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Some of the things we have done, or had input into, or had representatives involved in, include the following;
1970's-80's - With several neighborhood groups, obtained sufficient referendum petition signatures to have the question "Accept or reject the new City of Santa Fe water franchise with PNM ? " brought to the ballot. We all felt the City Council had written the franchise for PNM's benefit to the detriment of the citizens. The voters felt the same and we furnished representatives to the committee to write the new franchise which, among other things, returned the City's water rights that former City mayor Art Trujillo had sold PNM to the City of Santa Fe, for $ 1.00, when they bought the water company. Drafting of the Southwest Sector Plan, The creation of the Metropolitan Water Board, Furnishing input to the Harza (water planning projections) Report commissioned by the MWB and Santa Fe County.
80's 90's – Protested and furnished the legal & hydrological expertise for, PNM's request to divert 2000 Acre Feet of additional water from Santa Fe Canyon. We filed a writ of prohibition against the State Engineer to deny his authority to make the decision since the water rights had not been adjudicated. The judge would not allow the writ but the State Engineer subsequently denied PNM's application for the water, a move that might have saved the city millions when they bought the water system since those might have been considered new water rights. 2. 1989, Furnished input to the Urban Policy Board water policy section of the Santa Fe General Plan, served on the Mayors' ad hoc Water Committee with the City, County, Metropolitan Water Board, and League of Women Voters, which furnished the final water policy for the General Plan 1989. 3. Served on the committee for the feasibility of purchasing the Sangre De Cristo Water Company from PNM.
2000-2003, Protested the supplemental Northwest Well which was permitted by the State Engineer but in a stipulation before the water rights division of the SEO, the City agreed that the pumping of the City wellfield would be limited to 3,507 acre feet (A.F.) in any year the Northwest Well is pumped. The city can divert up to 4865 A.F. using the existing city wells if they do not pump the Northwest Well. The draw downs on Tano Road wells are also limited and a number of unused wells are being equipped to monitor those draw downs. 2. 2002-03, Served on the City of Santa Fe Wastewater Re-use Task Force. Our representation on that was called for in the ordinance creating that task force. 3. Protested the supplemental Buckman Wells #10-13, we did not protest #9 because it was drilled near the Rio Grande River, and furnished written commentary to the Department of Interiors' EIA of that project. We also protested the transfer of some water rights from Acres Estates to the Osage Well.
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