THANK YOU to everyone who contacted city officials in support of overturning the RCLC for good!
By: Sean P. Thomas [email protected] | Santa Fe New Mexican
The Santa Fe City Council unanimously approved a resolution Wednesday to pull the city from the Regional Coalition of LANL Communities, a consortium of local and tribal governments with economic ties to Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Santa Fe’s resolution requests that the coalition return dues paid by the city and instructs city officials to begin exploring other ways to lobby the laboratory for economic opportunities and environmental cleanup.
The coalition’s board voted Friday to begin winding down the entity and close out debts, before paying back members their 2021 dues.
“I think it’s important to state while this process is going on that we approved this resolution withdrawing the city of Santa Fe from the RCLC,” said Councilor Renee Villarreal.
The coalition was formed in 2011 to advocate for sitewide cleanup and economic opportunities at the laboratory, but critics have said the coalition no longer achieves its original purpose.
Santa Fe and Taos counties recently voted to leave the coalition.
In other news, the City Council approved an agreement with the state Department of Transportation to transfer maintenance responsibilities for parts of Cerrillos Road, St. Michaels Drive and Old Pecos Trail to the city.
Under the agreement, the city will take over upkeep of eight miles of road, including snowplowing responsibilities. The city intends to hire four employees to oversee maintenance of the roads. The transfer will take effect Aug. 1.