Illegal Dumping - Partners for a Clean New Mexico

A coalition of organizations and agencies known as Partners for a Clean New Mexico will hold public meetings in Albuquerque, Farmington, and Espanola next week to solicit input from the public on what their communities’ needs are for combating the problem of illegal dumping. The meetings will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the following locations:

Grants, Tuesday, November 13th

Cibola County Commission Room

515 West High St.

Grants, NM  87020

Las Cruces, Wednesday, November 14th

Dona Ana County Administration

845 N. Motel Blvd.

Las Cruces, NM 88007

Carlsbad, Thursday, November 15th

Eddy County Administration

Commission Chambers

101 W. Greene Street

Carlsbad, NM 88220

“Every New Mexican is affected by illegal dumping,” said Gifford Stack, Outreach Manager for the New Mexico Environment Department. “It causes significant negative impacts to public health and safety, the environment, water quality, aesthetics, and our economy. We must change the mindset of violators to view illegal dumping as a crime and encourage legal disposal or recycling of unwanted materials.”

Three additional community meetings will be held in November; their locations are pending:Grants, Tuesday, Nov. 13; Las Cruces, Wednesday, Nov. 14; and Carlsbad, Thursday, Nov. 15.

Partners for a Clean New Mexico formed earlier this year to leverage staff time, technical expertise, legal authority, and funding to address the problem of illegal dumping in New Mexico. Its goal is to increase the effectiveness of addressing illegal dumping issues, encourage changes in public attitudes and behavior, and produce measurable results on our shared landscape.

The following organizations and agency are founding members of Partners for a Clean New Mexico:

•Eight Northern Indian Pueblo Council
• NM Energy, Minerals,and Natural Resources Department
• NM Association of Counties
• NM State Land Office
• NM Environment Department
• NM Department of Transportation
• NM Dept. Finance & Administration
• NM Department of Tourism
• NM Recycling Coalition
• NM Clean & Beautiful
• U.S. Forest Service
• U.S. Bureau of Land Management

“We want to ensure that interested parties get involved in developing a comprehensive plan to address long-term solutions to the problem of illegal dumping,” said Joy Esparsen of the New Mexico Association of Counties.

Partners are meeting with New Mexico law enforcement personnel and judicial members to discuss the benefits of establishing environmental courts. The partners are also working with the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration to provide the public an easily recognizable number to report illegal dumping activities.