Community content provided by the Las Placitas Association
BUFFALO TRACT: The proposed EA is finalized and was submitted to the BLM on December 12. They may accept or reject the proposal or request modifications. If accepted, the BLM will then initiate a public comment period.
SANDOVAL COUNTY HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN UPDATE: On January 21st the county released a draft of the Sandoval County Hazard Mitigation 2026 Plan Update. It is available for review and comment at https://Sandoval-county-hmp-sandovalgis.hub.arcgix.com. References to Placitas are few and, as part of the unincorporated portion of the county, Placitas was not part of the planning process.
OPEN OFFICE HOURS IN PLACITAS: Kenneth Born, Sandia District Ranger, is again holding open office hours in Placitas every 4th Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the offices of the San Antonio de las Huertas Land Grant, 41B Camino de las Huertas. Open office hours with an LPA board member also resumed 4th Fridays 10 am to noon, next door in the KUPR conference room.
NEW MEXICO’S SNOW DROUGHT: As of the first week of January, 95% of areas in New Mexico are in a snow drought due to dry and warm conditions. Snowfall in New Mexico ranges from 0 in the Mimbres Basin to 50% of average in the Upper San Juan Basin. Reservoir storage at the end of December for the Rio Grande system was the fourth lowest in 45 years. Even though we may still see heavy snow in February, the situation points to a difficult year ahead for Placitas, especially for the village area that depends entirely on runoff for both domestic and irrigation water.
KUPR 99.9 LPFM: Thanks to our listeners and underwriters, your public radio station ended 2025 with a new transmitter and upgraded computer (Otto) that runs the station when an engineer is not on site (which is most of the time). Our all-volunteer engineers spent countless hours getting all the new features working smoothly. Construction continues on two small solar arrays to keep the station on the air in the event of an extended power outage. Rural public radio stations like KUPR can provide critical public safety information in an emergency so staying on the air is essential.
DID YOU KNOW New Mexico still has a citizen legislature (meaning your representatives are unpaid except for an expense allowance)? It convenes once a year for either a 30-day or 60-day session and 2026 is a 30-day session dedicated to budget bills and items the Governor decides are germaine. The session began January 20 and ends February 19 at noon. Key environmental bills and initiatives to watch include:
- A pre-filed joint resolution to amend the state constitution, establishing a right to a healthy environment, making the state a trustee of resources and ensuring equitable environmental protection for all residents, including future generations (HJR3-Environmental Rights Amendment).
- Legislation to legally enact the state’s Climate Action Plan, building on the Energy Transition Act (passed in 2019).
- Expect large appropriations for water programs with the River Stewardship Program and Strategic Water Reserve potentially receiving historic funding.