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Jan. 14-20,2010

EDIIORIAL

A light at the end of the tunnel for Questa mine • This sum- 'TT A "JTe would hope that mer, ofBcials are ^ 1 ^ I any company that e]q>ectedtoinake % / % / did business would a decision about Mf % f be mindful of the the plan's Imple- W W health of its neigh-mentation, bors and the environment.

Butwhen thatdoesn't happen the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, typically prodded by the complaints of local people, has to step in to make things right.

Local case in point: the molybdenum mine in Questa. ' This month ^ e r a decade of meetings, investigations

and tests, the EPA issued a proposal to force the cleanup of polluted soils and water caused by the mine's opera­tion. .

The plan's release is very good news, .finally, to those who live close to the mine and are the most affected by the work done there extracting molybdenum — the stuff that makes steel harder. It is also a victory for those local- groups such as Amigo Bravos and the Red River Restoration Group who stayed with this cause.

The cleanup could cost Chevron Mining nearly $1 billion and take up to 30 yiears to complete. The mine is estimated to have enough ore to harvest for 40 more years and the proposal would allow most of the work to be done while it is operating.

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LETTERS

'Stunned by KTACs decision' I am stunned by KTAO's decision to let

Nancy Stapp go. I turned on the station every weekday morning to hear Nancy interview local politicians, play varied and interesting music, passionately lead fundraisers for CAY and'Stray Hearts, etc.

I reveled jn her love for Taos and her willingness to ask the hard questions about this beautiful but often difficult place. I can't believe that diis.decision is entirety about

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day to military veterans against the war. The stage shows, the peripheral subjects

examined and the plenaxies were just part of the event and get this, we broke even! Unheard of in an event of this nature!

Tkos Peace House was and is an experi­ment in evolved democracy. Dedicated to formal consensus as outlined in the seminal publication, "On Conflict and Consensus" by CT. Butier and Amy Rothstein, those of us who have "shown up" have been'blessed

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would be required to make this possible. It J is important to remember that the cost to u replace these buildings would far exceed tht cost to modify and retrofit them. ' 5

ll:uesustainability calls for the prcscr- ' vation of that which can be rec ycled 'I he buildings on this campus — all, or 'JOMK• can surely be recycled so that thnj continue to bring long-term brnefit to Taos Count\ and its residents

The first step m this pioccss v\ould be lo

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This montli after a decade of meetings, investigations , and tests, the EPA issued a proposal to force the cleanup

of polluted soils and water caused by the mine's opera­tion.

The plan's release is very good news, finally, to tliose who live close to the mine and are the most affected by the work done tiiere extracting molybdenum — the stuff that rriakes steel hardeh It is also a victory for those local groups such as Amigo Bravos and the Red River Restoration Group who stayed with this cause.

The cleanup could cost Chevron Mining nearly $1 billion and take up to 30 years to complete. The mine

1 Is estimated to have enough ore to harvest for 40 more ' years and the proposal would allow most of the work to

be done while it is operating. The EPAs plan calls "for removing pollutants at tiie

mine, miU and tailings ponds, plus along the Red River. A water treatment plant would have to be built.

The mine," which was formerly owned by Molycorp, has had a significant role in Questa as its largest employ-

' er, a l tho i^ there were massive layoffs nearly a year ago when the price of molybdenum plummeted. Last year, Chevron Mining established an endowment to promote economic development ui the viDage.

The mine also has instituted some changes on site but • not enough to handle a problem of this magnitude. That J is vrfiytheERAgot involved.' •• ' Unfortunately the mine's cleanup won't happen fast

enough. After negotiations and plans are designed, it could be another few years before the work actually begins.

: " Tliat-s where local people once'again" cari have ah "influence.

The EPA has a 60-day comment period that began f Ian. 6. The agency plans public meetings in Questa on

Thursday (Jan. 21} and in February, both at the Questa ' VFW, wbere residents can speak up about the clean-up plan.

:'= The first meeting will be for questions and answers with EPA officials. The second will be an opportunity for residents to record their corrunents with agency officials.

This siunmer, officials are expected to make a decision about fhe plan's iihplementation. But as a project man-

I ager for the EPA says, the amoimt of comments made on ' the plan wiU have an effect on how quickly that decision

is made. For those who vvant to learn more, a copy of the

120-page proposal is-irii Questa Village Hall. It can also be accessed online at www.epa.gov/earthlr6/6sf/6sf -decisiondocs.htm uiider proposed plans of action. • When it comes times to speak, let the EPA know that the" cleanup at the mine is long overdue.'

imwsmaa • Letters must be 250 words or less. • Letters must be original. • Letters must contain a daytime phone number for verification (ttie number isn't published) * ',. • Letters from local authors will always get preference over out-of-town letters • Letters and "My Turns" are a free service of the newspaper, i - .

Send your letter

Letters, The Taos News, P.O.

You may also fax to (575) 751-3026,

MVTUBNS • A "My Turn" is a guest column of up to 750 words.

• "My Turns" must include a one- or two-line bio of the writer.

• "My Turns" run with a photo ofthe author. Call for more information. • Please limit your submissions to one per month.

or"MyT\jm"to: Box 3737, Taos, N l ^ 87571

or.e-mail to: forum@taosnews.com.

•m DeidHnelpr torrespondencieas^^pniday: nooiii

LETTERS

'Stunned by KTAO's decision' I am stunned by KTAO's decision to let

Nancy Stapp go.'I turned on the station every weekday morning to hear Nancy interview local politicians, play varied and interesting music, passionately^Iead fundraisers for CAV and Stray Hearts, etc.'

I reveled in her love for Taos and her willingness to ask the hard questions about this beautiful but often difficult place. I can't believe that this decision is eiitirely about money

For one thing, it is not true that Paddy Mac has been with the station longer, as Nancy worked for KIAO for several years prior to her retum in 2006. Perhaps having a bright, outspoken woman who was also the most popular personality was too much for the statiori manager and owner to bear.

Given Nancy's wide-ranging inteUigence, her wit, and her compassion, J have no doubt that she will "land on her feet" some- -where else. But KTAO and all of us listeners will be fhe ones who lose,

I, of course, will be turning myxadio dial elsewhere — and I hope advertisers will con­sider placing their dollars with ati organiza­tion that rewards those who speak fearlessly kiTaos..^. , . ?• V ,

ROBBIE STEINBACH Ranchos de Taos

These are the revolutionary seeds It was an experience of a lifetime! I feel

so very honored to have worked with the Taos Peace House on an impossibly ambi­tious effort to establish an annual event around world peace. Taos WorldPeace Week • last May was by any measure, a remarkable success. Most efforts of this kind have failed, even in larger venues.

While attendance was not what we had ' hoped for, our litde town gave the world three days of honest, open debate and con- • versation about the major issues of the day. • With tiie help of The Taos News, KTAO-FM, KVOT-AM and the town of Taos we were able to devote a full day to.the war on dmgs, ,a day to.the Palestine/Israeli conflict and a-

day to military veterans agais The stage shows, the peri]

exainined and the plenaries of theevent and get this, we IB Unheard of in an event of this

Taos Peace House was and ment in evolved democracy. D formal consensus as outlined' publication, "On Conflict ant^ by CT Butier and Amy Rotihd us who have "shown up" hawd with a new understanding oft and discipline it takes to hood .of view expressed within "the informs tme democracy. • •

Those who would stejpoini cess and "dictate" frdm an ^ tion walk the path tiiat all "de taken. In diis Keith McHeiiry ? Bush have much in commonV

Taos Peace House has rid il tyrant" and will no doubt grew

.These are the revolutionary sd

. fathers (and mothers!) plantec spirit of 1776. Gotta love it!

Re-considier counwjai : . . ''•• • '-• ' • ^ •demi i i iw ;

I aplplaud the Taos County ( and its architects on the new jj plex>that is now under constni Albright Street site.

While the new facility will d needed square-footage for cod correctional facilities and cith* trative areas, there will be stiflj requirements — now and in — that \ dll go unmet.

It is my position that the pus, which includes die couni buildings, is still a valuable ' ty asset, and theways it can' forward should be explored.

Taking a sustainable appro; matter, I propose that a study to reveal what new and creativ campus could serve and what,

MY TURN J

A Lone Profile!

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Once in a blue moon, something tiuly worth admiring and cel­ebrating emerges from the chaotic political process. Such a "blue '

moon" phenomenon occurred both astio- ' nomicaJly and legislatively this past month: '> It may have been quite easy to miss.

The nation looked on in frustration and disgust as the Republican Party of' . "NO" and tiie Democratic Party of "NO COURAGE" struggled though month after month of political stalemate and nauseat­ing, self-serving posturing over the civil ri^ts issue of our time, adequate access to necessary healtii care. This legislative

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ing against type, sqfth iiisisj!!] ingithat some form of healt.' r. would indeed pass out oi"ihe I

And, in the end, lu; ki;pt h'? theAmericanpeopie Ihcfc; a version of "jefonr" iogUia:,' flawed and disappcl

Gomrnentatoisli. derided Sen. Reid's ,ichw herding a health rare M'l-asi.rc mine field ofthe Uriti d Sr was, in fact, accom."i: 'ir<l Ir.

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