[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6549743,"mediaKeyId","5429412-b460ec37df8cd86eaef1559b3daf4afe","parentId",5429412,"title","Los Alamos moves ahead on EV charging and electrification planning; county wins DC fast‑charger grant","audioSeconds",7791,"startMs",7800000,"endMs",8192,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5429412-b460ec37df8cd86eaef1559b3daf4afe&start=7800&end=8","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5429412-b460ec37df8cd86eaef1559b3daf4afe/thumbnail_7800000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6549743/New-Mexico/Los-Alamos-moves-ahead-on-EV-charging-and-electrification-planning-county-wins-DC-fastcharger-grant","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6549743-0fa937528c93e6c156da9853a8ceff99/orig.mp4?Expires=1770879671&Signature=apOv-EXvVERo0OM5v~ufeYgYFkwW-weX1o3S5ty5Wkd9954~0T~czpSZLCBg9XmVlQd8vCLptci6uE2jx5Qg1GbTVH5qQBm00WOkRDkb7~Nm5fppxzRKFePgJg3kg85oGibpnezz9OH5RlwyOqAgcwq3V7RovQBZuDXfLOy1gTBLarhRoSzaSuVex3~~brmXu10cdU2Vvy9ZoYxMuirB7HDG9VhwJKlfCA0ac46IWaDRk45-N3NWY2QMWHsSe52VyghyxBbBngWeI736q26gHYXVUdGAQwOLNQk7oY5y6bJfG4JoortvHeWFwbnbyBldssDrYvWMe89GuDn4CFFqVw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Los Alamos County","date","2025-07-17T00:00:00Z","article","Los Alamos County staff and board members reported on July 17 that the county is moving forward with several electrification and infrastructure initiatives, including municipal level‑2 electric vehicle chargers and a grant for high‑power DC fast chargers.

Angelica, the county sustainability staff member who provided the report, said County Council approved a task order allowing construction of six new Level‑2 EV chargers at the municipal building; final electrical design updates were underway and staff expected construction to begin in the coming weeks. She also reported that the county received unofficial notice of an NMDOT grant to install two DC fast chargers with a minimum 150 kilowatt output per port at the Mesa Public Library.

Sue Barnes summarized recent Board of Public Utilities (BPU) activity. She said the Foxhill Flat solar and storage project near Farmington is ready to begin construction pending Bureau of Indian Affairs approvals and that the BPU is finalizing a power coordination agreement with Los Alamos National Laboratory expected by late August. Barnes also discussed an electrification study completed by Burns & McDonnell: the study projects that Los Alamos can achieve deep electrification by the mid‑21st century with infrastructure upgrades, including a new Eastgate substation and White Rock substation improvements, and with capital planning tied to regular infrastructure replacement.

Barnes said battery storage, geothermal and other projects are being evaluated in the region for federal tax‑credit eligibility and that transmission availability remains a key constraint for new generation. She noted a possible Advanced Geothermal base‑load project under UAMPS consideration, and that any large projects would require transmission approvals.

The staff report also touched on water infrastructure and wastewater items of interest: a Jemez Mountain fire‑protection water line and tank project has started, some project components await FEMA funding, and the county is exploring additional well and San Juan‑Chama surface water options. The county’s recycling and diversion statistics were reported: the June diversion rate was 34 percent, with yard trimmings and compost keeping material out of the landfill.

No formal board votes were taken on the infrastructure items reported at the July meeting; staff were asked to continue final design and pursue grant steps and to return to boards with more detailed timelines and budget information as projects move toward construction.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Los Alamos County - Environmental Sustainability Board on 2025-07-17 5:30 PM - Jul 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Los Alamos County staff reported July 17 that council has approved a task order for construction of six Level‑2 EV chargers at the municipal building and that the county received unofficial notice of a state grant for two 150 kW DC fast‑charger ports planned for Mesa Public Library.","taxTitle","Los Alamos, New Mexico","taxId",51137,"location","New Mexico","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6549748,"Los Alamos board updates plastic‑bag study; working group recommends more research and community engagement",1307,3543000,4850000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5429412-b460ec37df8cd86eaef1559b3daf4afe&start=3543&end=4850","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5429412-b460ec37df8cd86eaef1559b3daf4afe/thumbnail_3543000.jpg","/articles/6549748/New-Mexico/Los-Alamos-board-updates-plasticbag-study-working-group-recommends-more-research-and-community-engagement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6549748-eb1f0349d63124615fdd862ac5aa0977/orig.mp4?Expires=1770879671&Signature=YdAs9iAfyiO25J68UYTHZ3JiLOhgZ9Z1cw0YTJXt-UUK7mEtu9RxSv44CLIBMADQnD8O0603DpDMogj9zLcpWNLvl608iHpXlIJt5lTfPcn4JF0By0vBvPZo488xdygrK7hQOQ3lP5aqFy5o7PBnE1I4INgLlHtZ7gQrGXwFt4EYXt6CkrO08M3dD69XFmOPM14fnDRupN5qJmGicAkHm~hEfK8TGbjaWc7axF43vSJCFRotrDivZraDaShfBVZ9TpBuwaqcdrycuoJL03FwbTKYb1FRDIgZaRlw3~8GEkYS6c9xdqLURH6Mwe7YYHQ4YqSpKrJxvgbYmSNZxFk-EQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Los Alamos County Environmental Sustainability Board on July 17 received an update from a working group that has been evaluating single‑use plastic bags, possible alternatives and local costs related to recycling and contamination.

Rebecca Paley Williams, a member of the working group, summarized prior local history and recent research. She said earlier county efforts (2015–2021) emphasized public education rather than ordinance changes after petition and survey results showed strong opposition at the time. The working group reviewed academic life‑cycle studies, New Mexico municipal ordinances and interviews with jurisdictions that adopted bag fees or bans.

Williams reported several findings: single‑use plastic bags last minutes in use but hundreds of years in the environment and tend to enter waterways and recycling equipment; municipal bag policies have produced a 25–47% reduction in bags appearing in litter cleanups in some coastal studies; and New Mexicans use an estimated 33,000,000 single‑use plastic bags annually. She also said life‑cycle analyses vary widely by material and methodology and that some reusable bags must be reused many times to match the greenhouse‑gas footprint of a thin single‑use bag.

Board member Sue Barnes presented a 2018 Danish Environmental Protection Agency lifecycle comparison and urged the board to be precise about which environmental metrics to optimize. Barnes said some studies show recycled‑plastic reusable bags perform better than paper or cotton when reuse rates are high, and that organic cotton can have higher impacts because of lower yields. “If we’re going to suggest a different bag, we should have an idea of what the best different thing is,” Barnes said.

The working group summarized interviews with New Mexico jurisdictions and local retailers. The group said Las Cruces and Santa Fe reported measurable declines in single‑use bag volumes after ordinances or fees; Las Cruces’s results developed over several years. Williams said Smith’s in White Rock tested a store‑level bag fee but that corporate management later ended the test; the working group did not obtain firm usage statistics from that trial.

Interviewed municipal staff recommended several design choices for an enforceable local program: clearly enforceable ordinance language and penalties for noncompliant businesses; broadly defined but documented uses for any fee revenue (for example, education, litter cleanup or recycling services); and sustained public education after a policy’s launch. The working group also reported a fiscal analysis prepared during a proposed New Mexico state bill (House Bill 392) that estimated statewide recycling savings for processors, and noted the state bill had not been enacted.

Board discussion focused on next steps and gaps in the working group’s research. Members identified several items for further work: obtain local estimates of single‑use bag volumes (the working group reported a Smith’s White Rock estimate of roughly 5 cases per week at 500 bags per case); confirm whether the county’s recycling processor charges contamination fees tied specifically to bags; analyze county hauling and landfill costs linked to bag disposal; and seek retailer input (in particular, Smith’s corporate policy) on local bag practices.

The board agreed the working group should continue research and return with an updated report in September 2025. Councilor Reedy, who asked the board to study bags, has indicated he would like a recommendation from ESB once research and public engagement are complete. No ordinance or fee was proposed or voted on at the July meeting.","The Environmental Sustainability Board reported on a working‑group review of single‑use bag options and local experiences. Members recommended additional local data gathering, outreach to businesses and a follow‑up update to the board in September.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6549752,"UNM researcher gives Los Alamos Environmental Sustainability Board a primer on planetary health",1857,171000,2028000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5429412-b460ec37df8cd86eaef1559b3daf4afe&start=171&end=2028","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5429412-b460ec37df8cd86eaef1559b3daf4afe/thumbnail_171000.jpg","/articles/6549752/New-Mexico/UNM-researcher-gives-Los-Alamos-Environmental-Sustainability-Board-a-primer-on-planetary-health","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6549752-47f4ef02b10340fed0bf4e2704f05491/orig.mp4?Expires=1770879671&Signature=aggLa3iau-o0HdKA09MxrwBbtDt2phDd42~-4OdTuFcv5CPS~hLQLt1YQZ0uGZq8HRO6SVX4z8yHuVQDbt9o7loA7FGV-y6z1vtdzNNpSNIGRA6YSqVYDrJr4L9VBufIK5n7O8IVHR6l4aGfGCjuy2J6q18VfF6okvKdjQVUIlgvLfJycCvU2QoahFCaXjdJ7iPERJixm5MHfjOzoQrNQXSZhHd8tat9~yiUZWe6RM7UcXrGRb4QijpG-Jxg0FZhdo2jtaV2KknVSXfR~jBhN-6sDjPxIqtKDGQ9F8IwKF5b78~LniRv8RsONWdtb4WegjUgxg6cW2yk~qPxsGk-HA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Heidi Rogers, an associate professor and registered nurse at the University of New Mexico, told the Los Alamos County Environmental Sustainability Board on July 17 that planetary health is a framework linking global ecological limits to human health and local decision-making.

Rogers said the planetary health field treats climate change as one of several crossed “planetary boundaries” that together affect human well-being. She cited research from the Stockholm Resilience Centre and described a steady widening between historical health gains and growing ecological pressures. “When we really, really hold that in…we are part of nature,” Rogers said, arguing that public-health professionals should incorporate ecological determinants into planning and education.

The presentation outlined how planetary health connects drivers such as consumption, land use and technology to health outcomes including cardiovascular disease, mental-health impacts and emerging concerns about microplastics. Rogers noted recent University of New Mexico research beginning to examine microplastics’ effects on kidneys and described an international Planetary Health Alliance that is building education toolkits and a roadmap for local and global action. “We can use this framework to think about where the work needs to actually happen,” she said.

Board members asked how the international research and education materials translate to local policy and practice. Rebecca Haley Williams asked what outreach and regional participation look like; Rogers recommended joining the Planetary Health Alliance, following regional hubs and using the alliance’s “road map” and education framework as locally adaptable resources. Herman Gepard Kleinrath asked about curriculum and community involvement; Rogers said the alliance’s materials are crowd‑sourced and noted she is helping develop an education curriculum component.

Board chair Shannon Blair and members discussed practical local follow-ups mentioned by Rogers: adding climate and ecological vulnerabilities to local emergency planning, improving disaster preparedness in health services, and using county‑level outreach to translate global frameworks into specific community practices. Rogers suggested partnerships with UNM programs such as a new center on resilience for dry lands and offered to return to address technical questions or bring researchers if the board wanted deeper analysis.

The board did not take formal action on the presentation but discussed using Rogers’s materials to inform future resilience, health and education work in Los Alamos.","Heidi Rogers, associate professor at the University of New Mexico, told the Environmental Sustainability Board that planetary health links ecological “planetary boundaries” to human health and urged local application of global frameworks.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Los Alamos moves ahead on EV charging and electrification planning; county wins DC fast‑charger grant

Los Alamos board updates plastic‑bag study; working group recommends more research and community engagement

UNM researcher gives Los Alamos Environmental Sustainability Board a primer on planetary health