New Mexico official says Texas landowners are “stealing” millions of gallons of water and selling it back for fracking

New Mexico official says Texas landowners are “stealing” millions of gallons of water and selling it back for fracking SOURCE: https://www.texastribune.org/2018/06/07/texas-landowners-new-mexico-stealing-water-fracking/ Water restrictions in New Mexico have created a supply crunch for the fracking industry, so more free-flowing Texas water is helping to fill the void. But not without controversy: A top New Mexico politician says Texans are pumping his state's water and piping it across the state line for oil drillers. ORLA — After you head northeast on Ranch Road 652 from tiny Orla, it’s easy to miss the precise moment you leave Texas and cross into New Mexico. The sign just says “Lea County Line,” and with 254 counties in Texas, you’d be forgiven for not knowing there isn’t one named Lea. But the folks who are selling water over it know exactly where the line is. That’s because on the Texas side, where the “rule of capture” rules groundwater policy, people basically can pump water from beneath their land to their heart’s content. But on the New Mexico side, the state has imposed tight regulations on both surface and groundwater that restrict supply. Here’s the rub — or the opportunity, depending on your perspective: With an oil fracking boom driving demand for freshwater on both sides of the state line in these parts, Texas landowners are helping to fill the void with water from the Lone Star State — including from at least one county in which Gov. Greg Abbott has declared a drought. The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one. Now a top New Mexico politician is crying foul, saying that unregulated pumping from wells next to the state line is depleting the shared aquifers that supply water to southern New Mexico. “Texas is stealing New Mexico’s water,” said New Mexico State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn. “If you put a whole bunch of straws in Texas and you don’t have any straws in New Mexico, you’re sucking all the water from under New Mexico out in Texas and then selling it back to New Mexico.” The difference in ownership of land in the two states contributes to the divergent water policies. In Texas, more than 90 percent of the land is privately owned. In New Mexico, by contrast, only 43 percent is owned by individuals, while 57 percent is in government or tribal hands. Ben Hasson Dunn says he has already found at least seven unpermitted water lines snaking from Texas across state trust lands he oversees, and he believes millions of gallons a day are being pumped into his state for use in oil and gas exploration. The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one. The commissioner, who oversees 9 million surface acres of state trust lands, said he has quit issuing new fresh water well permits for the oil and gas industry on agency-supervised property, but he can’t stop the pumping in Texas. And experts say there is no law barring unlimited sales of Texas water to New Mexico buyers — making the transfers hard to quantify. “Water is a vested property in the state of Texas. There is no law that I know of that prevents it from being shipped over state lines,” said state Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo. “It is less important where the water goes, as long as the owners are compensated, I suppose, than what the plans are to see to it that we have a water supply in perpetuity.” It’s a bipartisan sentiment. State Rep. Poncho Nevárez, the Eagle Pass Democrat who represents the far-flung outpost of Pecos in neighboring Reeves County, said he’s not so worried where the water goes as long as there’s enough to go around for residents and the towns they live in. “What does it matter if it goes 5 feet across the county line or to the moon?” Nevarez said. “I could see the pushback if Pecos proper was having trouble getting water, and here you have these guys moving massive amounts of water to New Mexico ... you gotta take care of the people where the resource generates from first.” When it comes to ensuring future supplies for the locals in Texas, lawmakers note that communities can always band together and form groundwater conservation districts, which issue pumping permits to protect aquifer levels. But here in Loving County, which is part of both Nevarez' and Seliger’s sprawling districts and sits adjacent to Lea County, New Mexico, there is no water conservation district, according to maps published by the Texas Water Development Board. (Abbott recently put Loving County on the list of counties seeking federal drought assistance). Texas rancher Roy “Sonny” Lindsay owns Loving County property that sits along the state border near Ranch Road 652, and he’s seen plenty of water heading north to New Mexico — where locally sourced water is harder to obtain. He recently sold some of it himself to ConocoPhillips from a giant frac pit — used to store water in the drilling process — the company built on his land. The company then pumped the water through hoses running into New Mexico, he said. “If it wasn't for Texas water, New Mexico wouldn't have no oil production,” Lindsay said. “So they shouldn't gripe about us selling water over there.” The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one. Rancher and land owner Sonny Lindsay walks next to a "frac pit" on land he has leased to ConocoPhillips along Ranch Road 652 near the Texas-New Mexico border. Rancher and land owner Sonny Lindsay walks next to a "frac pit" on land he has leased to ConocoPhillips along Ranch Road 652 near the Texas-New Mexico border. Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune In an emailed statement, ConocoPhillips spokeswoman Romelia Hinojosa cited the supply problems in New Mexico and said water from Lindsay’s Hanging H Ranch was used to complete five wells in New Mexico in early 2017. “At the time, we could not source water from New Mexico because other operators had captured the full capacity of the water available from sources (third party water vendors) in New Mexico,” Hinojosa said. She didn’t know the “exact volume” of water sent over the state line but said it was less than 5 percent of the water the company used in the Permian Basin in 2017. “At this time, ConocoPhillips is not using Texas water in New Mexico,” Hinojosa added. Lindsay said ConocoPhillips isn’t the only company that has piped water into New Mexico over his land. He said he recently discovered a water line from Texas Pacific Land Trust, a highly profitable company whose water sales have exploded in recent years, going over his land into New Mexico. He found another line lying alongside Ranch Road 652 whose owner could not be determined. Nor was it clear who owned several hard plastic lines — or what they were being used for — stretching across the state border near a wastewater facility not far from the Lea County Line sign. Phone and email messages left for Texas Pacific Land Trust, a 130-year-old company that owns almost 900,000 acres of land in 18 Texas counties, were not returned this week. Meanwhile, a Houston-based water supply company, Solaris Water Midstream, announced Tuesday that it is building a pipeline that will soon deliver millions of gallons of water per day from parched West Texas to New Mexico to help alleviate what the CEO described as “limited sources of water” constraining fracking operations in the region. “The high-capacity pipeline will add crucial, permanent water supply infrastructure to one of the most prolific areas in the Permian Basin and will be capable of transporting approximately 150,000 barrels [6.3 million gallons] of water per day from Loving County, Texas, to Eddy County, New Mexico,” the company said. Solaris spokeswoman Casey Nikoloric said the company works closely with area landowners to ensure "all permits are in place and easement fees are paid." The heavy cross-state water sales come amid an unprecedented fracking boom in the northwestern Texas counties near the New Mexico border. Fracking, short for hydraulic fracturing, uses enormous quantities of water, which drillers pressurize and shoot deep below the surface to help separate shale oil from porous rocks. In remote West Texas counties like Loving and Reeves, water lines zigzag between frac pits — above-ground pools lined with plastic — that dot the horizon. The drilling frenzy has filled hotels, torn up roads and boosted oil company profits all over the Permian Basin. New Mexico State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn stands along Highway 652 below the Lea County sign at the Texas-New Mexico border on May 23, 2018. New Mexico State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn stands along Highway 652 below the Lea County sign at the Texas-New Mexico border on May 23, 2018. Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune But oil isn’t the only liquid landowners are turning into quick cash. Suddenly, ranchers who once coaxed cotton out of the desert are finding their water is more valuable than the crops they once irrigated with it. “There’s a lot of individuals that have sold a million dollars’ worth of water,” said Paul Weatherby, former general manager of the Middle Pecos Groundwater Conservation District. He said he’s not bothered that some of it is being sold in New Mexico. “You don’t stop at the border for anything,” he said. “You drive across it on a trip. Ranchers own land in both states; farmers own land in both states. Oil and gas doesn’t recognize the border. Water doesn’t recognize the border.” Still, water and how it’s used can be a touchy subject around here. In the early 1950s, a crown jewel of Fort Stockton — Comanche Springs — dried up amid heavy pumping by farmers, most famously Clayton Williams Sr. An ensuing court battle reaffirmed the landmark 1904 decision upholding the “rule of capture” — giving landowners broad control over the water under their property — and Comanche Springs never recovered. Williams’ son, Clayton Williams Jr., who lost the 1990 governor’s race to Ann Richards, later rattled Fort Stockton with a plan to pump his water from the rural area to thirsty cities like Midland and Odessa. The battle dragged on for years, culminating in a 2017 settlement that allows for limited water exports. Tangling over water with New Mexico isn’t new, either — particularly when it comes to the Rio Grande and Pecos Rivers. A battle over distribution of water from the Rio Grande recently went to the U.S. Supreme Court, where Texas claimed a preliminary victory in March in an ongoing water war. In this new water-war battlefront, the New Mexico land commissioner argues that the rule of capture should not allow one state to negatively impact another’s aquifer. Dunn also is trying to determine if the landowners and companies selling water in New Mexico are paying taxes on it as required. Robert McEntyre, spokesman for the New Mexico Oil & Gas Association, said his members believe in robust compliance with all regulations and tax laws. "If we're running lines across state trust lands or federal lands, we should have the proper permits, and the proper taxes should be paid. I don't think anyone is contesting that," he said. "But I do think it would be irresponsible for the land commissioner to paint the entire industry with a broad brush over what seems to be a handful of cases." Dunn says he worries about the long-term impact of pumping so much groundwater for use in oil and gas extraction. That pumping lowers the amount of water that feeds rivers and streams, he said. “You're taking a resource that's not really rechargeable, and using it,” Dunn said. “I think in the long run water is going to be more valuable than oil.” Midland veterinarian Michael McCulloch, who owns land in both Texas and New Mexico and advocates for water conservation, said it’s the disharmony in interstate water law that’s helping to deplete the land’s most precious resource. “We need to think about how this is going to affect our kids and grandkids down the road,” McCulloch said. “It does bother me a little bit that New Mexico regulates how much water I can use, but it would be nice if we could have a compromise between the two states, and Texas conserves a little bit more water and New Mexico maybe lightens up a bit on their water law.” Read related Tribune coverage EPA: Fracking can harm drinking water Ranchers Frustrated By Water Spills from Oil Fields

USDA Announces Producer Approval of California Federal Milk Marketing Order

. Release No. 0123.18 Contact: USDA Press Email: press@oc.usda.gov USDA Announces Producer Approval of California Federal Milk Marketing Order WASHINGTON, June 7, 2018 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that California dairy producers have voted to approve a Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) for the entire State of California. As a result of this favorable vote, USDA today published a final rule in the Federal Register indicating that approval. The new California FMMO will be implemented October 17, 2018, with publication of the Announcement of Advanced Prices and Pricing Factors, and affected parties must comply with all provisions beginning November 1, 2018. USDA will work over the next few months to educate handlers who will become regulated by the new FMMO. California represents over 18 percent of all U.S. milk production and is currently regulated by a state milk marketing order administered by California Department of Agriculture (CDFA). Once this new FMMO is established, over 80 percent of the U.S. milk supply would fall under the FMMO regulatory framework. FMMOs are legal instruments that regulate the sale of milk between dairy farmers and the first buyer. Where appropriate, the California FMMO adopts the uniform order provisions contained in the 10 current FMMOs in the national system. These uniform provisions include, but are not limited to, dairy product classification, end-product price formulas, and the producer-handler definition. The new FMMO recognizes the unique market structure of the California dairy industry through tailored, performance-based standards to determine eligibility for pool participation. The order also provides for the recognition of producer quota as administered by the CDFA. The entire record of the rulemaking is available at www.ams.usda.gov/caorder. Today’s Federal Register notice is available at: www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/06/08/2018-12245/marketing-orders-milk-in-california. # _

Toxic Golden Algae (Prymnesium parvum)

Circular 647: Toxic Golden Algae (Prymnesium parvum) Rossana Sallenave (Extension Aquatic Ecology Specialist, Dept. of Extension Animal Sciences and Natural Resources) PDF: http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_circulars/CR647.pdf HTML: http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_circulars/CR647/welcome.html

Udall Advances Strong Investments in NM’s National Labs & Water Infrastructure

For Immediate Release June 5, 2018 Contact: Ned Adriance 202.228.6870 | news@tomudall.senate.gov| @SenatorTomUdall Udall Advances Strong Investments in NM’s National Labs & Water Infrastructure Udall’s committee approves $43.766 billion funding bill with funding for labs, cleanup, water projects, tech transfer WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tom Udall, senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that the committee has advanced key legislation to provide strong funding for New Mexico’s national labs, cleanup projects and technology transfer efforts, the Waste Isolation Pilot Program (WIPP), and water infrastructure projects throughout the state. The overall bill also provided strong increases for basic science and clean energy development funding. Udall, a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, helped secure a funding increase for the National Nuclear Security Administration, which funds both Sandia and Los Alamos National Labs. Udall also secured a funding increase for cleanup at Los Alamos, as well as strong funding for advanced biofuels and technology transfer to encourage job growth and innovation. “New Mexico’s national labs and Department of Energy installations are essential engines for our economy and deeply important to our national security,” Udall said. “As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I’m proud to have secured these strong funding levels for our national labs and for the innovative technology transfer activities that help diversify, expand and modernize New Mexico’s economy.” Udall also worked to include the highest levels of funding ever for the Bureau of Reclamation and Army Corps of Engineers, which support water projects throughout the state. “In New Mexico, we know that water is life – and we know that we don’t have water to waste,” Udall continued. “I’m working hard in the Senate to advance critical federal investments to improve and innovate our water infrastructure, to encourage efficiency and conservation, and to ensure that New Mexico communities have access to key federal programs to help effectively manage this vital natural resource.” U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich welcomed committee passage of the legislation: "This critical funding will ensure that our national labs and WIPP continue to play a vital role in addressing the nation's most pressing issues. The people of New Mexico make tremendous contributions to our national security and work at the forefront of cutting-edge research and development that grow our state’s economy. I'm also pleased this legislation includes funding for important water infrastructure and management projects across the state, including our tribal communities. Access to clean drinking water is essential to public health and helps boost economic development. I commend Senator Udall for his leadership on crafting this important legislation that will undoubtedly benefit New Mexico in so many ways.” New Mexico funding and other highlights of the bill include: National Labs The NNSA – which funds both Sandia and Los Alamos national labs and the Albuquerque NNSA facility – is set to receive a $111 million increase to $14.8 billion for Fiscal Year 2019 compared to the current 2018 Fiscal Year. The FY2018 and FY2019 figures are over 14% higher than the NNSA’s budget for 2017, which was set at $12.94 billion. Life Extension Projects – The bill funds Nuclear Weapons Life Extension Programs at $1.919 billion, a $579 million increase from $1.3 billion in FY 2017. This funding benefits the important nuclear security work at both Sandia and Los Alamos national labs. Udall has successfully fought cuts to life extension projects, saving thousands of jobs at the labs, and he remains committed to ensuring it has funding to continue its critical national security mission. Technology Transfer - $8.5 million for the Office of Technology Transition, which was established in 2015 and helps to expand the commercial impact of the Department of Energy's portfolio of research, development, demonstration and deployment activities. The office works with the National Laboratories and other stakeholders to identify high value technological innovations and discoveries, and to inject resources to move them rapidly to commercialization thus enhancing U.S. competitiveness and energy technological leadership. The report also includes language first introduced by Senator Udall in the ATTAIN Act to improve cost sharing and public-private partnerships supported by the Technology Commercialization Fund. Advanced Biofuels -- The bill sets aside $30 million for the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) to provide critical investments in research to develop advanced drop-in biofuels from algae. New Mexico labs and universities have been significant past beneficiaries of this research program. LANL National Historic Park – $20 million for the Manhattan Project National Historical Park at Los Alamos National and Richland that was created by legislation sponsored by Senators Udall and Heinrich. Advanced Simulation and Computing Campaign -- Funded at $703 million, a $40.2 million increase compared to FY 2017. Los Alamos and Sandia National Labs lead the nation in cutting edge computing. Advanced computing supports the stockpile stewardship program by enabling scientists to simulate weapons science, and advances basic science for multiple disciplines. MESA – $22.5 million to complete the equipment upgrade of the Microsystems and Engineering Sciences Applications (MESA) facility. The MESA Complex at Sandia represents the center of Sandia's investment in microsystems research, development, and prototyping activities for secure and radiation hardened electronic components that support national security. NNSA Construction – $48.5 million in funding to build the new Albuquerque NNSA Complex to house about 1,200 employees. This funding comes following Congressional authorization and $98 million in FY 2018 construction funding secured by Udall and Heinrich for this new facility in New Mexico for NNSA employees. Construction is planned to begin this summer. Inertial Confinement Fusion Ignition and High Yield - $544.9 million, an overall increase of nearly $25 million from FY 2018. $63.1 million, which is specifically for the Z Machine at Sandia National Labs. The program supports activities at Sandia’s Z facility and other facilities across the complex used to certify the stockpile without the use of underground nuclear testing. Pit Production Plutonium Pit production is funded at $361 million, and the bill ensures that LANL will remain the Research & Development Plutonium Center of Excellence. Udall also included an amendment in the Committee meeting to solidify LANL’s role as the nation’s plutonium center of excellence and require an independent review of DOE’s recently announced plan to build additional plutonium capability at the Savannah River site in South Carolina. The amendment reads: - NNSA is directed to contract with a third-party Federally Funded Research and Development Corporation to conduct an independent assessment of the NNSA’s decision to conduct pit production operations at two sites. The assessment must include an analysis of the four options evaluated in the recent Plutonium Pit Production Engineering Assessment, all identified risks, engineering requirements, workforce development requirements, and other factors considered. The NNSA cannot move forward with any plans to move plutonium pit production until such an assessment has been reported to Congress. Cleanup Los Alamos Cleanup - The bill includes a significant increase over the president’s proposal. Udall fought for to provide $220 million to fund cleanup at Los Alamos National Lab, $28 million more than the president proposed. Waste Isolation Pilot Program (WIPP) – The bill funds WIPP operations and security at $403 million, $21 million more than FY2018 which was set at $382 million. During the Committee debate, Udall secured passage of an additional amendment regarding DOE’s plans to send additional surplus plutonium waste from the Savannah River site that was not originally intended for WIPP to New Mexico. The amendment reads: -The DOE is directed to work cooperatively with the state of New Mexico, recognizing the limits in the Land Withdrawal Act and New Mexico’s status as an independent regulator of the WIPP facility. The department must submit to Congress a plan for obtaining all necessary final state and federal permits; acquiring independent scientific and technical review of dilute and dispose processes and waste forms to ensure compliance with waste acceptance criteria; defining any legislative changes necessary to accommodate this material and the existing WIPP waste inventory; and outlining any necessary design and construction modifications to the current facility, including cost and schedule impacts of any modifications needed to WIPP facilities. Water Projects Bureau of Reclamation Funded at $1.478 billion, a $490 million dollar increase. The bill includes Senator Udall’s Bureau of Reclamation funding requests: -Aamodt Indian Water Rights Settlement: $8,301,000 -Carlsbad Project: $3,851,000 -Middle Rio Grande Project: $23,519,000 -Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project: $69,603,000 -Rio Grande Project: $6,934,000 -Rio Grande Pueblos Project: $1,000,000 -Tucumcari Project: $31,000 -Upper Colorado River Operations Program: $870,000 -Colorado River Basin Project, Central Arizona Project: $6,920,000 Rural water – Funded at $86.5 million, a $20 million dollar increase from FY2018. The bill includes language ensuring higher prioritization in the project rankings on projects which have a national security nexus. WaterSmart – Funded at $34 million dollars. Army Corps of Engineers Funded at the highest level ever in a standard appropriations bill at $6.927 billion and includes Udall's funding requests for Army Corps of Engineers operations and maintenance projects: -Abiquiu Dam: $3,715,000 -Cochiti Lake, NM: $3,585,000 -Conchas Lake, NM: $2,726,000 -Galisteo Dam, NM: $935,000 -Inspection of Completed Environmental Projects: $27,000 -Inspection of Completed Works: $561,000 -Jemez Canyon Dam: $849,000 -Middle Rio Grande Endangered Species Collaborative Program: $2,117,000 -Rio Grande, Sandia Pueblo to Isleta Pueblo – Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration: $825,000 -Santa Rosa Dam and Lake: $1,385,000 -Scheduling Reservoir Operations: $199,000 -Two Rivers Dam: $1,056,000 -Upper Rio Grande Water Operations Model Study: $746,000 Environmental Infrastructure Account – Funding increased to $75 million. Tribal infrastructure – Funded at $1.5 million.

USDA Resumes Continuous Conservation Reserve Program Enrollment

USDA Resumes Continuous Conservation Reserve Program Enrollment One-Year Extension Available to Holders of Many Expiring Contracts through Continuous Signup WASHINGTON, June 1, 2018 – As part of a 33-year effort to protect sensitive lands and improve water quality and wildlife habitat on private lands, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will resume accepting applications for the voluntary Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Eligible farmers, ranchers, and private landowners can sign up at their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office between June 4 and Aug. 17, 2018. “The Conservation Reserve Program is an important component of the suite of voluntary conservation programs USDA makes available to agricultural producers, benefiting both the land and wildlife. On the road, I often hear firsthand how popular CRP is for our recreational sector; hunters, fishermen, conservationists and bird watchers,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said. “CRP also is a powerful tool to encourage agricultural producers to set aside unproductive, marginal lands that should not be farmed to reduce soil erosion, improve water quality, provide habitat for wildlife and boost soil health.” FSA stopped accepting applications last fall for the CRP continuous signup (excluding applications for the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and CRP grasslands). This pause allowed USDA to review available acres and avoid exceeding the 24 million-acre CRP cap set by the 2014 Farm Bill. New limited practice availability and short sign up period helps ensure that landowners with the most sensitive acreage will enroll in the program and avoid unintended competition with new and beginning farmers seeking leases. CRP enrollment currently is about 22.7 million acres. 2018 Signup for CRP For this year’s signup, limited priority practices are available for continuous enrollment. They include grassed waterways, filter strips, riparian buffers, wetland restoration and others. View a full list of practices. -more- FSA will use updated soil rental rates to make annual rental payments, reflecting current values. It will not offer incentive payments as part of the new signup. USDA will not open a general signup this year, however, a one-year extension will be offered to existing CRP participants with expiring CRP contracts of 14 years or less. Producers eligible for an extension will receive a letter with more information. CRP Grasslands Additionally, FSA established new ranking criteria for CRP Grasslands. To guarantee all CRP grasslands offers are treated equally, applicants who previously applied will be asked to reapply using the new ranking criteria. Producers with pending applications will receive a letter providing the options. About CRP In return for enrolling land in CRP, USDA, through FSA on behalf of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), provides participants with annual rental payments and cost-share assistance. Landowners enter into contracts that last between 10 and 15 years. CRP pays producers who remove sensitive lands from production and plant certain grasses, shrubs and trees that improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and increase wildlife habitat. Signed into law by President Reagan in 1985, CRP is one of the largest private-lands conservation programs in the United States. Thanks to voluntary participation by farmers, ranchers and private landowners, CRP has improved water quality, reduced soil erosion and increased habitat for endangered and threatened species. The new changes to CRP do not impact the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, a related program offered by CCC and state partners. Producers wanting to apply for the CRP continuous signup or CRP grasslands should contact their USDA service center. To locate your local FSA office, visit https://www.farmers.gov. More information on CRP can be found at www.fsa.usda.gov/crp. # USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Sustainable Agriculture Field Day on Thursday, June 28th,

Good day, We wanted to invite you to a new exciting upcoming event- Join us for the first annual Sustainable Agriculture Field Day on Thursday, June 28th, 2018 from 8 am to 12 pm at the New Mexico State University Leyendecker Plant Science Research Station. Registration begins at 7:30 am. This free event is open to the public and sponsored by the western region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (WSARE). Come and learn about the latest sustainable agriculture research during field tour presentations on a variety of topics including building healthy soil, irrigation efficiency in pecans, and production of alternative crops. Refreshments will be provided. For more information, or directions, contact the Leyendecker center at 575-646-2281. We look forward to seeing you there. We have also attached a flyer with additional information. Thank you, Israel Joukhadar Vegetable Program Manager New Mexico State University, Las Cruces 575-646-1715 icalsoya@nmsu.edu

Clerks office open on some fri abriviated sechdule.

Commissioner Waltershid Sent me this: IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE: NOTICE: In an effort to better serve the residents of Eddy County the County Clerk’s Office located at 325 S. Main St. Carlsbad NM 88220 will be open to all customers on the following Fridays in 2018: May 25, 2018 10am – 4pm August 31, 2018 10am – 4pm November 9,2018 10am – 4pm December 21, 2018 10am – 4pm December 28, 2018 10am – 4pm We will be providing the following services 1. Recording and filing of documents. 2. Marriage licenses. 3. Copies. 4. The book room will be available for records search. 5. Voter registration. We will have limited staff and the hours will be from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 pm These days precede Monday Holidays designated by the Board of Commissioners. Please note the dates and times are separate from Early Voting Hours, those hours are posted 90 days prior to Election Day on our web and Facebook pages. If you have questions or concerns please do not hesitate to call me at 575-885-3383. Thank you, Robin Van Natta Eddy County Clerk Robin Van Natta Eddy County Clerk 325 S. Main St Carlsbad NM 88220 575-885-3383