New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

New Mexico Senate Bill SM14 Compare Versions

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	28	+	SENATE MEMORIAL 14
	29	+	57TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 2025
	30	+	INTRODUCED BY
	31	+	Angel M. Charley
28	32		A MEMORIAL
29	33		AFFIRMING THE STATE'S COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING AND PRESERVING
30	34		MOUNT TAYLOR AS A TRADITIONAL CULTURAL PROPERTY AND OPPOSING
31	35		URANIUM MINING PROJECTS THAT THREATEN MOUNT TAYLOR'S CULTURAL
32	36		AND ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY.
33	37		WHEREAS, Mount Taylor, known to indigenous people by
34		-	several traditional names, stands as a sacred landmark
35		-	~~central~~ to the spiritual, cultural and historical identity of
36		-	~~the~~ region's Indian nations, tribes and pueblos; and
	38	+	several traditional names, stands as a sacred landmark central
	39	+	to the spiritual, cultural and historical identity of the
	40	+	region's Indian nations, tribes and pueblos; and
37	41		WHEREAS, in 2009, following significant advocacy by the
38	42		Pueblos of Acoma, Laguna and Zuni, the Hopi Tribe and the
39	43		Navajo Nation, Mount Taylor was formally nominated and
40		-	designated as a traditional cultural property on the
41		-	~~New Mexico~~ register of cultural properties; and
	44	+	designated as a traditional cultural property on the New Mexico
	45	+	register of cultural properties; and
42	46		WHEREAS, the nomination of Mount Taylor as a traditional
43		-	cultural property recognized its profound cultural
44		-	significance, including its role in origin stories,
45		-	traditional practices and ceremonies and as a place of prayer
46		-	and pilgrimage for indigenous peoples; and
47		-	WHEREAS, the supreme court, in a landmark 2014 decision,
48		-	affirmed the validity of Mount Taylor's traditional cultural
49		-	property designation, reinforcing the importance of
50		-	preserving the mountain as a monument for future generations;
51		-	and SM 14
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78		-	WHEREAS, proposed uranium mining projects pose
79		-	significant threats to Mount Taylor and the surrounding
80		-	environment by physically degrading the landscape and
81		-	cultural sites with destructive mining operations; and
	74	+	cultural property recognized its profound cultural
	75	+	significance, including its role in origin stories, traditional
	76	+	practices and ceremonies and as a place of prayer and
	77	+	pilgrimage for indigenous peoples; and
	78	+	WHEREAS, the supreme court, in a landmark 2014 decision,
	79	+	affirmed the validity of Mount Taylor's traditional cultural
	80	+	property designation, reinforcing the importance of preserving
	81	+	the mountain as a monument for future generations; and
	82	+	WHEREAS, proposed uranium mining projects pose significant
	83	+	threats to Mount Taylor and the surrounding environment by
	84	+	physically degrading the landscape and cultural sites with
	85	+	destructive mining operations; and
82	86		WHEREAS, proposed uranium mining may deplete and
83	87		contaminate the San Andres-Glorieta aquifer and related
84		-	aquifers and springs, which serve as primary water sources
85		-	~~for~~ the Pueblos of Acoma and Laguna and the surrounding
	88	+	aquifers and springs, which serve as primary water sources for
	89	+	the Pueblos of Acoma and Laguna and the surrounding
86	90		communities, posing significant risks to water security and
87	91		public health; and
88	92		WHEREAS, uranium mining operations create environmental
89	93		hazards through the transport and storage of uranium ore,
90	94		increasing the risk of contamination of land, air and water
91		-	resources and exacerbating the health threats already faced
92		-	by Indian and non-Indian communities alike; and
93		-	WHEREAS, the ongoing legacy of uranium mining in
94		-	New Mexico has resulted in long-term environmental
95		-	contamination, such as poisoned aquifers and negative health
96		-	impacts on Indian nations, tribes and pueblos and local
97		-	communities, highlighting the need for stronger ecological
98		-	protections for Mount Taylor and all of the state's natural
99		-	resources; and
100		-	WHEREAS, the protection of this sacred mountain is
101		-	essential for the continuation of traditional practices and
102		-	ceremonies and the preservation of cultural identity of SM 14
103		-	Page 3
	95	+	resources and exacerbating the health threats already faced by
	96	+	Indian and non-Indian communities alike; and
	97	+	WHEREAS, the ongoing legacy of uranium mining in New
	98	+	Mexico has resulted in long-term environmental contamination,
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129		-	Indian nations, tribes and pueblos;
130		-	NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE
131		-	STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the senate affirm its commitment to
132		-	protecting Mount Taylor and oppose any uranium mining
133		-	projects that threaten its traditional cultural property
134		-	designation, environmental integrity and sacred status; and
	127	+	such as poisoned aquifers and negative health impacts on Indian
	128	+	nations, tribes and pueblos and local communities, highlighting
	129	+	the need for stronger ecological protections for Mount Taylor
	130	+	and all of the state's natural resources; and
	131	+	WHEREAS, the protection of this sacred mountain is
	132	+	essential for the continuation of traditional practices and
	133	+	ceremonies and the preservation of cultural identity of Indian
	134	+	nations, tribes and pueblos;
	135	+	NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE
	136	+	OF NEW MEXICO that the senate affirm its commitment to
	137	+	protecting Mount Taylor and oppose any uranium mining projects
	138	+	that threaten its traditional cultural property designation,
	139	+	environmental integrity and sacred status; and
135	140		BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the senate urge federal and
136		-	state agencies, including the United States forest service
137		-	~~and~~ the mining and minerals division of the energy, minerals
138		-	~~and~~ natural resources department, to deny permits or
139		-	~~authorizations~~ for uranium mining projects within the
140		-	~~Mount Taylor traditional~~ cultural property boundaries; and
141		-	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the senate call upon
142		-	~~the~~ United States congress to reform the federal
143		-	~~General Mining Act~~ of 1872 to prioritize the protection of
144		-	~~sacred cultural sites~~ and to require meaningful tribal
145		-	~~consultation in decisions that~~ impact tribal resources; and
	141	+	state agencies, including the United States forest service and
	142	+	the mining and minerals division of the energy, minerals and
	143	+	natural resources department, to deny permits or authorizations
	144	+	for uranium mining projects within the Mount Taylor traditional
	145	+	cultural property boundaries; and
	146	+	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the senate call upon the
	147	+	United States congress to reform the federal General Mining Act
	148	+	of 1872 to prioritize the protection of sacred cultural sites
	149	+	and to require meaningful tribal consultation in decisions that
	150	+	impact tribal resources; and
146	151		BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
147		-	transmitted to the United States secretary of the interior,
148		-	the United States secretary of agriculture, the New Mexico
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	180	+	transmitted to the United States secretary of the interior, the
	181	+	United States secretary of agriculture, the New Mexico
149	182		congressional delegation, the governor, the commissioner of
150		-	public lands, the department of environment, the energy,
151		-	minerals and natural resources department~~, the Cibola county~~
152		-	~~board of county commissioners, the city of Grants and the~~
153		-	~~village of Milan.~~
	183	+	public lands, the department of environment and the energy,
	184	+	minerals and natural resources department.
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