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2008
The New Mexico Chapter held its 2008 annual
meeting at an Albuquerque restaurant on February 9, 2008. Attendees
included, from left, front row, Beacham and Renate Johnson, Martha
Marks, Betty Whiton, Ruth Fish, former Governor David Cargo, Nancy
Skelton, David Melton, and Heather MacCurdy. Back row, Jim Lindeman,
Donna James, Phil Young, Dr. John Tyson, Chapter President Scott
MacCurdy, Bill Wiley, Jerry Skelton, Ken Whiton, and Mark Aspelin. (Photo by Bernie Marks)
2007
Annual Meeting
The
chapter held its 2007 annual meeting on January 27 at Albuquerque's
Petroleum Club. The chapter gave numerous awards, including:
- Green Chili Award for a Republican elected official - State Rep. Kathy McCoy
- Cargo Award - Former New Mexico Environment Department Director Pete Maggiore
- Theodore Award - Joe Tabor
for his patented method of converting feedwater to fresh water, which
will help the oil industry clean water in a more energy-efficient way
- Corporate Award - Wells Fargo, for purchases of renewable energy
- New Mexico REP Volunteer Award - Joanne Hertz
- Special Awards - The 'Oscar' to Oscar Simpson for his work on protecting the Valle Vidal
- the Flag of Our Capitol - to Ken Whiton,
a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol on August 28, 2006 in honor of his
work for REP and New Mexico (with appreciation to Congresswoman Heather
Wilson, who secured the flag for us)
Speakers included:
- REP member Nancy Coonridge
of Coonridge Dairy, a 70-goat dairy in Catron County that produes
high-quality goat cheese. Goats are guarded by Italian Maremma
sheepdogs bred for wolf control.
- REP Policy Director Jim DiPeso. Read his speech on energy and alternative fuels.
Before
the meeting, the chapter executive committee met to set goals for 2007,
set issue priorities, and identify tabling events for the chapter to
participate in. Issues include public lands sales, Otero Mesa, Valles
Caldera, trapping, split-estate lands, and water.
REP Policy Director Jim DiPeso published these op-eds in the Albuquerque Tribune:
2006
Valle Vidal Victory!
On December 13, 2006, President Bush signed into law the Valle Vidal Protection Act,
bipartisan legislation that permanently protects the majestic Valle
Vidal from the threat of oil and gas leasing. Lying in the heart of the
Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the Valle Vidal is an amazingly beautiful
landscape of mountains, forests, streams, and wildlife.
The
New Mexico chapter of REP played a key role in building broad support
for the legislation, by speaking at rallies, writing letters and op-eds
and personally lobbying our state's congressional delegation, including:
On April 19, Tweeti Blancett and Oscar Simpson
spoke at the Otero Mesa public forum in Alamogordo. The forum was
organized to inform the public about Otero Mesa's fresh water aquifer,
the area's wildlife, and how oil and gas drilling could impact this
special place. Oscar and Chapter President Scott MacCurdy
attended the outing held during the weekend. Attendees had the
opportunity to experience Otero Mesa from both the ground and the air.
On April 26, Ken Whiton and Chapter President Scott MacCurdy
met with Kris McNeil, aide to Congresswoman Heather Wilson. Ken and
Scott asked her to support protection of Otero Mesa. They discussed
access issues to Otero Canyon and the Valles Caldera, and alternative
energy issues, specifically amending the Public Utility Regulatory
Policies Act of 1978 (HR 969), to include a renewable portfolio
standard. Ken and Scott also expressed their gratitude on behalf of REP
for her support for the Valle Vidal Protection Act and the New Mexico
Water Planning Assistance Act.
Oscar Simpson and Bill Wiley met with Congressman Tom Udall and the Albuquerque Journal staff to discuss writing a formal piece on the Valle Vidal.
Ken Whiton and Scott MacCurdy
met with Colin Hunter, Congresswoman Heather Wilson's aide, to thank
her for supporting the Valle Vidal Protection Act, which passed in the
House of Representatives in July.
Energy Future Press Conference
Chapter President Scott MacCurdy
participated in a press conference on October 26 supporting the New
Energy Future campaign, which promotes the goals of reducing U.S.
dependence on oil; harnessing clean, renewable, homegrown energy; and
saving energy with high performance homes, buildings and appliances.
Environmental Appreciation Day
The
chapter staffed a table at the Environmental Appreciation Day at the
state Fairgrounds in Albuquerque on September 22. Chapter President
Scott MacCurdy, Ken Whiton, and Joanne Hertz volunteered for the event.
Ken Whiton and Bill Wiley rode the Railrunner, Albuquerque's new light rail line on September 13.
Ken and Bill were there to discuss energy issues. The event was covered by KOAT television news.
January 2006 Chapter Meeting
The chapter held its 2006 annual meeting January 7 at Albuquerque’s elegant Petroleum Club.
Former Governor David Cargo, a member of the Executive Committee, presented the 2006 "Cargo" award—created in his honor a year ago—to former State Rep. Pauline Gubbels, a strong environmental champion during her years in the Legislature. ExCom member Bill Wiley presented the "Theodore" award to Dr. Ned Godshall, a “serial entrepreneur” developer of alternative-energy businesses.
Participants at the chapter's 2006 Annual Meeting.
REP published op-ed and letters to the editor in New Mexico newspapers:
2005
Chapter Annual Meeting a big success
Shown above are participants at the chapter's January 2005 annual meeting.
Seated: Former Governor David Cargo, Nancy Shelton and Joanne Hertz.
Standing: Scott MacCurdy, Oscar Simpson, Mike Hill, Rick Roberts,
Steve Gendron, Barry Bitzer, Bill Wiley, Jerry Shelton, David Holcomb,
Phil Young, Larry Dwyer and Chapter President Ken Whiton.
The chapter was proud to celebrate the election of our chapter vice president, Kathy McCoy, to the state legislature. Kathy couldn't be at our meeting, but her husband, David Holcomb, was there in her place.
In
addition, the chapter has been an active participant in efforts to save
Otero Mesa, the Valle Vidal, and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Chapter leaders—especially Ken Whiton, Bill Wiley, and Phil Young—have published op-eds on the subject and spoken out at public rallies and hearings in Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
The
chapter sent a letter inviting President Bush to visit the Valle Vidal,
so he would see how worthy it is to become a National Monument.
Read an op-ed about Otero Mesa that Ken published in the Albuquerque Tribune and a letter to the editor that he published in the Albuquerque Journal.
Former New Mexico Governor Dave Cargo, a member of REP's Honorary Board and the New Mexico Chapter Executive Committee published "Subsidy-laden energy bill light on conservation" in the Albuquerque Journal on August 10, 2005
2004
Chapter introduces the "David F. Cargo Conservation Award"
At the chapter's annual meeting in 2004, Chapter President Ken Whiton introduced a special award named in honor of former Governor David Cargo (below, left). The first recipient of the award was a REP member, retiring State Rep. Ron Godbey (below, right).
"Land Conservation for Conservatives" Conference
The New Mexico REP was proud to play host to ConservAmerica and REP members from around the country at our Land Conservation for Conservatives conference in May 2004, held in La Posada de Albuquerque.
Former Congressman Pete McCloskey gives the keynote
address. Tweeti Blancett, a rancher from Aztec, NM, and
member of the REP Board of Directors,
speaks about her family's "split estate" problems
with the oil and gas industry.
Radio personality Tony Dean ("Tony Dean Outdoors") of Pierre, SD,
talks of the need for conservatives to return to conservation.
Greg Petrich of Juneau, AK, speaks on behalf of the Northern Sportsmen's Network
New Mexico Executive Committee Member Phil Young,
during a field trip to the Valles Caldera National Preserve.
Chapter President Ken Whiton published More questions than answers about drilling in Otero Mesa in the Albuquerque Tribune in March.
Ken spoke at a press conference in Albuquere. Read his statement: Rally for National Parks.
REP President Martha Marks gave the keynote speech, Becoming an Iceberg, at a meeting that the Sierra Club's national board and staff held at La Posada de Albuquerque.
2003
Dr. John Bartlit, a member of REP, published Pollution Control: Fact, Fiction and Foresight, the lead article in our spring Green Elephant newsletter.
REP Policy Director Jim DiPeso published two op-eds in the Albuquerque Tribune. Click below to read them:
REP President Martha Marks gave the keynote speech at the annual conference of the Federation of State Conservation Voters Leagues, held at La Fonda in Santa Fe.
2002
Our first-ever thematic conference held in Albuquerque
REP and its "sister" non-profit, ConservAmerica, held their first thematic conference at La Posada de Albuquerque. Our "Wilderness for Conservatives" conference was a big success. Read REP President Martha Marks' speech at the event.
REP member Dr. Mark Boslough published Roads in forests lead to fires in the Albuquerque Tribune, July 18, 2002
Former New Mexico Governor David Cargo, a member of the Executive Committee of the New Mexico Chapter of REP; published Energy Bill Bust in the Albuquerque Tribune on June 19, 2002
New Mexico Chapter President Ken Whiton, published True energy independence in the Albuquerque Tribune, April 22, 2002
REP Policy Director Jim DiPeso published:
2001
REP member Dr. John Bartlit published Half a story about coal helps nobody in the Los Alamos Monitor on June 10, 2001
REP member Jim Scarantino published in the Albuquerque Journal:
2000
REP member Jim Scarantino published Teddy's on Rushmore, critics forgotten in the Albuquerque Journal on February 10.
REP members Jim Scarantino and Oscar Simpson published Hunters and Republicans Support Roadless Initiative in the Silver City Sun-News
1999
New Mexico became REP's first official chapter in August 1999!
Some of the participants at the chapter's organizational meeting
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