Non-Local News Releases

SANTA FE, NM — The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) is pleased to announce the launch of a new electronic permitting system, NMDOT Permitting.

This system is designed to transform the permitting process, offering applicants a streamlined, user-friendly, and secure online experience. With this modern system, both applicants and NMDOT permit agents will have a single, convenient location to access and manage all application and permit information. Get ready for a more efficient and consistent permitting process.

Quemado Lake: Joe Valdez and his fishing buddy, Steve Coffey (pictured), of Albuquerque, caught five trout using Garlic PowerBait on Dec. 10.

SOUTHWEST FISHING REPORT

In all construction zones, motorists are asked to reduce speed, obey posted signs, and use extreme caution, as well as continue to be cautious of heavy equipment and construction personnel in the area. PLEASE NOTE: Conditions are subject to change without notice. Double fines for speeding in work zones may be in effect.

White Sands Missile Range Notification
For information regarding closures, you may call WSMR at 678-1178 or 678-2222 for updates.

SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced today that Robert E. Doucette, Jr., cabinet secretary of the New Mexico General Services Department, will step down from his position at the end of the year. Anna Silva will serve as acting cabinet secretary and will work closely with Doucette to ensure a seamless transition.

"Robert Doucette has provided leadership and expertise at several agencies over his long-lasting career in state government, and I thank him for his service to New Mexico," said Lujan Grisham. "I am confident that Anna Silva's experience and dedication will ensure a smooth transition and continued success for the department."

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) applauded the Senate passage of their bipartisan Indian Buffalo Management Act, legislation to create a buffalo program at the U.S. Department of the Interior and help promote and develop Tribal capacity to manage buffalo.

The Indian Buffalo Management Act provides secure, consistent funding for Tribes and Tribal organizations that have an established buffalo herd and management program, and provides resources for Tribes that would like to establish new herds. The legislation now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Acquisition made possible with funds from the Inflation Reduction Act New Mexico Democrats passed into law

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) are welcoming this week's announcement that the U.S. Forest Service Forest Legacy Program — with $50 million of federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and an additional $16.7 million from The Nature Conservancy — is purchasing the Dawson Elk Valley Ranch in northeastern New Mexico near Cimarron to support the proposed Vermejo River Watershed Conservation Project.

SANTA FE – Get ready New Mexico. The Name a Snowplow Contest is back for its second year, and we're inviting New Mexicans to unleash their creativity and submit their best snowplow names. The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) is thrilled to offer residents the chance to leave their mark by naming a fresh fleet of snowplows!

New Mexicans are known for their wit, humor, and ingenuity. That's why we want your most unique, fun, and New Mexico-inspired names for our hardworking snowplows. These trucks play an important role in keeping our communities connected and our roads safe during the winter months—so let's give them names that reflect their importance and a bit of local flavor!

Delegation urges the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to schedule public meetings to engage with local community and finalize the proposal

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) are welcoming today's announcement that the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service have initiated a two-year segregation period to temporarily withdraw approximately 165,000 acres of public lands in the Upper Pecos watershed in northern New Mexico, from new mining claims and the issuance of new federal mineral leases, subject to valid existing rights. This temporary protection gives the public land agencies time to consider longer-term protections without new mining claims being staked during the process.