New Mexico Water, Job Creation, “Our Time Is Now” Film

This week on New Mexico in Focus, we continue our discussions about water in New Mexico with Sandra Postel, National Geographic Freshwater Fellow, and Beth Bardwell, director of freshwater conservation with Audubon New Mexico. Postel has studied freshwater issues for 30 years and is the founder and director of the Global Water Policy Project. She is also co-creator of Changing the Course, a national restoration campaign focused on the Colorado River. Postel says we need to change how we think about water and adopt a water ethic. Bardwell will discuss how Postel’s work relates to water issues and rivers in New Mexico. Audubon led an effort that resulted in farmers being allowed to sell water rights to reclaim riverside environments.

The Line opinion panel discusses poverty and the New Mexico economy. Growth and job creation continue to lag in the state. Meanwhile, what growth is taking place could be severely impacted by automatic cuts that will take effect under the federal sequester, and there is a push to cut funding in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which feeds about one in five New Mexicans. This week as well, Human Services Secretary Sidonie Squier said in an email that there is no significant evidence of hunger in New Mexico, despite many studies to the contrary.

The Line will also talk about controversy over a plan by the Martinez Administration to give teachers a bonus of $5,000 if they move to low-performing schools. In a related issue, administrators expressed concerns to legislators at a committee hearing that they are not being heard in the push to implement new evaluation systems for schools.

Host: Gene Grant

Correspondents:
Gene Grant, NMiF Host
Megan Kamerick, NMiF Producer

Guests:
Sandra Postel, National Geographic Freshwater Fellow
Beth Bardwell, Director of Freshwater Conservation, Audubon New Mexico
Juan “Johnny” Mendez, Student featured in “Our Time Is Now”
Joshua “Jimmy” McFarland, Student featured in “Our Time Is Now”
Erin Hudson, Filmmaker, “Our Time Is Now”

Line Panelists:
Laura Sanchez, New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce
Tom Garrity, The Garrity Group Public Relations
Rob Nikolewski, The Capitol Report

Line Guest Panelists: Jeri Clausing, Associated Press

The Producer of NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS is Megan Kamerick. Associate Producer is Kathy Wimmer. Funding for this program was provided in part by the McCune Foundation.

Episode 713 for air September 27, 2013