. We are inspired by each of you, who gives of their time, expending their limited energy, to speak from the heart and show up for the earth and for each other.  Thank you.