Meetings roundup: Aztec to discuss carbon dioxide storage study proposal
FARMINGTON — A week after the San Juan County Commission approved a letter expressing support for Enchant Energy’s efforts to receive a CarbonSAFE grant, the Aztec City Commission will consider a similar letter of support.
Enchant Energy is partnering with New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology as well as San Juan College to study potential storage sites for carbon dioxide in San Juan County.
The proposed letter included in Aztec’s agenda packet is nearly identical to the one approved by the San Juan County Commission on Jan. 7.
"Capture and storage of CO2 would be an important part of the overall strategy to reduce carbon emissions in compliance with state regulations, critical to keeping SJGS and the San Juan Coal Mine in operation," both letters state. "The area of investigation in this study has many advantages – the power station and mine are in close proximity, the geology appears to be favorable for storage, and the local community is generally supportive of efforts to not only keep generating power for New Mexico, but to ensure that the processes generating that power are cleaner than ever before."
The CarbonSAFE grant is offered by the U.S. Department of Energy and could provide up to $35 million.
The Aztec City Commission meets at 6 p.m. Jan. 14 at Aztec City Hall, 201 W. Chaco St. The meeting will be proceeded by a 5:15 p.m. work session regarding budget adjustments.
Partnership could help Bloomfield students gain work experience
Bloomfield High School students may soon have opportunities to gain work experience while in school.
The school board will hear a proposal that would allow special education students to sell coffee and condiments from a local coffee shop – Rise and Grind – to school staff from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. on Wednesdays.
This proposal will be discussed during the 5 p.m. board work session on Jan. 13 at 325 N. Bergin Lane as well as during the 6 p.m. meeting the same day.
Bloomfield, Farmington to discuss Social Security benefits
Both the Farmington and Bloomfield city councils will discuss resolutions in support of legislative efforts to repeal the income tax on Social Security benefits.
The Farmington City Council meets at 6 p.m. Jan. 14 at Farmington City Hall, 800 N. Municipal Drive. Other agenda topics include a presentation by Jeff Bourgeois, the CEO of San Juan Regional Medical Center. The meeting will be streamed at fmtn.org.
In addition to discussing Social Security, Bloomfield is considering asking the New Mexico Legislature for capital outlay funds to upgrade the wastewater treatment plant and to work on phase two of the East Blanco Bridge project. City Engineer Jason Thomas will present information to the city council about these projects during the regular meeting at 6 p.m. Jan. 13 at Bloomfield City Hall, 915 N. 1st St.
Other meetings:
The Kirtland Town Council will meet at 4:30 p.m. Jan. 14 the Kirtland Town Hall, 47 County Road 6500.
The Farmington Airport Advisory Commission will meet at 4 p.m. Jan. 14 at Farmington City Hall, 800 N. Municipal Drive.
The Central Consolidated School District Board of Education will meet for a work session at 4:30 p.m. at the Shiprock Board Room in Shiprock.
Hannah Grover covers government for The Daily Times. She can be reached at 505-564-4652 or via email at hgrover@daily-times.com.
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